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Tag: arraigned

  • Woman arraigned for ‘threatening neighbour ’

    A 56-year-old woman, Blessing Oyetu, was yesterday arraigned at an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun State for allegedly threatening a neighbour with a cutlass.

    Oyetu, who lives at 16, Fatade Street, Akeja, Ota, is facing a two-count charge of breaching the peace and threat to life.

    The prosecutor, Chudu Gbesi, told the court the accused committed the offence on August 19, about 5 pm, in Akeja, Ota.

    He alleged the accused conducted herself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace, by using a cutlass to threaten Bode Olabisi and forcefully entering the complainant’s compound to make trouble.

    Gbesi said the offence contravened sections 80 and 249 (d) of the Criminal Code Vol. 1, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    The Senior Magistrate, Mr. S. O. Banwo, granted her bail at N150,000 with two sureties.

    He said they must live within the court’s jurisdiction and swear to an affidavit of means of livelihood.

    Banwo said the sureties should submit four recent passport photographs and show evidence of tax payment to Ogun State government.

    The case was adjourned till October 10 for hearing.

  • 26-year-old arraigned for ‘stealing’ diesel

    A 26-year-old man, Oluwafemi Ogunkunle, was at the weekend, arraigned at an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State for allegedly stealing 15,600 litres of diesel.

    The defendant, a fuel attendant, who lives at Lafenwa Itele, Ogun State, is being tried for stealing.

    The prosecutor, Clifford Ogu, said the offence was committed on August 9, at Cryslad Avenue, Agege, a suburb of Lagos.

    He said when the account was audited, it was discovered 15,600 litres of diesel, valued at N2.574 million, was not remitted to the company’s account.

    “Fingers pointed at the accused, because the missing money was detected at the diesel pump he was attached to,” Ogu said.

    He added that the case was reported at the police station and the accused was arrested.

    The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Mrs. Taiwo Akanni granted the accused bail at N500,000 with two sureties.

    She adjourned the case till September 4 for mention.

  • Boy, 18, arraigned for ‘belonging to Badoo’

    An 18-year-old boy, Fred Minima, was yesterday arraigned at an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly belonging to a dreaded cult, Badoo.

    Minima, who lives at Akala in Mushin, is facing a three-count charge of attempted kidnap, belonging to an unlawful society and stealing.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

    But police prosecutor Maria Dauda insisted he committed the offences on July 26 at 11:10 a.m. at 25, Akinola Street, Mushin.

    Dauda said the accused, who had the logo of the cult on his left hand, allegedly entered the premises of a nursery and primary school in Mushin with the intention to kidnap pupils.

    He said the accused stole phones before he attracted the pupils.

    “He was caught by the security guard, who handed him over to the police.’’

    The offences contravened sections 21, 42 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (revised).

    The Magistrate, Mrs. O.O.A. Fowewe-Erusiafe, granted the accused bail at N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till August 29 for mention.

  • Evans asks court to order his release or arraigned

    Evans asks court to order his release or arraigned

    Suspected kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, has sued the Inspector-General of Police at the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged violation of his fundamental rights.

    He is praying the court to compel the police to charge him to court rather than detain him indefinitely.

    In a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed on his behalf by a Lagos lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje,  the suspected kidnapper said his continued detention without trial was illegal.

    He is praying for an order directing the respondents to immediately charge him to court if, there is any case against him in accordance with Sections 35 (1) (c) (3) (4) (5) (a) (b) and 36 of the 1999 Constitution.

    The Police, Lagos Commissioner of Police, Special Anti-Robbery Squad and Lagos State Police Command are the other respondents.

    Alternatively, Evans is seeking an order compelling the respondents to immediately release him unconditionally.

    Evans is contending that his continued detention since June 10 without charge amounts to an infringement on his fundamental human rights.

    He argues that the respondents ought to have charged him to court in line with Sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution.

    A 27-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by Evans’ father, Stephen Onwuamadike, averred that the applicant had been subjected to media trial.

    The father said the media trial and news orchestrated by the respondents continued to generate reactions in both print and electronic media without his son being afforded fair hearing and trial before a court of law.

    The deponent also averred that since his son’s arrest, all his family members have been denied access to him while media practitioners have been granted unfettered access to him.

    The matter has not been assigned to any judge and no date has been fixed for the hearing.

  • Boko Haram factional leader Al Barnawi, five others arraigned for killing foreigners

    Boko Haram factional leader Al Barnawi, five others arraigned for killing foreigners

    A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday ordered that six Boko Haram leaders and a woman be remanded in Kuje Prison, Abuja pending the conclusion of their trial.
    The order for their remand was made by Justice John Tsoho after they were arraigned on an 11-count charge.
    The Boko Haram leaders, who are members of a splinter group, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (a.k.a Ansaru), were arraigned with a wife of one of them.
    They were charged with conspiracy, hostage-taking, giving support to terrorist group, being members of terrorist group, being in illegal possession of firearms and concealment of information about acts of terrorism.
    The defendants are the leader of Ansaru, Mohammed Usman (aka Khalid Al Barnawi) and Mohammed Bashir Saleh.
    Others are Umar Bello (aka Abu Azzan); Mohammed Salisu (Datti), Yakubu Nuhu (aka Bello Maishayi), Usman Abubakar (Mugiratu) and Halima Haliru, the second wife of Mohammed Usman.
    Halima was charged, in count 11, with concealment of information from security agencies about her husband’s involvement in the activities of a terrorist group
    Usman, Saleh, Bello, Salisu, Nuhu, Abubakar and others said to be at large are accused of conspiring between 2011 and 2013 in Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe and other states in the northern part of Nigeria “to commit act of terrorism”.
    The offence is said to be contrary to Section 17 of Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 as amended in 2013 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
    They were also accused of hostage-taking contrary to Section 15(c) of Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 as amended in 2013 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
    The defendants were accused of being involved in the murder of “internationally-protected persons” contrary to Section (3) (a) of Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 as amended in 2013 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
    They were said to have in February 2013 at Ikirima Boko Haram Camp of Sambisa Forest murdered seven “internationally protected persons”.
    Usman and one late Abu Mohammed allegedly on March 8, 2012 murdered four others.
    Usman and the late Mohammed were also accused of kidnapping Christopher Mcmamus (Briton) and Franco Lamoliara (Italian) at Birni Kebbi on May 12, 2011. The defendants allegedly detained the two expatriates at Mabera area of Sokoto State up till March 8, 2012.
    The two expatriates were said to be carrying out construction work in Birni Kebbi, Kebbi State, on May 12, 2011, when they were kidnapped by the two alleged terrorists.
    Usman and the late Mohammed were said to have murdered  and buried Mcmamus and Lamoliara in a shallow grave on March 8, 2012.
    It was also alleged that the accused persons, on February 18, 2013,  kidnapped Carlos Bou Azziz, Brendan Vaughan, Silvano Trevisan, Konstantinos Karras, Ghaida Yaser Sa’ad, Julio Ibrahim El-Khouli and Imad El-Andari, at Life Camp Yard of the SETRACO Construction Company in Jama’are, Bauchi State.
    The defendants were said to have detained the seven expatriates at Ikirima Boko Haram camp in Sambisa Forest for a period of 10 days.
    They allegedly “intentionally murdered” and  buried the seven foreigners in a shallow grave.
    The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them by an official of the court.
    Only two of them claimed to understand English, prompting the court to engage the service of an interpreter, who explained proceedings to them in Hausa.
    Justice John Tsoho said the state was with sufficient capacity to provide security for any category of defendant, irrespective of their detention facility.
    He said since it was the provision of the constitution that the place of remand after arraignment was prison, the court could not act otherwise.
    The judge consequently ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje Prison, Abuja and adjourned to April 11 for further hearing.

  • Two men arraigned for ‘car, cash theft’

    Two men arraigned for ‘car, cash theft’

    Two men, Abdulwasiu Yakub and Okpanachi Ibrahim, who allegedly stole a car worth N1.3 million and N50, 000 cash from Muhammed Abu were arraigned in Lagos yesterday.
    The two men are facing a charge of stealing at an Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court.
    Prosecuting Corporal Bosede Adegeshin told court that the accused committed the offence with two others still at large on January 15 in Ilubirin area of Lagos Island.
    Adegeshin alleged that the accused boarded the complainant’s car which he used as cab.
    “The complainant usually picks passengers on his way from work. The accused all boarded the vehicle.
    “When they got to their destination, they pointed a gun at him, collected his money and pushed him out of the car,” he said.
    Adegeshin said the complainant reported the matter to the police and the accused were caught when they were about to sell the car at Igbo Olomu area of Ikorodu.
    The offence contravened Section 285 of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 stipulates a three-year jail term for an offender.
    The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.
    Magistrate O.O. Olatunji remanded the accused in prison custody and directed the prosecutor to send the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.
    Olatunji adjourned the case till March 2.

  • Pastor, 90-yr-old, another arraigned for forgery

    A 90-year-old retired soldier, Chief Damian Onwu was yesterday arraigned by a Chief Magistrate court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Onwu and two others allegedly forged the signatures of their dead fathers, who were elders of Ezekiel Hart family of Grand Bonny Kingdom, in Bonny Local Government Area (LGA) of the state to sell a portion of their family land located at Ikom Ikom, in Oyigbo LGA to unsuspecting members of the public.

    The charge was brought against them by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, through the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone six, Calabar in cross Rivers State.

    The soldier, who retired 30 years ago, was charged along with a pastor, Israel Zaccheaus Ezekiel Hart (50), and Fubara Zacheaus Ezekiel Hart (48).

    They were charged with conspiracy, forgery, impersonation, extortion and fraud (419).

    The three, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts and were granted bail in the sum of N4 million.

    A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) attached to zone 6, Calabar, Iroka Onwunta, is prosecuting the matter.

    Presenting the charge before the court, Onwunta alleged that the accused persons conspired among themselves and forged the signatures of the deceased elders of Ezekiel-Hart family of Grand Bonny, in Bonny Local Government Area (LGA), of Rivers State, their fathers, with the intent to defraud unsuspecting members of the society.

    He said the offence was committed between 1992 and 1994 at Ezekiel-Hart family, Grand Bonny Kingdom’s parcels of land at IKom IKom in Oyigbo LGA of the state.

    According to the charge sheet obtained from the court, the accused persons, allegedly forged and signed the signatures of Chief Benoni Ezekiel-Hart, Zacheaus Ezekiel Hart and Chief George Ezekiel-Hart who died in 1975, 1990 and 1995 respectively to sell a portion of the family land at Kom Kom, Oyigbo.

    The prosecution also said that the action of the trio amount to impersonation, with which they defrauded innocent Nigerians, different amount of money, ranging between N100, 000 and N350,000 and thereby committed offence punishable under sections, 70(1), 467(2), 516(A), 484, and 419 of the criminal code cap 39, volume 11 of the Laws of Rivers state, 1999.

    The trio pleaded not guilty to the six-count charged preferred against them. And the magistrate, A. O. Amadi-Nna, granted them bail in the sum of N4 million with one surety in like sum.

  • Kalu, others to be arraigned May 16

    Kalu, others to be arraigned May 16

    Justice Anwuri Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed May 16 to arraign ex-Abia State Governor Orji Kalu.

    Appearing with Kalu is the ex-Director of Finance in the State House, Udeh Jones Udeogu, and Slok Nigeria Limited, owned by the former governor.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought a 112 amended charge against them.

    EFCC accused Kalu and the others of diverting the state’s funds estimated at about N5.6 billion while they were in office between 1999 and 2007.

    The three are to be re-arraigned on the amended charge about seven years after they appeared on a similar charge before Justice Adamu Bello (now retired from the Federal High Court).

    Kalu, Slok and Udeogu were first arraigned on July 27, 2007 on a 96-count charge. The EFCC, on February 11, 2008, amended the charge to112 counts.

    The defendants challenged the competence of the charge and lost. They also lost at the Supreme Court which, on March 18, dismissed their appeal and ordered them to submit themselves for trial.

    Kalu and Udeogu were in court yesterday when the case was called for mention. Dressed in white native attire, Kalu mounted the dock, accompanied by Udeogu.

    Prosecution lawyer Oluwaleke Atolagbe handed a copy of the Supreme Court judgment to Justice Chikere and sought time for the prosecution to put its house in order.

    Kalu’s lawyer Awa Kalu (SAN) and Solomon Akuma (SAN), who represented Udeogu and Slok, did not oppose the  prosecution’s request for adjournment, following which the judge adjourned till May 16 to take defendants’ plea.

    A five-man panel at the Supreme Court, while dismissing the appeals by Kalu and Udeogu on March 18, upheld the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which also dismissed an earlier appeal by the defendants.

     

  • FIRS director, mother of four arraigned for alleged tax fraud

    FIRS director, mother of four arraigned for alleged tax fraud

    A Deputy Director, Regional Tax Office of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Abumere Joseph Osagie and a mother of four, Jamila Ojora, were arraigned yesterday before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama.

    They were, in a two-count charge filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), charged with criminal conspiracy and receipt of gratification.

    Osagie and  Ojora were said to have approached the Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja, Senator Ahmed Datti with  a tax assessment of N20,029,496.00  on January 27, 2016,  through a letter of intent, which he paid.

    Senator Datti was said to have later requested for the assessment certificate, which the two allegedly  refused to issue. The EFCC said rather than issue Datti with the assessment certificate, the defendants  allegedly demanded for N5million gratification.

    In a bid to establish the legitimacy of the defendants activities, EFCC’s marked N5million was delivered to Osagie through Ojora, in a sting operation, which led to her arrest. Ojora’s confession was said to have led to Osagie’s arrest.

    The offence contravenes Section 17(1)(a) and punishable under 17 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. One of the counts, reads: “Abumere Joseph Osagie and Jamila Ojora on or about January 27, 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, corruptly accepted the sum of N5,000,000.00 (five million naira) from one Senator Ahmed Datti as a gift for having done a tax assessment for Baze University.”

  • Two arraigned for alleged murder

    An Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday remanded two persons, Suraj Ramon and Ahmed Ademola in prison custody for allegedly killing a 35-year-old man, Agboola Joseph.

    Magistrate Nurudeen Layeni ordered that the defendants be remanded at the instance of the police.

    Ramon (33) and Ademola (24), who were arrested by Lagos State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID) operatives are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, belonging to an unlawful society, managing an unlawful society and murder, contrary to Sections 409, 41 and 42(1) and 221 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

    Prosecuting Police Sergeant Matthew Akhimien told the court that the defendants and others at large, belong to an unlawful society, “Eiye Fraternity”.

    He alleged that they shot Joseph dead on December 1 at the Bajulaiye Canal in Somolu, Lagos.

    The prosecutor sought a remand application pursuant to Section 264(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2011,

    The defendants’ plea was not taken because the court has no jurisdiction to try them.

    Their lawyers led by Spourgeon Ataene urged the court to grant them bail, pending legal advice by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

    Magistrate Layemi ruled that he has no jurisdiction to entertain a case bordering on capital offence and referred it to the DPP for advice.

    He adjourned the case till January 25, next year.