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Tag: Court

  • Sacked UI lecturer takes institution to court

    A sacked lecturer of the University of Ibadan, Dr. Adenike Ogunshe, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari, indicting the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, of threat to her life and victimisation over what she described as “morbid and mortal cruelties, protractedly displayed against her” by the minister.

    Ogunshe has instituted legal action against the University of Ibadan at the National Industrial Court, Ring Road, Ibadan, which is currently under the trial Judge, Hon. Justice J.D Peters In a 20-page letter addressed to the minister, which a copy was made available to journalists in Ibadan, she noted that the minister who was the immediate- past Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, was in 2009/2010, a member of the threeman committee of the institution’s governing council, that, accused her of plagiarism and other sundry matters in the Department of Botany and Microbiology of the institution. She accused Adewole of turning down her appearance before the committee, which resulted to her unlawful termination of duty.

    The letter reads: “In doing everything to entrench plagiarism in the academic system that you are to protect its chastity, the staff involved in the case of plagiarism, were later, under your administration as the Vice-Chancellor (VC), given a behind the scenes punishment of two years delay of promotion. You used everything at your disposal as VC, to scheme for my destruction and that of my career.

    “I had always been subjected to punitive actions for my moral and principled stands against ethical violations of existing regulations on academic and administrative issues in the department. “But my most-sordid ordeals commenced in 2006, due to my support of the existing university regulations, against the controversial appointment of a Senior Lecturer as Ag. Head of Department (HoD), instead of a Professor (who had no case or allegation against him, as the substantive HoD”. Ogunshe pointed out that the appointment of the Head of Department was based on seniority, as even supported by at least, two documents of the institution that existed, the University of Ibadan Vision Document for the 21st century (pages 122- 124 and 133-134) and the University of Ibadan Staff Information Handbook (pages 15-16 and 21). “Based on the aforementioned, I therefore, stood my grounds in support of scholarship, instead of mediocritised cheap politics in the academia. So, ever since then, I had been subjected to series of protracted segregation, oppression, and victimisation.”

  • Court remands four for allegedly stealing N1.301b from Police

    Four suspects, who allegedly stole N1,301,334,108 from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), have been remanded in Kirikiri prisons by an Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos.

    The suspects and two firms were yesterday arraigned at the court for alleged theft and diversion of N1,301,334,108 from the coffers of the NPF.

    The defendants, who were charged before Justice Sherifat Solebo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), include Olumide Odumosu, Sule Tegina, Helen Nwafor and Okpalugo Ifeoma.

    They were arraigned alongside two companies: Olu Osmond Nigeria Ltd and Jemmy Yus Investment Nigeria Ltd.

    The defendants are facing a 14-count charge preferred against them by the EFCC.

    In the charge, EFCC alleged that the defendants stole N1.3billion from the coffers of the Nigeria Police Force and fraudulently converted it to personal use between 2013 and 2014.

    The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants conspired with Ogbadu Joseph and Hassan Muhammed, who were said to be at large, to carry out the act.

    Prosecuting counsel for EFCC Rotimi Oyedepo said the defendants acted contrary to Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and were liable to be punished under Section 285(1) of the same Act.

    Attempt to arraign the defendants was stalled yesterday, as the third defendant, Nwafor, told the court that she did not understand English language.

    She requested that the charges be translated to her in Igbo language.

    Justice Solebo adjourned the matter till November 7 for arraignment to enable prosecution get an Igbo language interpreter.

    Defence counsel A.O. Osinfowora prayed that the defendants be returned to the EFCC custody.

    Justice Solebo, however, turned down his request and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the prison custody.

     

  • $8.1b fine: Court directs service of MTN’s suit on AGF

    •Hearing for December 4

    THE Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday directed MTN Nigeria Communications Limited to serve its suit against the Federal Government on the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN).

    Justice Saliu Saidu adjourned until December 4 for hearing.

    MTN is challenging the $8,134,312,397.63 demanded from it by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over alleged forex remittance infractions.

    The telecoms firm is praying the court to restrain the CBN and the AGF from imposing punitive sanctions against it.

    The CBN accused MTN Nigeria of improper dividend repatriations and demanded that $8.1 billion be returned “to the coffers of the CBN”.

    The Federal Government also accused MTN of unpaid taxes on foreign payments and imports.

    It asked MTN to pay approximately $2billion in relation to the taxes.

    According to the CBN, MTN and four banks – Standard Chartered Bank, Citi Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Diamond Bank – deliberately flouted the “laws and regulations…including the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1995 and the Foreign Exchange Manual, 2006.”

    The banks allegedly colluded with MTN, using irregular Certificates of Capital Importation (CCI), to illegally remit foreign exchange abroad.

    The four banks were slammed a combined N5.87 billion fine.

    MTN had denied the allegations and claims and subsequently filed the suit.

    At the court proceedings yesterday, the plaintiff was represented by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).

    He led 14 other lawyers, including Prof. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), Mr. Damian Dodo (SAN), Mr. Adeniyi Adegbonmire (SAN), and Mr. Bode Olanipekun (SAN).

    Messrs Seyi Sowemimo (SAN) and Ademola Akerele (SAN) represented the CBN.

    Justice Saliu Saidu directed that hearing notice should be served on the AGF, who was absent and was not represented.

    In the suit, MTN is seeking a declaration that it is “not liable to refund $8,134,312,397.63 to the coffers of the first defendant (CBN) premised on the decisions reached in the first defendant’s letter of 28/8/2018.”

    It is praying the court to declare that “the first defendant’s decision in its letter of August 28, 2018 with Ref No GBD/GOV/COM/DGF/118/121 addressed to the plaintiff and titled: ‘Investigation into the remittance of foreign exchange on the basis of the illegal capital importation certificates issued to MTN Nigeria Communications Limited’ was reached in breach of the plaintiff’s right to fair hearing.”

    The plaintiff is urging Justice Saidu to hold that CBN “lacks the power to determine the civil obligations or penal liabilities of the plaintiff.”

    It is also praying the court to declare that CBN acted ultra vires (outside) its statutory powers when it wrote the August 18 letter to it demanding a refund of $8.1 billion.

    MTN asked the court to hold that the $8.1billion demand was “illegal, oppressive, abusive, unauthorised and unconstitutional.”

    It also wants the court to void the September 3, 2018 letter written to it by the AGF, demanding $8.1billion as penalties for the offence of “infraction of forex remittances”.

    MTN is seeking a court order “restraining the first and second defendants from giving effect to the decisions, demands and directives in their letters of August 28, 2018 and September 3, 2018 respectively”.

    But, the CBN, in its statement of defence and counter-claim, is urging the court to dismiss MTN’s suit for lacking in merit.

    It insisted that the plaintiff must refund the $8.1billion to the Federal Government.

    Justice Saidu adjourned until December 4 for hearing of all pending applications.

  • Court strikes out corruption suit against Kachikwu

    A suit seeking an order of mandamus to compel anti-corruption agencies to investigate and prosecute Minister of State Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachikwu for alleged declaration of assets infractions has been struck out.

    Counsel to Kachikwu, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN) and Paul Erokoro (SAN), had sought the dismissal of the suit but Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo of the Federal high Court, declined because of the absence of the motion seeking dismissal before the court.

    The court had granted leave, permitting a civil society group, Kingdom Rights Foundation International (KHRFI), to commence a suit which centres on allegations of money laundering, operation of a foreign bank account, corruption and assets declaration irregularities against Kachikwu.

    Justice Ogunbanjo made the order on October 10.

    The plaintiff, KHRFI, through its ex parte application filed on August 23 sought the court’s leave to commence a suit seeking Kachikwu’s probe for the various allegations.

    Kachikwu was sued alongside the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Code of Conduct Bureau, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN).

    The plaintiff, through his lawyer, Okere Nnamdi, asked the court, in the substantive suit, to conduct a judicial review of the administrative action/inaction of the defendants to perform their constitutional and statutory mandates and obligations in connection with the investigation and prosecution of Kachikwu and also sought leave to commence the suit on October 10.

    But the suit was thrown out by the same court, thus vindicating Kachikwu, who had at various times insisted on compliance with the relevant law and rules in the declaration of his assets as against speculations flying around that his declaration was fraudulent.

  • Court to take video evidence in Patience Jonathan’s $8.4m forfeiture suit Nov. 13

    A FEDERAL High Court in Lagos yesterday, fixed November 13, to take video evidence in a suit seeking final forfeiture of about $8.4 million, and N7.4 billion found in bank accounts linked to a former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had secured an interim order of forfeiture, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on April 20, through an ex parte application (without notice).

    In the suit, EFCC joined as respondents: Patience Jonathan, Globus Integrated Services Ltd, Finchley Top Homes Ltd., Am-Pm Global Network Ltd, Pagmat Oil and Gas Ltd and Magel Resort Ltd and Esther Oba.

    When the case was called yesterday, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo announced appearance for the EFCC.

    On the other side, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) appeared for the first respondent, Mr. Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) appeared for the second respondent, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) appeared for the third to sixth respondents, and Mr. Ige Asemudara appeared for the seventh respondent.

    After respondent counsel had moved their various motions for regularisation of processes, the court asked the applicant to move his motion for final forfeiture.

    Moving his application, Oyedepo informed the court that the application for final forfeiture was dated May 8, seeking an order of the court for a final forfeiture of the sums of money listed in the application.

    He supported his application with an affidavit deposed to on May 20, by Mr. Orji Chukwuma, an operative with the commission, and told the court that he relies on the written averments, as well as exhibits EFCC 12 and 13, in support of his application.

    Oyedepo told the court that he also relies on the written address attached to the application, and urged the court to grant the application for final forfeiture.

    Arguing his processes in opposition dated July 24, Adedipe, counsel to first respondent, urged the court to refuse the application for final forfeiture on the grounds that sufficient facts had not been placed before the court to warrant a final order.

    According to Adedipe, the sum total of the applicant’s case is that, it found monies in the account of the first respondent, which it said are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

    He argued that same respondent was neither invited by the commission, charged nor even prosecuted.

    Adedipe argued that the applicant failed to take these preliminary steps, and instead, headed straight to seek for an order of forfeiture.

    He said such practice fell short of prosecutorial procedures.

    He argued that the depositions by the applicant that the funds represented proceeds of unlawful activities, has not been substantiated, as section 36 of the constitution provides that a person shall not be convicted of an offence, unless the offence is defined and punishment prescribed.

    According to him, there is no crime known as “statutory suspicion” and so, the onus rests on the EFCC to prove that the respondent has such amount of money, and that same was obtained under false pretences or fraud.

    He said although there are depositions that the funds were obtained from “Women for Change” and Bola Shagaya, there are however, no evidences before the court to show that the funds were stolen.

    He submitted that the application against the respondent is vindictive and urged the court not to allow itself to be used as a vehicle for pressure and injustice.

    In the same vein, counsel representing third to sixth respondent, (Ozekhome), argued that going by the provisions of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act, the applicant’s motion for final forfeiture is premature, as the affidavit of the third respondent to show cause, has not been taken.

    He argued that it is only when same has been argued, and the court finds no merit in it, that the applicant can be justified and better placed to bring such final application.

    According to him, the third to sixth respondents filed affidavits to show cause, deposed to by one Ubong, with exhibit attached labelled F1 to F6.

    He said these exhibits shows that the third respondent is a company, shows its certificate of incorporation, its board resolution that Patience Jonathan be made a signatory to it, and bank document evidencing that company’s account are signed by other persons who are also signatories.

    Other respondent counsel aligned themselves with the submissions of the learned silks.

    After listening to all parties, Justice Olatoregun adjourned the case until November 13 for the respondent to properly apply and exhibit its video evidence before the court. The EFCC will reply afterwards.

  • Journalist to court: declare sale of my father’s house illegal

    A journalist, Olorunleke Moses, has asked an Ikeja High Court to declare as declare as illegal, null and void the sale of his late father’s house in Ikeja by some members of his family to a business man, Alhaji Kunle Owonifari.

    The disputed property built by his late father, Ilori Moses, is situated at 37, Ipodo Street, Ikeja, Lagos.

    In a suit filed by his counsel, Morufu Bello, before Justice Babajide Candide-Johnson, the claimant is asking the court for an order setting aside the sale of the property.

    He also prayed the court for an order putting ‘caveat emptor’ on the property and another order mandating  the Registrar of Title, not to register the governor’s consent of the new purchaser, Alhaji Kunle Owonifari.

    The defenders in the suit are: Taiwo Moses, Modupe Moses, Olajumoke Moses, Alhaji Kunle Owonifari, The Probate  Registrar, High Court of Lagos State and Registrar of Titles, Lagos State Land Registry are first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth defendants respectively.

    In a 16-paragraph statement of claim deposed to in support of the writ, Olorunleke Moses averred that the disputed property was given to Iwalere Moses on the one hand and Taiwo and Kehinde Moses, on the other hand as stated in the will of his late father, Ilori Moses who died November 20, 1988.

    He averred that by the content of the will, Iwalere Moses was given the entire upstairs of the one storey building while Taiwo and Kehinde Moses were given exclusive possession of the apartments downstairs.

    He averred that Iwalere Moses, Taiwo Moses and Kehinde Moses are step brothers, adding that Iwalere in addition has other siblings including himself, the claimant.

    He stated that  Iwalere  died May 21, 1991 without any issue and that upon his death, his interest in the property reverted to his other siblings including the claimant.

    He stated that not long after the death of Iwalere Moses, his step brother, Kehinde Moses, disappeared and efforts to locate him proved abortive.

    The claimant further averred that after the death of Iwalere Moses, the first defendant, Taiwo Moses, unilaterally sold the property to the exclusion of the siblings of Iwalere Moses and without any grant of probate.

    He averred that the unilateral decision of the first defendant, Taiwo Moses, was allegedly done in collusion with the executors of the will of their late father, Modupe Moses and Olajumoke Moses, the second and third defendants respectively.

    He stated that his request made in writing, through his counsel, Morufu Bello, for a reversal of the sale of the property was ignored and not complied with by the defendants.

    However, in their Notice of Preliminary objection to the suit filed through their counsel, A.A. Oyewole, the first, second, third and fourth defendants jointly asked the court to strike out the suit filed against them by Olorunleke Moses on grounds of gross incompetence, irredeemable irregularity, want of jurisdiction and breach of rules of the court.

    They also prayed the court for an order striking out the suit for failure, refusal and neglect of the claimant to accompany the originating process with verifying affidavit to verify the content of the high court processes as provided for by Order 6, Rule 5 of the High Court of Lagos State Civil Procedure Rules 2012.

    They predicated their objection on 10 grounds.

    They claimed for instance that there was no written Memorandum caused by the claimant/respondent and or their solicitors setting out their claims and option for settlement as deposed to in paragraph 3 of the deposition contained in Form 01 and deposed to on April 30, 2018 which they also stated was defective and void.

    They cited the condition precedent to the assumption of jurisdiction in the decided case of Madukolu Vs Nkemdilim 1862 1 ALL N.L.R. (PT 4) 557 which they claimed has neither been met nor satisfied by the claimant.

    They averred that there is no evidence of the attempts made by the claimant/respondent to settle the matter out of court as stated on page 152 of the High Court of Lagos State Civil Procedure Rules 2012.

    Citing breach of the rules of the court, they contended that the court is duty bound to enforce the provision of the rules to the letter amongst litigants for certainty and regularity of proceedings.

    But in their counter affidavit in opposition to the defendants preliminary objections, deposed to by one Benson Ugboduma, it was contended that the fact that the claimant did not attach a verifying affidavit to the suit is not enough to warrant striking it out.

    It was stated that a pre action Form 01 was deposed to on April 30, 2018 in support of the action of the claimant and that it was done in compliance with the rules of the court.

    They averred that the arguments of the defendants was cosmetic and a mere academic exercise which they contended was not enough to strike out the suit.

    The claimant insisted that justice in the matter lies in dismissing the application of the defendants as it is lacking in merit and an over reach brought to rob them of their right.

    Justice Candide-Johnson has fixed December 11 for hearing of the matter.

  • Court grants garnishee order against NCC

    The Federal High Court has granted a garnishee order against the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) attaching the commission’s account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the tune of N234,193,048.18.

    Justice Binta Nyako made the order based on an application by Private Networks Nigeria Limited (PNN).

    The firm sought the enforcement of an arbitration award of November 10, 2017 made by a duly appointed sole arbitrator, Chief Akingbola Akinola, in a dispute between it and NCC.

    The applicant/judgment-creditor, through its counsel Olujumobi Orioye , had a contract with NCC to capture and transmit specified biometrics and personal information of existing mobile telephone subscribers in North-Central, comprising Benue, Kogi, Nassarawa, Niger, Plateau, Kwara states and Federal Capital Territory on NCC’s behalf.

    The payment sum for each data captured was specifically fixed in the agreement.

    PNN reportedly captured 4,105,165 subscriber data records and transmitted them to NCC.

    NCC initially informed PNN that only 1,738,731 data records were valid, while 2,366,434 were invalid, due to format and other data entry issues.

    It requested PNN to correct the errors and re-submit them. PNN did the correction and re-submitted 2,236,720 corrected data records to NCC.

    NCC paid N229,555,445.96 to PNN, leaving a balance of N227,621,419.04 since 2012.

    By parties’ consent, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) Nigeria Branch appointed Chief Akinola, a Chartered Arbitrator, as the Sole Arbitrator to determine the debt dispute.

    The sole arbitrator, on November 10, 2017, awarded PNN N227,621, 419.04.

    He dismissed PNN’s claim for pre-judgment interest and as well as NCC’s counter-claim.

    But, NCC applied to the Federal High Court to set aside the final award.

    However, the court in a July 6 judgment refused to set the arbitration award aside.

    Justice Nyako only set aside part of the award relating to post-judgment interest.

  • ‘I was tortured by SARS’, Evans tells court

    Kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans on Friday narrated to an Ikeja high court how he was allegedly tortured by members of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    Evans narrated his experience during the continuation of a trial-within-trial at an Ikeja High Court where he is facing trial on a two-count charge conspiracy and  kidnapping.

    He is trial before Justice Hakeem Oshodi alongside five other members of his gang.

    Before Evans’ testimony a five minute 33-second video  recording was played in the courtroom.

    The video recording, showed Inspector Idowu Haruna, a member of the IGP Intelligence Response Team sitting beside Evans cautioning him and taking his statement.

    Evans defence counsel, Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku,  however disputed the validity of the recording by claiming it was heavily edited.

    Evans while being led in evidence by Ajanaku, described himself as a businessman dealing in haulage and ornaments and resident at No. 3, Fred Soyebode Street,  Magodo Lagos.

    In vivid detail,  Evans described how he was tortured by police officers after his arrest.

    “Insp Idowu Haruna (member of IGP Intelligence Response Team)  took me to Abuja and brought me back to Lagos where I was at the Inspector General (IG) Guest House at Obalende,  Lagos.

    “Sunny the 2 I/C (second in command) to Abba Kyari,  Mr Christian Ugu,  Mr Phillip and other police officers working with them were there.

    “Idowu Haruna brought about 25 sheets of paper and asked me to sign,  that day, my mind told me not to sign because it might be my death warrant.

    “Mr Phillip put his hand in his pocket and brought out a brown hospital card,  he showed it to me and told me to sign it while saying that do you think that we are joking here, he said if anything happens to me here this card covers everything.

    “Mr Phillip said the police will not be held responsible and before I knew Mr Christian slapped me and that was how they started beating me,” Evans told the court.

    The alleged kidnap kingpin gave more details to the court how the police officers tortured him and made him witness executions in a bid to get him to admit to his crimes.

    He said: “Mr Christian Ugu was smoking,  he quenched the cigarette on my hand, My Lord look at my head where they beat me,  My Lord look at my hand.

    “They took me to the backyard of the I. G guesthouse, I sustained injuries on my head and body and Mr Phillip asked the policemen to walk on me and when I started bleeding,  he said you think we are joking here.

    “At the backyard,  I saw some people that I was paraded with, they were wearing leg chains,  some of them had bullet wounds on their legs and Mr Phillip ordered Idowu Haruna to bring a big brown cellotape, handkerchief and polybags.

    “Idowu Haruna forced a handkerchief into the mouth of one of them,  he used the cellotape to tightly tape his mouth and face and put a polybag over his head and cellotaped it and used another poly bag and cellotaped it for the second time and they left the man on the ground.

    “The man on the ground was shaking,  he pissed (urinated) on his body,  he poo pooed (defecated) on his body and after a while he went quiet.

    “Idowu Haruna went to the man and stepped on his body and he was unresponsive and he told me can you see I have travelled him.”

    Evans told the court that fourpersons were executed in the same manner by the police officers in his presence.

    “I was brought before them and I started begging, asking them what do they want me to do and they told me to co-operate with them and I said okay that I will do anything they wanted me to do.

    “Phillip asked them to take me to the house and he asked if I knew the method of killing and I said no, they said that it is called ‘Saddam Hussein’.

    “He said that there is no way an autopsy can predict the cause of death of the five people they had just killed and that those people have travelled.”

    Evans said after witnessing the execution, the 25 sheets of paper were brought for him to sign by the police.

    He recalled  trembling with fear saying that Mr Sunny,  the second in command to Mr Abba Kyari the Head of the IGP Intelligence Response Team asked Inspector Haruna to offer him a can of cold Fanta.

    “When the Fanta was given to me,  I drank it and after a few minutes they brought the 25 sheets of paper for me and I signed them.

    “Some things were written on some of the sheets of paper while some were blank,  that was how I was forced to sign the confessional statements,” Evans said.

    On cross-examination by Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey,  the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Evans confirmed his name and the names of his parents and denied knowing the officers before his arrest.

    “I am 38-years-old,  I was born on April 29, 1980, my mother’s name is Mrs Chinwe Onwuamadike and my father is Mr Stephen Onwuamadike.

    “I did not know Inspector Haruna,  Abba Kyari before my arrest. I am the one in the video,  I was cautioned in the video but after the cautionary words,  I was forced to sign.

    “The story I told the court was never an afterthought,  SARS killed more than 30 people in my presence,  the killings took place at the IG guesthouse in Ikoyi.

    “On the day I was arrested I was arrested in my house and I was taken to Ikeja SARS Station,  journalists were there,  they had beaten the hell out of me in my house,  I was interviewed by the journalists on Sunday, a day after I was arrested on Saturday.

    “When I was taken to the Station, there was a field, I was in a car while I was waiting for Abba Kyari to come.

    “Abba Kyari when he came, told me to beg for forgiveness in my interview with journalists  and also to inform the world I had cancer which I don’t have. The police killed one Felix Chinemeri in my presence,”  he said.

    While being re-examined by Ajanaku,  his defense counsel,  Evans said that he had not spoken to journalists before he made his alleged confessional statement to the police.

    Earlier during proceedings, Insp Idowu Haruna was cross-examined by Ajanaku.
    He told the court it took more than an hour to obtain Evans’ statement.

    Haruna denied that Evans changed his clothes because of blood stains from torture before the video of Evans giving his confessional statement was made.

    He denied editing the five minute and 33- second video of Evans  giving his statement to the police.

    “I never threatened to kill the first  defendant (Evans) and I never created fear in him by killing people in his presence,” Haruna said.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

    They were arraigned on August  30, 2017 on two counts of conspiracy.
    Evans and  co-defendants  pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them by the state.

    Justice Hakeem Oshodi adjourned the case until November 23 for continuation of defence in the trial-within-trial

  • Man docked over theft of cell phone worth N20,000

    A 24-year-old man, Saidu Amodu, has appeared before a Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, charged with stealing an Itel cell phone and N20,000 cash.

    Amodu, who resides at Gwagwa in Bwari Area Council, Abuja, denied committing the alleged office.

    The prosecutor, Ijeoma Ukagha, told the court that one Blessing ThankGod, who lives behind the palace of the traditional ruler of Karmo, reported the matter at the Karmo Police Station, on Oct. 18.

    According to Ukagha, the complainant reported that on Oct. 18, the defendant entered her room and stole N20,000 cash and one Itel cell phone.

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    The prosecutor said that the police later arrested the defendant and the stolen items were recovered from him.

    She said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Penal Code.

    The judge, Inuwa Maiwada, granted N30,000 bail to the defendant with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case until Nov. 28, for hearing.

  • Court restrains EFCC from arresting Rivers’ contractors

    A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting or detaining contractors, lawyers, professionals and service providers working with Rivers State.

    The court also restrained the EFCC and the federal attorney-general from inviting and detaining officials of the government for alleged investigation.

    Justice Hilary Oshomah ruled in a suit filed by Rivers attorney-general against the EFCC and AGF.

    Both institutions were also stopped from interfering with the accounts of the state pending determination of the substantive  suit.

    Justice Oshomah said: “An order of interlocutory injunction restraining 1st and 2nd Defendants/Respondents (EFCC/AGF) from inviting or further inviting, arresting and or detaining contractors (engaged by the Rivers  State government to carry out projects), professionals (including lawyers) or service providers to the Rivers State government who have been paid by  the State Government, for the purpose of investigating, probing and or interfering in any manner whatsoever with the management of the Rivers State consolidated fund.”

    The court added: “An order of interlocutory injunction restraining 1st and 2nd Defendants from giving any effect or further effect to the letter dated August 7, 2018, wherein EFCC invited some officials of the Rivers State government on August 20  or any date for that matter”.

    Justice Oshomah also stopped the EFCC and AGF or their agents, servants and privies from retrieving/demanding the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of any officials of the plaintiffs, contractors, lawyers or vendors, who have received payment for the purpose of probing or interfering with the accounts of the state pending determination of the substantive suit.

    The court further restrained the EFCC and AGF from directing  Zenith Bank and Access Bank to furnish them with the bank account details, record books and/or any document for the purpose of probing, investigating or interfering with accounts of Rivers State until determination of the substantive suit.

    The court held that the preliminary objection dated September 3, 2018, filed by the EFCC against the suit lacked merit.

    According to the court, the Motion on Notice by the Rivers attorney-general dated September 24, 2018, was meritorious  in its entirety.