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Tag: Court

  • Fake Lagos oba duped me of N15m, woman tells court

    Fake Lagos oba duped me of N15m, woman tells court

    A United Kingdom (UK)-based Nigerian Mrs. Ajoke Moriselade, yesterday told an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court  how she lost N15 million to a man who allegedly impersonated  Oba  Riliwan Akiolu of Lagos.

    Moriselade, who identified the defendant, Salami Oluwatobi Peter, as the fake Oba, said he obtained the cash from her on the pretext of, among others,  getting her a slot at the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

    Peter was arraigned last August 18, before Chief Magistrate Akorede Ajibade for alleged conspiracy, impersonation, fraud, forgery and stealing.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    Led in evidence by prosecuting Inspector Adebayo Oladele at Peter’s resumed trial, Moriselade said :

    “I was duped under the false pretence of dealing with the Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwan Akiolu, to procure a slot in the proposed Lekki Free Airport Investment.

    “I met the accused person, Salami Oluwatobi Peter, on Facebook in 2016, through a friend request from Oba of Lagos and profile picture was that of Oba Akiolu”.

    Moriselade explained that after two months of consistent chats with him, the defendant, disguised as Akiolu, and sought  financial assistance to do business in America worth N250 million.

    The complainant said she advised him to contact people like former Lagos State governors Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola for assistance. But after several pleas, she lent him N5 million, with a condition that he would pay back after the contract.

    She said  he later introduced her to a business that required her to buy shares in a company, which after three months would start earning her profit that would be deposited in her account in Nigeria.

    The witness said Peter sent her a form via courier  and asked her to deposit N5 million “to start with.”

    According to her, after she paid him the second N5 million, Peter stopped calling her and she did not receive any update as regards the business. When she queried him, he told her the N5 million was too small for her to be a shareholder and demanded another N5 million which she sent to him.

    She said she realised that she had been duped when  she added his number on a social media platform, Snap Chat, so as to leave a message for him after he had stopped picking her calls.

    The witness said to her surprise she found that the profile picture was that of a young man, and not Oba Akiolu.

    Moriselade said: “So, I decided to play along and disguised as his admirer in order to get the truth. I later sent him two phones and an Ipad worth £800, in the course of our relationship through my younger brother in Nigeria, who I gave the defendant’s line to call for delivery and the defendant actually received the items.”

    According to Moriselade, when her younger brother gave her the description of the receiver, it tallied with the picture she saw on Snapchat, and that was when it dawned on her that she was dealing with a fraudster.”

    The case continues on February 14.

  •  Violation of grazing law: Court remands teenager

     Violation of grazing law: Court remands teenager

    The Police yesterday arraigned 19- year-old Ibrahim Mohammadu of Agirima village of Nasarawa State, in a Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi for alleged violation of Benue Open Grazing Law.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Abdulkarim Abubakar, told the court that the case was reported on Jan.21, by Mrs Ochoyada Ogah, Mrs Gloria Samson and Mrs Rebecca Michael.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the complainants were from Ocholanya village in Agatu Local Government of Area of the state.

    Abubakar said that the complainants had averred that they saw the accused person’s cows grazing on their farms.

    According to the prosecutor, the accused person voluntarily confessed to committing the crime.

    He said that the offence contravened Section 19 (2) of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of Benue State 2017.

    The accused person pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

    The Magistrate, Mr Emmanuel Azembe, ordered that the accused person be remanded in prison and adjourned hearing of the case until February 20.

  • Police arrest fake lawyer in court

    Police arrest fake lawyer in court

    The Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it had arrested a fake lawyer who had been representing people at different magistrates’ courts in the state.

    Its spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) told newsmen that the suspect was arrested on Tuesday at Ojo Magistrate’s Court while representing a client.

    Oti said the fake lawyer, who identified himself as Barrister Chris Elisha, claimed he had been practicing as a lawyer illegally for the past 15 years without being spotted.

    “Nemesis caught up with him on February 6 at Ojo Magistrates’ Court where he appeared on behalf of an accused person but found it difficult to move a motion for the variation of the bail condition of his client.

    “His predicament did not go unnoticed by one Nnamdi Samuel Nwafor who challenged his qualification. Nwafor, a newly qualified lawyer that is yet to cut his teeth at the bar, Elisha should be able to move a motion without problems.

    “The hot argument between both men attracted the attention of other lawyers and the court duty policemen. The police officers took the suspect to the nearby Ojo Police Station where he confessed that he is a mere ‘charge and bail lawyer’.

    “He confessed he was more into corporate law practice and did little of litigation. He claimed he read law at Eastern Ukrainian University in the former Soviet Union but had no certificate to show for it,” Oti said.

    The spokesman said the suspect was undergoing interrogation at the X- Squad Section of the State Police Command Headquarters and would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.

     

  • Kano council polls: Court dismisses PDP’s request for postponement

    Kano council polls: Court dismisses PDP’s request for postponement

    •Security agencies warn against violence
    •Plateau IPAC hails security agencies

    A Kano State High court sitting at Audu Bako Secretariat has rejected an application by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) requesting the court to postpone the February 10 local government elections.

    Presiding Acting Chief Judge, Justice Nura Sagir, ruled that the application was tendered orally.

    The PDP earlier filed a suit against the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), seeking the court to denounce the N250,000 and N150,000 intent form fees for chairmanship and councillorship candidates.

    PDP’s lawyer, Abdul Adamu Fagge, urged the court to declare that KANSIEC acted in contrast to the provisions of the 1999 constitution, as amended.

    KANSIEC’s lawyer and Commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Mukthar, prayed the court to discountenance PDP’s complaints, as contained in the Originating Summons, arguing that KANSIEC has the sole constitutional mandate to conduct local government elections.

    Justice Sagir said KANSIEC is a body established by the provision of a law promulgated by the House of Assembly, and has the mandate to conduct local government elections. He said it has not acted  contraryt to the provisions of the constitution.

    He declined to grant the PDP’s request for a consequential order postponing the elections, to give effect to the initial verdict of the court, on the substantive matter earlier determined against PDP.

    Justice Sagir noted that the request is not contained in the Originating Summons.

    Security operatives have warned candidates and political parties against indulging in acts capable of causing mayhem during or after Saturday’s election.

    Commissioner of Police Rabi’u Yusuf, who addressed candidates and party leaders yesterday, said politics is not about violence.

    Yusuf appealed to them to play the game according to the rules, by avoiding campaigns that may breed unpleasant consequences because “politics is not a do-or-die affair”.

    He said: “Security agencies do not belong to any political party; ours is to provide security. And as such, I will like you, contestants and party leaders, to talk to your electorates about your products and at the end, they can vote for the candidate of their choice.

    “I am warning you; we will not tolerate violence or wielding dangerous weapons during the election. Anyone caught will face the wrath of the law. There will be restriction of movement on the election day. After casting your vote, you are advised to immediately leave the area because we shall not condone loitering.

    “We are not politicians but we provide enabling environment for a hitch-free exercise, as we will not hesitate to deal decisively with anyone trying to scuttle the election.”

    Representatives of the political parties agreed in the peace accord to abide by all the laws governing the conduct of election.

    The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Plateau State has lauded security agencies for being proactive in preventing violence in the state.

    Security agencies, on Monday, advised the State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) to postpone the February 17 local government elections.

    IPAC met to assess the situation, and resolved that the security agencies have done well in visualising the violence which would have characterised the election. It said it could not afford another round of bloodshed, especially as the present administration has invested much to restore peace.

    Chairman of the coalition, Latep Dabang, who addressed reporters after the emergency meeting, said: “The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has resolved to support the state electoral commission for heeding the advice of the Security Council and postponed the election.

    “It is the resolve of IPAC that peace is very cardinal in the conduct of any election, considering the important role of the grassroots in a democracy. The election of local government chairmen and councillors is very dear to all political parties.

    “This state has been enjoying relative peace since the coming of the present government, and it will be foolhardy to embark on anything that will truncate the ongoing peace building. So we are fully in support of the postponement.”

    But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said postponing the election for security reasons is as sign of the government’s failure.

  • Court denies alleged killer-wife bail again

    Court denies alleged killer-wife bail again

    Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja has for the second time denied Maryam Sanda, wife of ex-People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chairman’s son, bail despite claiming she is three months pregnant.

    In the last ruling delivered on December 14, last year, Justice Halilu granted Maryam’s three co-defendants bail, but declined her plea for bail and ordering the defendant to be remanded in Suleja prisons.

    She was accused of causing the death of her husband, Bilyamin Bello, who the son of a former PDP Chairman, Haliru Bello.

    Maryam was accused of “stabbing him on the chest and other parts of the body with a knife and other dangerous weapons, which eventually led to his death”.

    The offence was said to be punishable under Section 167 of the Penal Code Act.

    At resume of hearing yesterday, defence counsel Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) said since the application for appeal of the first verdict on bail has been abandoned at the Court of Appeal, it would not constitute an abuse of court process to hear the second application.

    Police prosecution counsel Mr. James Idachaba stood his ground that since there had not been any application filed before the Court of Appeal withdrawing the notice of appeal as at the time of filing the fresh application on January 24, the said application constituted an abuse of court process and deserved to be struck out.

    The trial judge, who ruled in the prosecutor’s favour, said the application was an abuse of court process because she failed to withdraw her notice of appeal challenging the ruling earlier delivered on December 14, last year.

    Justice Halilu added that it would amount to taking a path of destruction to rule on the merit of the fresh application for bail when the applicant’s notice of appeal challenging the earlier decision of the court on the same subject matter of bail was still pending before the higher court.

    “The application is liable to be struck out and it is accordingly struck out,” Justice Halilu ruled.

    After the ruling, Idachaba said: “My lord, we have brought five witnesses to court and we are ready for commencement of trial.”

    But Daudu notified the court that he had an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case on the basis that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation is yet to give an opinion on the case before the charges were filed by the police.

    After listening to both parties, Justice Halilu adjourned till March 19 for continuation of hearing.

     

  • Lagos High Court sentences businessman, 47, to 25 years for defiling baby

    Lagos High Court sentences businessman, 47, to 25 years for defiling baby

    Lagos High Court, Igbosere yesterday sentenced a 47-year-old businessman, Maduabuchi Onwuta, to 25 years imprisonment for defiling a 16-month-old baby.

    Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya in her judgment held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond doubt.

    “I am satisfied that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

    “I find the defendant guilty of the offence of defilement; he is sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, which will begin from the date of sentencing.”

    During the trial, the prosecution led by Mr. Adebayo Haroun alleged that the convict committed the offence on November 26, 2013, at Isheri, Lagos.

    He said:  “The convict had been a long-time family friend of the complainant. He and the complainant’s uncle were secondary school classmates.

    “He helped the complainant’s mother by subletting a room in his apartment to her when she had accommodation problems.

    “On the fateful day, the complainant’s mother took her daughter to Onwuta’s bedroom and put the toddler in his care, while she went to take her bath.

    “After her bath, she approached her daughter and the child kept crying and pointing at her underwear, saying, ‘mummy see, see’. She checked the child’s underwear and noticed blood.

    “Her mother took her to hospital where tests confirmed that her hymen had been ruptured.

    “On the day of the alleged defilement, only the complainant, her mother and the convict were at home.”

    Onwuta, in his testimony on February 6, 2017, however, denied the allegations.

    He said: “The baby’s mother gave me the baby to watch over her while she went to take her bath.

    “There were four of us at home on that fateful day; the baby, her mother, the mother’s young niece and I.

    “I, however, fell asleep and did not know what happened to the baby during the time I was asleep.

    “I was awoken by the baby’s mother, who said the baby was bleeding from her private parts.

    “She accused me of defiling her daughter, but I did not defile the 16-month-old baby.”

    The complainant’s mother, a policewoman and Dr. John Bankole, a doctor, testified for the prosecution during the trial.

    Bankole said medical examination showed bruising and signs of forceful trauma to the child’s private parts.

    The doctor noted that the toddler had a broken and bridged hymen.

    He said a creamy discharge was found around her private parts, which could have been seminal fluid.

     

  • Court remands two for alleged robbery

    Court remands two for alleged robbery

    An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court has ordered the remand of two men, Ojo Sunday, 22 and Sanni Gafaru, 20, for alleged robbery.

    They will remain at Ado-Ekiti Prisons pending the receipt of a legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    Sunday and Gafaru, who were arraigned by the police commissioner, are facing charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.

    They were alleged to have robbed Akintola Odunayo and Olabanji Raphael on January 30 in Ado-Ekiti, while armed with weapons.

    The offence is punishable under Section 403 (2) of the Criminal Code Cap C16 Laws of Ekiti State 2012.

    The Officer in Charge, Legal Section, Criminal Investigation and

    Intelligence Department, Mr. Femi Falade, sought the remand of the accused via Form K.

    The request is in line with sections 264 (1) and (2) of Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2014.

    The accused were arrested with exhibits. They have confessed to the crime. They have been identified by the victims.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. Doyin Akosile, ordered the remand of the accused in prison, saying the duplicate file should be sent to the DPP for legal advice.

    She adjourned the case till March 8.

  • Metuh brought to court on stretcher

    Metuh brought to court on stretcher

    •Trial for March 14

    Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman Olisa Metuh was brought to court yesterday on a stretcher in compliance with an order of a Federal High Court, Abuja that he must attend court or have his bail revoked.

    Justice Okon Abang, in a ruling on January 25, rejected a medical report tendered by Metuh’s lawyers, claiming he was on admission in a hospital.

    Instead, the judge ordered Metuh to attend court yesterday or have the bail earlier granted him revoked.

    In compliance with that order, his lawyer ensured he was brought to court early yesterday in a white ambulance, belonging to the National Hospital, Abuja.

    He was later taken into the courtroom on a stretcher, with the assistance of some medical personnel, friends and relations.

    He was covered with a white cloth, with an opening only in his head area, possibly to allow him breathe. He had bandage on his legs and neck area.

    Metuh and his company, Destra Investment Limited, are being tried on allegations of corruption and money laundering.

    When proceedings opened, Metuh’s lawyer Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) told the court that his client was in court in obedience to the court’s order, but was not in a good state to stand trial.

    He sought a month’s adjournment within which he said Metuh would have been fit enough to stand trial.

    Lawyer to Destra Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN) agreed with Ikpeazu’s position.

    Lead prosecution lawyer Sylvanus Tahir said he appreciated the first defendant’s (Metuh’s) health condition, having seen the manner he was brought to court.

    Tahir said he was not opposed to the defence’s request for adjournment for a month.

    He noted that none of the papers tendered by the defence suggested the length of time that the first defendant will be hospitalised, but added: “We leave the decision about the time to the discretion of the court.

    “May I disabuse the mind of everybody (the court, the gallery and the defence team) that we are prosecutors, not persecutors. And in doing that, we have no ill-will or ill-feeling against anybody,” Tahir said.

    Ikpeazu appreciated Tahir for his understanding. And, as regard when his client will be fit for trial, he said the doctors were not categorical.

    He said: “We believe that within the one month that we have asked, and we pray extensively to that effect, that the first defendant should be fit to continue with his trial.

    “That period is a reasonable period for the medical doctors to enter a proper evaluation and assessment of the state of health of the first defendant. We fervently hope and pray that he will be fit to continue with this trial,” Ikpeazu said.

    Justice Abang , in his ruling, said he was mindful of granting the adjournment sought by Metuh’s lawyer in view of his state of health and since the prosecution did not oppose the request for adjournment.

    The judge added: “A court of law must be firm in its decision. A court of law must be fair to parties in a matter placed before it. And, when occasion demands, a court of law must also be humane.

    “I have seen the condition that the first defendant is in the courtroom. On the account of the condition in which I have seen the first defendant in the courtroom, I am inclined to exercise my discretion in his favour in adjourning this matter, at his instance, to enable him receive medical treatment.”

    Justice Abang adjourned to March 14 for possible continuation of trial in the case.

    At the conclusion of proceedings around 10.15am, Metuh was again moved out of the courtroom, still on the stretcher, into the ambulance stationed close to the court’s main entrance.

     

  • Farmers in court for allegedly stealing tubers of yam

    The police yesterday arraigned four farmers at a Gudu Upper Area Court in Abuja for allegedly stealing tubers of yam.

    The defendants are Philip Tekaa, Joseph Sabe, Demenege Sabe and Nyiyong Gabriel.

    The defendants, residents of Iddo Sarki, Airport road, Abuja, are standing trial on a three-count charge of criminal trespass, joint act and theft.

    The prosecutor, Mr. Adeniyi Oyeyemi, told the court that Colonel Solomon Ngbede (retd) reported the matter at Garki Police Station on December 20, 2016.

    He said the complainant alleged that on December 19, 2016, the four defendants trespassed into his farm land and stole tubers of yam.

    Oyeyemi alleged that the defendants were apprehended with the loot and they confessed that Sunday Peters of the same address sent them to commit the crime.

    According to the prosecutor, “the total value of yam and products stolen and damaged was worth N470,000.’’

    He said the offences contravened sections 348, 79 and 288 of the Penal Code.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    The judge, Mr. Sidi Bello, granted each of them bail at N100,000  and  a surety in like sum.

    He adjourned the matter till April 10 for hearing.

  • Wife of ex-PDP chief’s son to court: I’m three-month pregnant

    Wife of ex-PDP chief’s son to court: I’m three-month pregnant

    •Judge to rule on bail tomorrow

    MARYAM Sanda, who was remanded in prison for allegedly killing her husband, Bilyamin Mohammed Bello, has told a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja, that she is three-month pregnant for the deceased.

    Mariam is been charged together with her mother, Hajia Maimuna Aliyu, Aliyu Sanda as well as Sadiya Aminu for the murder of Bilyamin, the son of ex-People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Alhaji Bello Haliru Mohammed.

    At the resume of hearing yesterday, the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), in his new application dated January 25 and filed January 26, prayed for an order to grant the first defendant bail pending the hearing of the matter.

    He said: “My Lord, the new fact is that she is three-month pregnant and I have done my research. The court should exercise its discretion that there will be guarantee that the defendant will attend trial in all the adjourned dates.

    “Apart from issue of blood pressure, pregnancy is a thing that comes with complicating issues.

    “I urge the court to exercise its discretion under the ACJA (Administration of Criminal Justice Act) and grant the defendant bail. I have no reference, where a woman is pregnant and is denied bail.

    “In other words, let us leave the social media on one side; there is a threat to two lives.”

    The defence counsel also objected to hearing of the case since the matter has not been sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice as stipulated by Section 104 and 105 of the Penal Code.

    “There is no point of commencing cross-examination. There must be a fair trial and due processes must be followed,” Daudu said.

    Objecting to the bail application, police prosecuting counsel, Mr. James Idachaba, told the court that the evidence put forward by the defence were not sufficient enough to grant the application.

    He told the court that in reaction to the application, the prosecution have filed a counter-affidavit of 12-paragraph against bail for the defendant.

    “With greatest respect, the fact brought before your lordship is insufficient. There is no evidence to prove that she is three-month pregnant. We urge your lordship to dismiss the application because the defendant has not taken her plea,” Idachaba said.

    After listening to both parties, the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Haliru, ordered that the first defendant be remanded in prison facility  that is been maintained by government and adjourned the matter till tomorrow to rule on whether to grant the bail or not based on her pregnancy claim.

    Justice Halilu had previously rejected plea for the defendant, who is nursing a six-month old baby girl, to be released from Suleja prison on bail.

    The court had on November 24, last year, remanded Maryam in prison after she was arraigned on a two-count charge of culpable homicide punishable by death under section 221 of the Penal Code Law.

    In the charge, which police filed pursuant to section 109 (d) of the ACJA, 2015, Maryam was accused of stabbing her husband to death with a broken bottle on November 19 at their Abuja residence.

    The prosecution told the court that Bilyamin died as a result of several stabs on his chest and neck.