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Tag: Court

  • Four in court for assaulting doctor, nurse

    Four men: Ismail Dauda, 53, Emmanuel John,25, Mohammed Abbas,28, and Osuntayo Adesina, 38, on Thursday appeared at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos state for allegedly assaulting a medical doctor and a nurse.

    The accused, who resides at Berger, Agege, Ogba in Lagos State and Ibafo in Ogun respectively, however, pleaded innocence to the three-count charge of breach of peace, assault and conspiracy levelled against them.

    The prosecutor, ASP Clifford Ogu, said that the accused committed the offences on Dec. 13 at the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre, Alausa in Ikeja.

    He said that the accused and others still at large conspired to assault Dr Babatunde Durosimi and Olabode Alabi.

    “The accused beat-up the complainants while they were performing their official duties.’’

    Ogu said that the accused jumped over the fence to gain access into the centre’s premises.

    “They beat-up and overpowered the security guards on duty, who accosted them and tried to stop them from entering the ward.

    “The accused forcefully entered the ward, beat-up the complainants attending to accident victims.

    “One of the complainants called the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) men who came to their rescue.

    “The RRS men arrested four of the accused while others escaped,” the prosecutor said.

    The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 168, 173 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 173 carries three years’ jail term for assault while Section 411 attracts two years for conspiracy.

    Magistrate J.A. Adegun granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 each with one surety each in like sum.

    Adegun said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government (LASG).

    The case was adjourned until Jan.28, 2019 for mention.

  • Court reverses APC’s substitution of Reps candidate in Cross River

    •Orders APC, INEC to recognise Abang

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has voided the decision by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross Rivers State to substitute the name of Victor Abang for Cetus Obun as its candidate for the House of Representative seat of Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency of Cross Rivers State for the 2019 general election.

    Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in a judgment on December 18 this year, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept the name of Abang as a replacement for Obun, earlier submitted by the party, as the APC’s authentic candidate for the election.

    Justice Dimgba gave an order of mandatory injunction compelling INEC to “recognise and publish the name of the plaintiff (Victor Abang) as the candidate of the 1st defendant (APC) for the House of Representatives seat of Ikon/Boki Federal Constituency of Cross Rivers State for the 2019 general election.”

    The judgment was on a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1270/2018 filed by Victor Abang, With APC, Cetus Obun and INEC as defendants.

    Justice Dimgba directed the APC to forthwith, submit the name of Abang to INEC as its candidate for the election “being the aspirant, who scored the highest number of votes at the 1st defendant’s (APC’s) primary election in respect of the House of Representatives seat of Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency.

    The judge held that Abang was the winner of the primary election conducted by the APC for the House of Representatives seat of Ikom/Boki Constituency of Cross River state and that he is entitled to have his name forwarded to INEC.

    “A declaration is hereby made that the submission of the name of the 2nd defendant (Obun) instead of the plaintiff (Abang) as candidate of the 1st defendant (APC) for the House of Representatives seat of Ikom/Boki Constituency of Cross River State for the 2019 general election by the 1st defendant to the 3rd defendant (INEC) and the acceptance of same by the 3rd defendant is illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever”, the judge held.

    Justice Dimgba also restrained Obun from parading himself as the APC’s candidate for election into the House of Representatives seat of Ikom/Boki Constituency of Cross River State.

    The judge consequently directed APC to submit Abang’s name to INEC as its candidate for election into the House of Representatives seat of Ikom/Boki Constituency of Cross River State.

    INEC was also directed to forthwith substitute Abang’s name with that of Obun.

  • Banker charged with stealing N553,500 from customers

    A 35-year-old Accounts Officer with ACCION Microfinance Bank, Bashiru Odunukan, who allegedly stole N553,500 from customers, was on Thursday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Odunukan, whose address was not provided, is facing a count charge of stealing, to which he pleaded not guilty.

    The Prosecutor, ASP Thomas Nurudeen, said that the accused committed the offence from November 2017 to October 2018 at the Anthony Village branch of the bank in Lagos.

    Nurudeen said that the accused, who worked in the customer accounts unit of the bank, was tasked with processing loan repayments to the bank.

    According to him, the accused collected money from customers repaying their loans and converted it to his personal use.

    “It was an auditor of the bank attached to Sango-Ota branch, Mr Ayodeji Olulode, who discovered the theft when he was reconciling customers’ loan repayment records,” Nurudeen said.

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    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that stealing from one’s employer contravenes Section 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised), and punishable with seven years’ imprisonment.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs K.B. Ayeye, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum.

    Ayeye ordered that the surety should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case was adjourned until March 5, 2019, for mention.

  • Court slams N15m bail on suspected kidnappers of American

    Two siblings, Idowu Ayeni and Kehinde Ayeni, on Wednesday appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over alleged abduction of a female American.

    The siblings are standing trial along with a man, Matthew Adedoyin, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

    They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Prosecution counsel, Mr Peter Okeremodun, had told the court that the trio conspired and abducted Lynn Jackson on Nov. 11, in Lagos, in contravention of Sections 2 and 3 of the Kidnapping Prohibition Law, 2017.

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    Chief Magistrate A.O. Adedayo granted the accused bail in the sum of N5 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

    Adedayo ordered that one of the sureties must be a religious or community leader, adding that the sureties must own landed property in Lagos.

    She adjourned the case until Jan. 28, 2019, for mention.

  • Osun election dispute: Court to hear petition January 12

    •Tribunal orders parties to present witnesses same day

    The Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has fixed January 12 for hearing in a petition challenging the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the last governorship election, Adegboyega Oyetola.

    The petition was filed by Jumoke Lawal and her party, the National Rescue Movement (NRM).

    The petitioners are querying the legality of the governorship election held in Osun State on September 22 and 27 on the ground of unlawful exclusion.

    Jumoke Lawal, who said she was her party’s candidate for the poll, claimed that she was unlawfully excluded from participating in the election proper.

    Respondents in the petition are: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oyetola and APC (listed as first, second and third respondents).

    Tribunal Chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, in a ruling (pre-hearing conference report) yesterday, gave a schedule of how proceedings, in respect of the petition, would be conducted.

    He identified issues for determination in the petition to include: whether the first petition (Jumoke Lawal) was validly nominated as a candidate to contest the election from which she was allegedly excluded, and whether the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act.

    Justice Sirajo directed parties to assemble their witnesses same day.

    The judge noted that since parties were calling few witnesses, it was unnecessary to waste time.

    Asked if he was willing to call his witness the next day (today), lawyer to the petitioners, Oluwole Adaja, pleaded for an adjournment till next year.

    He said his witness had travelled.

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    Lawyers to the respondents: Lasco Miwa Pwahomdi (for INEC), M. T. Adekunle (for Oyetola) and Oloyede Oyediran (for APC) did not object to the petitioners’ request for an adjournment till next year.

    Following the agreement by parties that hearing in the petition be shifted to next year, the tribunal adjourned till January 12 for hearing.

    On Monday, Adaja indicated that he would call one witness, the first petitioner.

    Adesina Agbede, who represented INEC, also promised to call a witness, while Adekunle (for Oyetola) and Oyediran (for APC) said they would each call a minimum of four witnesses.

     

     

  • Man arraigned for allegedly aiding drug trafficking

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has charged one Afeez Alade before a Federal High Court Lagos for allegedly aiding the trafficking of a restricted narcotics called Ephedrine.

    The accused was arraigned before Justice N. Ayo-Emmanuel on a two count-charge of conspiracy to export 25 kg of Ephedrine which is classified as a prohibited substance listed in the schedule of the NDLEA Act.

    The accused had previously pleaded guilty to the charges alongside some co-accused when they were arraigned sometime before the court, but after the conviction of his co-accused, he opted to change his plea.

    He pleaded not guilty on his re-arraignment.

    After his plea, the Prosecutor, Mr Abu Ibrahim, urged the court to issue a trial date, while the accused be remanded in prison.
    .
    In response, the Defence Counsel, Mr R. Abdulhameed, moved a bail application on behalf of the accused, urging the court to admit him to bail on liberal terms.

    In a short ruling, the court granted the accused bail in the sum of one million naira with one surety in like sum.

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    The judge directed that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below grade level 14.

    The court also held that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and his particulars verified by the prosecutor within 14 days of submission.

    The court adjourned the case for trial until March 5 and March 6, 2019.

    According to the charge, the accused was said to have committed the offences on April 18 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

    He was accused of conspiring with one Omoyeni and Salaudeen, who worked at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NACHO), but are now convicts, to export 25 kg of the narcotics.

    The offences contravene the provisions of Section 24 (b) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

  • Man, 58, remanded for defiling 10-yr-old step daughter

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has remanded a 58-year-old man, Sunday Akpan, who allegedly defiled his 10-year-old step daughter.

    Akpan, of Thomas Estate, Ajah, Lagos, was arraigned by the police on a one-count charge of defilement before Mrs K. O. Doja-Ojo.

    Prosecuting Inspector Peace Chukwudi alleged that the defendant committed the offence at about 2pm on December 8, at 1004 building, Thomas Estate, Ajah, Lagos.

    She said Akpan had “unlawful carnal knowledge of the girl without her consent.”

    According to her, the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Akpan’s plea was not taken.

    The prosecutor prayed the court to remand the defendant pending legal advice on the matter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    Magistrate Doja-Ojo granted her application and remanded Akpan in prison custody.

    She ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to DPP for legal advice.

    The case was adjourned till January 9 for DPP’s advice.

  • Court remands man for alleged rape

    A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Kano, on Monday ordered that a 30-year-old man, Nura Bala, be remanded in prison for the alleged rape of a 22-year-old woman.

    The accused, who resides at Dorayi Quarters Kano, is facing a one-count charge of rape.

    Bala, however, pleaded not guilty.

    The Chief Magistrate, Muhammad Jibril, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison and adjourned the case until Dec. 27, for further mention.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Pogu Lale, had told the court that one Fatima Salisu of Gwazaye Quarters, Kano, reported the case at Dorayi Babba Police Station on Nov. 8.

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    Lale said that on Nov. 6, at about 7.30 p.m., the accused deceived the complainant 22-year-old daughter with the pretext of marrying her.

    The prosecutor alleged the accused lured the victim to an isolated area at Gwazaye Quarters, Kano, and forcefully had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

    “Some days after the incident the victim became mentally disabled and she is currently receiving medical treatment at Dorayi Rehabilitation Centre, Kano,’’ he said.

    According to him, the offence contravenes Section 283 of the Penal Code.

  • Abe to court: declare me APC candidate

    •Judgment on January 7

    Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers Southeast) has asked the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt to declare him the governorship candidate of Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2019 election.

    Abe’s lawyer Henry Bello urged the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Abe and other candidates produced by the primaries he conducted authentic candidates for the party in 2019, following the voiding of the congresses and indirect primaries conducted by the faction loyal to Rotimi Amaechi group for disobeying court order.

    But the defendants’ lawyer, Kayode Alatoki, insisted the court did not spare any faction, stressing that the judgment said “congresses and primaries”, which were inclusive of any action conducted by anybody identified with the name, “APC”. He, therefore, urged the court to strike out the suit for its frivolity.

    Alatoki maintained that the Court of Appeal’s judgment of Wednesday did not disqualify Tonye Cole and other APC candidates nominated in the indirect primaries conducted by the Rotimi Amaechi-led faction.

    “There is no order from the Court of Appeal that APC should not field candidates for the elections, it only said the APC did not obtain leave to appeal against consent judgment, which made the court to strike out the appeal. If an appeal is struck out, you can always come back to do the needful.”

    Alatoki told the court that Abe’s motion seeking to be declared the rightful candidate for next year’s polls was frivolous and baseless, because, according to him, the High Court judgment voided and set aside all congresses and primary elections conducted by APC in the state, and so the judgment also disqualified candidates that emerged through the primary elections conducted in disobedience to the order.

    The lawyer also urged the court to not just strike out the suit, but dismiss it completely for lacking in merit, saying the plaintiff’s application that the judgment was particular to the indirect primaries conducted by the Amaechi-led faction was false.

    He insisted the action of the party within the period of the court injunctions, which also included the primaries purportedly conducted by the Abe group, were affected by the court order.

    But Justice J.K. Omotoso adjourned the matter till January 7 for judgment.

  • Court remands 34-year-old for alleged murder

    A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered the remand in prison custody of a 34-year-old man, Princewill Owabie, for alleged murder.

    Owabie allegedly beat Betha Wobeze, a woman from Ngbola-Ndele, Emohua Local Government, to death on November 19 at his home, 391, Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt.

    The suspect also allegedly dug a shallow grave and buried the victim in his one bedroom apartment without the consent of her family.

    He is charged with a two-count charge of murder by the police.

    The charge was not read to him because the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter, hence he did not take any plea.

    Members of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) were in court to watch brief of the proceedings. The suspect, however, have no legal representation.

    Prosecutor Inspector Wilson Isaiah told the court that the offence contravened sections 319 (1) and 242 (b) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol II Laws of Rivers State, 1999.

    Magistrate Sokari Andrew-Jaja ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison custody.

    He also ordered that his case file be sent to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

    Andrew-Jaja adjourned the matter till February 21, pending advice from DPP.