For taking pictures of a policeman collecting bribe from a commercial motorist, a young man, Thompson Ntiedo has been arrested.
He was arrested by personnel of the Okota Police Station on Tuesday evening, who claimed they were carrying out the directives of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), James Chu, a CSP.
The victim was detained for three hours, released on bail at about 9pm with his two phones confiscated after he was forced to delete all the pictures he took.
He was asked to return to the station Wednesday morning which he did and was finally set free following the intervention of the police human rights officer.
As if detaining him was not enough, his brother who signed his bail bond was allegedly made to part away with some cash as “appreciation”.
Narrating his ordeal, the victim said:”I was in a commercial bus when we got to the area and one of the policemen on the road was demanding that our driver bribe him.
“I brought out my phone and captured him and they saw me. They dragged me out of the bus and seized the phone I used to take the pictures.
“They said I was under arrest but I begged that they should delete the pictures and release me but they refused.
“The next thing, they called the station and a patrol van appeared and they demanded that I enter because the DPO wants to see me.
“When we got there, they didn’t take me to meet the DPO neither did they release me. I was there from 6pm to 9pm.
“Afterwards, they asked me to go home and report back by 9am the following day ( Wednesday ). But before I was released, I had to call one of my brothers with my second phone to come and bail me.
“Meanwhile, before I left that night, they also seized the second phone from me and I went home without any of my phones.
“I got there Wednesday by 9am and waited till 2:40pm before my second phone was released. This was after the human rights officer intervened in my case and asked them to let me go.
“Even at that, the policeman handling my case went to Ikeja to submit my report and so I had to wait till he got back for my phones to be released.”
Tag: Bribery
-
Bribery: Man arrested for snapping policeman
-
Alleged bribery: Chief Magistrate knows fate today, 12 years after
•ICPC to arraign Jonathan’s campaigner in court
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) yesterday said the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, will today deliver judgment in a bribery matter against a former Chief Magistrate and Director of district courts, Mohammed Ali Balogun.
The judgment is coming 12 years after the ex-Chief Magistrate was arraigned in court for allegedly taking N100, 000 bribes.
A statement by ICPC said: “The matter, which was instituted in 2003 by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), had been prolonged due to series of events, especially on the side of the accused, who filed some interlocutory applications stating that his statement wasn’t voluntary alleging coercion, and his no case submission.
“Both applications were turned down by the court and even at the appellate which finally gave the ICPC a go ahead with the trial.
“Ali Balogun was alleged to have demanded for gratification in the sum of N100, 000 from a lecturer at the University of Abuja, who had a matter before his court so as to quash the contempt charge against him.
“Since the complainant could not afford the amount, he reported the matter to the ICPC and consequently the ICPC set up a sting operation during which Balogun received N50,000 and was caught in the act.”
ICPC will also arraign a businessman and Chairman of the Goodluck Support Group, Aminu Abubakar, for alleged blackmail before Justice Ishaq Bello of the FCT High Court 1.
The statement said: “Abubakar was said to have been in possession of some documents relating to some officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, with the intent to implicate them if they do not part with the sum of N50million.
“It was gathered that, having sensed danger in what the officials later realized to be blackmail, they reportedly petitioned the ICPC through an intermediary.
“As expected, the investigative team of the commission swung into action, coordinated a sting operation where the N50million earlier solicited for by Abubakar was negotiated downwards to N25million.
“Abubakar was eventually arrested with his accomplice at a garden in Abuja, after he had received just N5million out of the negotiated N25million.
“The culprits are being charged on a 3 count under the penal code, for extortion and conspiracy to extort.”
-
Ministry refutes fraud, bribery allegation
The Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has refuted the fraud, extortion and bribe allegation levelled against some of its top officials by a miners association.
In a statement, its Director of Press, Mrs Tinuade Aiyegbusi, said the Ibeju Lekki Miners Association’s allegations were false, adding that all taxes and revenue are paid directly to designated banks.
“The miners claimed in their petition that they go on daily trips of 500; but by the ministry’s records, their daily trips do not exceed 300. Since they claimed that they go up to 500 trips daily, the ministry will look into the claim since it has become obvious that the miners have been short-changing government and undermining its revenue drive.
“The ministry is a revenue-generating agency and its records of diligence and transparency in its dealings with the public can be verified. Our records are clean,” she said, noting that the ministry had over time observed disunity and fraudulent attitude among the miners.
Mrs Aiyegbusi explained: “In a meeting at the office of the Commissioner, Engr. Taofiq Tijani, the miners sought an extension of their mining permit for three months into 2014, a permit that expires this December. The question the ministry asked was: If the driver’s licence of an individual expires, does he ask for an extension of time from the licensing authority? Or if your vehicle licence expires, will you claim that since you did not drive the car because you were out of the country, you deserve an extension time for renewal? None of them could answer the questions.
“On September 30, a faction of the association of the Ibeju-Lekki Epe Miners Association seized power from the duly elected executives forcefully; the ministry was notified through a petition from the Oba Onibeju of Ibeju-Lekki. Various allegations, including misappropriation of funds, were part of the reasons given for the seizure of power from the former executives … the ministry held several meetings with monarchs and the factions, but all the efforts failed. Consequently, Engr. Tijani suspended the factions and allowed an interim committee nominated by the monarchs to manage mining activities in the axis pending the resolution of the crises by the ministry.”
The interim committee, she said, eventually sorted out their differences, but the miners took over the management of the activities again on December 2, began mining operations and asked for extension of time for permit renewal.
-
Ex-Aba North council chair, three others arraigned for bribery
•Remanded in prison for alleged bribery
The former Transition Chairman of the Aba North Local Government, Chief Appolos Alozie, has been arraigned before an Umuahia Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly offering bribe to influence his appointment for a second term.
The court remanded him and members of a syndicate, which defrauded him, in prison custody.
The ex-council boss was arraigned for offering N4,450, 000 paid through an Access Bank account 0008035473 to Uche Stanley and his group, who had claimed that they could influence Governor Theodore Orji and his son, Chinedu Orji, an engineer, to re-appoint him as a council boss.
Alozie was said to have committed an offence punishable under Section 509 of the Criminal Code, Cap. C.38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
The syndicate comprising Uche Ogbusuo, 35, Henry Madubuike, 37, Joseph Imo Kalu, 36 and Agwu Ukariwo now at large, allegedly conspired and obtained the money from the former council chairman between May and August to influence his reappointment.
The accused were alleged to have tricked Alozie into believing that they could restore him as the Transition Chairman of Aba North Local Government.
The syndicate reportedly induced the ex-council boss to part with the huge sum, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 1 (1) (a) Cap. A6, Vol.1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, Laws of the Federation 2004.
The first accused, Ogbusuo, who was the secretary of Ochendo Youth Foundation (OYF), was said to have impersonated Orji’s son, Chinedu and made Alozie to believe he could restore him as a council chairman.
Alozie lost his job as Aba North council boss last year, following allegations of high-handness and fraud.
He reported the matter to the police after he was denied reappointment by Orji.
The defence counsel argued that the accused should be granted bail, citing health reasons. He added that he should be granted bail based on his “personal integrity”.
But the prosecuting police officer, Samson Onyemuche, said: “A man, who allegedly paid such a huge sum of money (to get political appointment) cannot be said to have integrity.”
Denying the accused bail, Chief Magistrate John Ukpai ordered that they should be remanded at the Federal Prison, Afara Umuahia till October 28 and November 4 for Alozie and the 419 accused.
-
Bribery allegation NFF suspends Adepoju
Sets up four-man panel to investigate case
Embattled chairman of the Organising and Disciplinary committee of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) Olaleye Adepoju has been suspended from his position to allow for full investigation of the bribery allegation levelled against him by his committee members.
This was part of the decision the NFF’s executive committee took at its meeting held at the Saro-Maria Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last Saturday.
The committee also set up a four-man committee to investigate the allegation against Adepoju who is also a member of the Executive Committee.
Chris Green was named the chairman and members are Emeka Inyama, Shehu Adamu, Muazu Kawu and Brigadier-General Emma Okaro (rtd), with Alizor Chuks as secretary.
Adepoju was alleged to have collected N1.5m from a Glo Premier League side,Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan to help influence a decision in their favour in an abandoned game against Sunshine Stars in Akure.
Adepoju, who doubles as the Oyo FA chairman in his defence claimed he collected the same amount from the club but insisted it was for professional services he rendered to Shooting Stars as the club’s lawyer.
-
Ibori’s UK lawyer questioned over alleged police bribery
•Alleged to have hired private eyes to buy information from London Police
One of the counsels to Chief James Ibori, the jailed former governor of Delta State, has been arrested in London for allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice in the money-laundering case that got the politician sent to prison.
Ian Timlin, a former litigation partner at City Law Firm Speechly Bircham, was held by Met anti-corruption detectives investigating the alleged bribery of police officers. The senior lawyer was arrested at his home in Kent on suspicion of conspiracy to corrupt a police officer, perverting the course of justice and money-laundering offences concerning Ibori.
The former governor was jailed last year for embezzlement after admitting stealing almost £50m, although the true amount may have been many times greater.
The Independent of London reported that during a long-running Scotland Yard investigation into his business affairs, Mr Ibori hired the law firm, Speechly Bircham, which specialises in tax advice for non-domiciled people living in the UK. Mr Timlin, who until 2010 was a partner at Speechly Bircham, then hired RISC Management, a controversial private detective agency embroiled in the scandal that erupted after the murder of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.
Leaked documents, according to the newspaper, suggest RISC, run by former Met Police officers, gained inside information into the ongoing investigation of Ibori and that the agency paid serving detectives £20,000 for intelligence that helped the convict’s defence lawyers. One £5,000 payment was allegedly made to a source for information relating to “forthcoming interviewing strategy to be deployed by police”.
Mr Timlin was arrested in April and it is understood police have retrieved internal documents from the law firm. Keith Hunter, the boss of RISC Management, has also been arrested as part of the investigation, which was triggered in May 2012 when newspapers revealed the Met had done nothing since a whistleblower passed police leaked documents revealing the alleged payments to officers many months before.
Like all current investigations into damaging allegations of police corruption, the long-running inquiry has inched its way tortuously forward, which prevents the media from reporting the full details. Both Mr Hunter and Mr Timlin deny the allegations and are on bail.
Mr Timlin qualified as a solicitor in 1991 and was a partner for 15 years in a number of London law firms before he left Speechly Bircham in 2010. He is now legal director of the Long Port Group, a property development company in the tax haven of Guernsey, and has been involved in the construction of a sports resort in Brazil.
RISC, which is also used by law firm Mischon de Reya, has links to Russian oligarchs in London. It was first established as ISC Global in October 2000 by a lawyer called Stephen Curtis. He died in a helicopter accident in 2004, a crash that his family claimed was highly suspicious.
In 2006, it emerged the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko visited RISC’s central London offices shortly before he died of polonium poisoning, and traces of the radioactive substance were found at the premises.
A spokesperson for Speechly Bircham said: “Given an arrest was made some months ago and there has since been no charge, it would be inappropriate for us to comment. Suffice to say that we have assisted the police with their enquiries.”
Mr Hunter said: “RISC management does not need to pay serving police officers for confidential information as we pride ourselves on our ability to provide positive solutions and accurate information legitimately.” Mr Timlin and the Long Port Group did not respond to requests for comment.
At Ibori’s sentencing, prosecutor Sasha Wass said: “From the moment he was elected he set about enriching himself at the expense of some of the poorest people in the world.” She told the court he was “effectively a thief in government house.”
-
Bribery scandal: Lawan, Emenalo granted bail
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday granted the former Chairman, House of Representatives ad -hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime, Farouk Lawan, bail.
Lawan, a serving lawmaker from Kano State, is standing trial for allegedly receiving 3.5 million dollars (about N625 million) bribe.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi held that Section 35 (5) of the 1999 Constitution considers the accused innocent in such matter until proven guilty.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the second accused, Boniface Emenalo, was also granted bail.
The prosecution had alleged that Emenalo, an assistant director, who acted as the Secretary of the Committee, received 120,000 dollars (about N18 million) from the deal.
“I have studied the submissions of counsel to parties in this matter and the court is disposed to admitting the accused persons to bail.
“The bail sum is N10 million with two sureties. The bail is, however, free but it becomes effective upon the fulfillment of the stated conditions.
“The accused persons are not expected to travel out of the country during the pendency of the trial and therefore, they are mandated to surrender their travel passports to the registrar of the court.
“The court’s decision to admit the accused persons on bail is also predicated on the conviction that they would not jump justice.
“In fact, the report available to the court says they are presently enjoying administrative bail and that they have always yielded to police invitation during the investigation,’’ he said.
Lawan is charged with corruptly obtaining 500,000 dollars for himself from Mr. Femi Otedola, the Chairman, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, as inducement to remove the company’s name from the committee’s report, among other charges.
Similarly, Emenalo is alleged to have “corruptly asked for 3,000,000 dollars from Mr. Otedola’’.
Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), the prosecution counsel said Farouk committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (1) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000, punishable under section 17 (1) of the same Act.
He said that Emenalo also committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, punishable under section 23 (3) of the same Act, but the two pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Rickey Tarfa, the counsel to the accused, on February 1, filed the bail application, urging the court to grant his clients bail on self-recognition.
Tarfa said that the accused were eminent officials in the National Assembly and had met all the 37 invitations extended to them by the police during the investigation of the matter.
-
Bribery: Lawan, Emenalo remanded in prison
An Abuja High Court on Friday remanded in prison the former chairman of the House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on fuel subsidy, Farouk Lawan.
Also remanded in custody was the committee’s former secretary, Boniface Enemalo.
They were arraigned for allegedly soliciting for and collecting a bribe of $620,000 from the Chairman of Zenon Oil, Femi Otedola.
At the resumption of trial on Friday, the duo pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge filed against them.
The counsels to the lawmakers, Rickey Tarfa and Mike Ozhekome, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria, had earlier filed a bail application on their behalf.
However, the presiding judge, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi, ruled that both Lawan and Emenalo be remanded in Kuje Prison pending the ruling on their bail application.
He subsequently picked February 8 for ruling on the application.