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Tag: Court

  • JUST IN: Court urged to restrain Utomi, associates from rallies, others over shadow govt

    JUST IN: Court urged to restrain Utomi, associates from rallies, others over shadow govt

    The Federal High Court in Abuja has been urged to restrain the 2007 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Patrick Okedinachi Utomi (also known as Prof. Pat Utomi) from further making public comments or engaging in rallies in relation to the subject of a suit pending against him over his announced plan to establish a shadow government in the country.

    The request is contained in a fresh application filed before the court on Wednesday by the State Security Service (SSS) following reports that Utomi, who is said to be abroad, has planned to engage in protests, road shows, media interviews and related activities upon his return to the country on June 6.

    The application seeks mainly, “an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the defendant/respondent (Utomi), his agents, privies, associates, servants, workers or any person acting through him from staging road shows, rallies, public lectures or any form of public gathering, newspaper publications, television programs, jingles or any other public enlightenment programme (s) aimed at sensitizing, instigating, propagating or in any way promoting the purported “shadow government/shadow cabinet” or its objectives or goals with the view to establishing the said “shadow government” pending the hearing and determination of this substantive suit.”

    The grounds for the application, according to the SSS’ legal team, led by Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), includes that, if not restrained, Utomi’s proposed raliies, road shows and actions “constitute a serious threat to the public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “

    The SSS added that as the agency statutorily empowered to safeguard the internal security of the country and prevent any threats to lawful authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its constituent institutions, it was incumbent on it to forstal any threat to public order, safety and national unity.

    It stated that before it filed the substantive suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025 Utomi had,  through public statements, social media and other platforms engaged in statements and actions aimed at undermining the outcome of the case now pending  before the court, and which he is aware of. 

    The SSS said it gathered through monitoring and intelligence reports that Utomi, who is out of the country and is due to return on June 6 plans “to stage road shows and rallies under the guise of freedom of speech and association in a bid to cause public discontent in furtherance of his establishment of the purported ‘shadow government/shadow cabinet.’ 

    The plaintiff added, in a supporting affidavit, that Utomi’s intention “is to stage road shows and rallies that are capable of drawing a large number of Nigerians with intent that will cause huge disruption of peace, breakdown of public order, enable riots and violent protests just as the recent “End SARS” protests in 2020. 

    “All the planned protests, riots and agitations that will ensue, if the purported actions of the defendant/respondent are not stayed, may lead to mayhem with a potential for anarchy, toss of lives and property. 

    “The proposed allies, road shows and actions of the Defendant/Respondent constitutes a serious threat to the public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    The SSS stated that on May 26  during the fourth edition of the Topaz Lecture Series, themed “Shadow Government: A Distraction or Necessity”, hosted by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Mass Communication Class of 1988 Alumni Association, Utomi made statements, capable of undermining the pending suit.

    It added that the statements, widely publicized by various national newspapers and on social media platforms, Utomi defended the creation of the purported shadow government and further stated that if the suit succeeds in favour of the SSS, himself and his group shall adopt a different name. 

    The SSS added that Utomi “has been served with the originating process in this suit and has entered appearance vide his Counsel Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN) since 20 May, 2025. 

    “The defendant/respondent (Utomi) is aware of the pendency of this action before this Honourable Court as he has been served with the originating process in this suit by courier as ordered by this honourable court. 

    “Unless this honourable court intervenes by granting this application, the defendant/respondent’s acts may foist a fait accompli on the court. 

    “It is in the interest of justice, national security, and the rule of law for this honourable court to grant this application,” the SSS said. 

    Speaking shortly after filing the fresh application, SSS’ lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) explained the rationale behind his client’s decision to approach the court.

    Kehinde said: “We, as counsel to the SSS have just filed an application seeking interlocutory injunction against the defendant and his group pending the determination of the substantive suit. The application, being a public document can be obtained from the registry of the honourable court.

    “It is good that as members of the 4th estate of the realm you are keeping watch over the case filed against the formation of “Shadow Government” by Prof. Pat Utomi and his group. 

    “The civil suit, as you are aware, was filed by the State Security Service (SSS) in consonance with its statutory mandate of ensuring internal peace and avoidance of any form of insurrection and treasonable felony against the democratically elected government in the country.

    “This fresh application is premised on the fact that despite the pendency of the substantive action, the service of same on the defendant and the entry of appearance to same by his Counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the defendant has continued to make inflammatory statements capable of igniting chaos in the country instead of abiding by the hallowed principle that civilized parties before the court are expected to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive matter.

    Read Also: Utomi defends Shadow Cabinet, calls for democratic renewal

    “What our client has submitted to the court is for the interpretation of the Constitution whether any form of government by whatever nomenclature can be formed or allowed outside the Constitution.

    “Furthermore, our client is not interested at arresting anybody in respect of this matter having on its own accord submitted itself to the jurisdiction of the honourable court to interpret the Constitution and determine the legality or otherwise of the ‘Shadow government’ or any other nomenclature that it may be so named.

    “It must be pointed out that our client under its current leadership is a very civilized organization with absolute confidence in the rule of law and that is why, it or any of its personnel will always approach the court of law whenever it feels that there is any infraction on its statutory duties by anyone or the rights of its personnel. Let the court have the final say.

    “Gentlemen, we must all ensure that constitutional democracy and the rule of law have its way in Nigeria,” Kehinde said.

  • Court restrains ex-Minister, others from excommunicating, ostracising Enugu villagers

    Court restrains ex-Minister, others from excommunicating, ostracising Enugu villagers

    A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu has ordered a former Minister for information, Chief Frank Nweke Jnr and two other members of the Ishi-Ozalla Community in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu State to pay N5 million as general damages for excommunicating and ostracising Mr. Christian Uzochukwu and tagging Edeaniagu village of the community as non-indigenes.

    The court also ordered the respondents to write to the applicant a public apology in a national daily as a result of their actions.

    The fine was as a result of a suit against Sir Willy Chukwuani, Christopher Nwanyanwu and Chief Frank Nweke Jnr., by Mr. Christian Uzochukwu of Edeaniagu village in Ishi-Ozalla Community, with No: FHC/EN/CS/40/2023. 

    In the suit, Uzochukwu challenged the continuous shaming, beating, taunting, scornfully jeering at, booing and embarrassment, the tagging and or branding of the applicant and his entire Edeaniagu Village as non indigenes and or outcasts, slaves, descendants of slaves and non- free born, serfs, strangers and resident non indigenes of Ishi-Ozalla, by Sir Willy Chukwuani and Christopher Nwanyanwu on the instigation of Chief Frank Nweke Jnr.

    Uzochukwu insisted that the actions of the respondents amounted to an infraction of the applicant’s right of dignity to his human person and freedom from discrimination as enshrined in Sections 34 and 46 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) and Articles 5, 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights”.

    In a judgement order by the presiding judge, Justice M. G. Umar on May 21, 2025, the court declared the actions of the respondents as infringement of the applicant’s right of freedom from discrimination.

    Read Also: Court to hear Diezani’s asset forfeiture suit June 30

     “That a declaration is further made that the excommunication and ostracisation of the applicant and his entire Edeaniagu village by the respondents is an infringement of the applicant’s right of freedom from discrimination as enshrined in Section 46 (1) and (21 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) and Articles 5. 6 And 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

    “That the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira only) being amount for general and exemplary damages suffered by the applicant as a result of excommunication and ostracization of the applicant and his entire Edeaniagu village by the respondents. 

    “That the Respondents shall write to the applicant a public apology in a national daily,” the judgement read. 

    The court further granted an order restraining the respondents either by themselves, agents, privies, servants or anybody whatsoever from further executing the excommunication and ostracisation of the applicant and his entire Edeaniagu village.

    The excommunication and ostracisation in 2021 prevented the preferred traditional ruler candidate,Prince Don Sylvester Chinedu Nweke from participating in the Ishi-Ozalla Igweship election.

  • Court to hear Diezani’s asset forfeiture suit June 30

    Court to hear Diezani’s asset forfeiture suit June 30

    The Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed June 30 to hear the suit filed by former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke challenging the forfeiture of her assets by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).

    At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, Alison-Madueke was represented by Mr Godwin Iyinbor from the chambers of Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, but the EFCC had no representation in court.

    Inyinbor told the court presided over by Justice Musa Umar that Justice Inyang Ekwo, who handled the matter previously, had said on the last adjourned date that any party who prevented the definite hearing of the matter on the next adjourn date would pay cost.

    Justice Umar, however, said that since he was not the one who made that pronouncement, the anti-graft agency should be given another opportunity to appear in court.

    He ordered that hearing notices be issued and adjourned the matter until June 30 for hearing.

    In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/21/2023, which started in 2023, Alison-Madueke prayed the court to extend the time to apply for an order to set aside the EFCC’s public notice issued for the sale of her properties.

    In her application, she argued that the orders for the forfeiture of her assets were made without jurisdiction.

    She held  that she was denied fair hearing in the proceedings that led to the forfeiture orders.

    Read Also: Tinubu understands weight of office -Minister

     She sought five orders from the court, including the annulment of the EFCC’s public notice on the sale of her properties.

    She contended that the various court orders issued in favour of the EFCC violated her constitutional right to fair hearing as enshrined in Section 36 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

    The embattled former minister said that she was never served with the charge sheet, proof of evidence or  summons regarding the charge against her.

    She claimed that the court had been misled into granting the forfeiture order due to the suppression or non-disclosure of critical information.

    The EFCC, however, prayed the court to dismiss her application on the grounds that she had been properly brought before the court.

    The anti-graft agency held that the application for final forfeiture of her assets had been properly instituted and conducted following all legal requirements.

    It said that the properties had been duly disposed of following the court’s order, which had been made in 2017 and which had not been overturned on appeal.

  • Appeal Court reverses judgment voiding Kano’s LG election, KANSIEC’s composition

    Appeal Court reverses judgment voiding Kano’s LG election, KANSIEC’s composition

    The Court of Appeal has reversed the October 22, 2024 judgment given by a Federal High Court in Kano voiding the composition of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC) and the local government election it (KASIEC) conducted on October 26, 2024.

    In three unanimous judgments yesterday, a three-member panel, presided over by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, held that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain cases bordering on the composition of states’ electoral bodies and the qualification of members of such bodies.

    The Court of Appeal allowed the three appeals filed by the Kano State Attorney General, the Kano State House of Assembly and KASIEC and struck out the suits filed before the Federal High Court (from which the judgment was derived) for want of jurisdiction.

    It said the proper court with the required jurisdiction is the High Court of Kano State.

    The three appeals were: CA/KN/233/2024 by Kano State House of Assembly and another, with Honourable Aminu Aliyu Tiga and 14 others listed as respondents; CA/KN/290/2024 by Attorney General of Kano State and six others, with All Progressives Congress (APC) and three others listed as respondents, and CA/KN/291/2024 by KANSIEC and eight others, with Kano State House of Assembly and six others as respondents.

    Justice Abubakar Mahmud Talba prepared and ready the lead judgment in the appeal marked: CA/KN/290/2024 and found that Justice Simon Ameboda erred when he assumed jurisdiction over the suit by the APC and its Kano State Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas.

    The APC and Abbas had, in the suit, challenged among others, the composition of KANSIEC, claiming that the state government nominated partisan politicians and members of the NNPP as members of the electoral body.

    Justice Talba found that the primary claims of the plaintiffs at the Federal High Court, which related to the composition of KANSIEC and the qualification of the members appointed, were outside the jurisdictional competence of the Federal High.

    Read Also: Tinubu understands weight of office -Minister

    The judge also found the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to interpret Section 4 of the KANSIEC Law 2001 as it did, noting that the plaintiffs ought to have gone before the HIgh Court of Kano State, which has jurisdiction over their claim.

    Justice Georgewill prepared and ready the lead judgments in the other two appeals which were on the same October 22 judgment by Justice Ameboda – CA/KN/291/2024 and

    CA/KN/233/2024.

    The judge made similar findings as Justice Talba and made the same orders in relation to the judgment and the original suit filed before the Federal High Court in Kano.

    In the fourth judgment delivered on Friday, the Court of Appeal also reversed another judgment delivered on October 24, 2024 by the Amobeda, in which he, among others, rejected the list of candidates submitted to KANSIEC by the Musa Kwakwanso faction of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the last local government election in Kano State.

    Justice  Oyejoju Oyebiola Oyewumi, who prepared and ready the lead judgment in the appeal marked: CA/KN/20/2025.

    Justice Oyewumi held that the subject matter of the case related to the leadership dispute in NNPP and which list of candidates submitted by two factions of the party was authentic, which are outside the jurisdiction of the court.

    She found that the dispute which informed the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Kano, arose from the leadership dispute in the NNPP, which resulted in the production of two candidates list for the LG election.

    The judge noted that the principal claim in the suit at the Federal High Court was for the court to validate the list of candidates produced by the plaintiffs as the authentic list, a decision she said the court lacks the jurisdiction to make.

    She held that no court has the power to compel an electoral body to accept the candidates list of a faction of a party against that of the other

    Justice Oyewumi held that the subject of the case was an internal/domestic party dispute of the NNPP over which the court lacked jurisdiction.

  • Disputed farms: Court tells parties to maintain status quo

    Disputed farms: Court tells parties to maintain status quo

    Nasarawa State High Court in Obi has ordered parties in a land dispute involving 21 Tiv communities, the state, and Army to maintain the status quo and preserve the 10,000 hectares of ancestral farmlands pending determination of the suit.

    The directive, by Justice Solomon Ayenaje, followed an oral application by plaintiffs’ counsel, T. J. Aondo (SAN).

    Tiv community leaders from Awe and Obi Local Governments filed the suit.

    The plaintiffs are seeking to stop ‘unlawful and forceful acquisition of their ancestral lands by state agents.

    The court made an order for preservation of the res, and held that no party should take steps that could affect the land until the issues are resolved.

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    The court was scheduled to take up the plaintiffs’ originating summons challenging Executive Order No. 3 of 2023 by the governor carried out contrary to relevant laws.

    An application for joinder was introduced by A.U. Idris, representing Farm Network Services, an interested party.

    The court granted five days for state counsel, Alhassan, to respond, two days for the plaintiffs to reply, and an additional five days for all parties to file their further affidavits.

    It also directed interested parties to file counter-affidavits to the originating summons in seven days, including Osoho of Agwatashi, Dr. Umar Apeshi.

    The matter was then adjourned to June 11, to hear all pending applications.

  • Court remands varsity don in prison for alleged forgery, land racketeering

    Court remands varsity don in prison for alleged forgery, land racketeering

    An FCT High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja, on Tuesday ordered the remand of Professor Sani Ibrahim, a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, in the Correctional Service over alleged conspiracy, forgery, and criminal trespass.

    Prof. Ibrahim is standing trial alongside Mubarak Musa Saliu and others currently at large in a four-count charge filed by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. 

    The case involves a disputed plot of land in Guzape, Abuja, reportedly owned by NEXTDORA NIG. LTD., with RC No: 1190723.

    The matter, presided over by Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo, was initially filed on April 18, 2025, and came up for arraignment on Tuesday following the defendants’ repeated failure to appear in court on three prior occasions.

    Prof. Ibrahim, listed as the second defendant, was accused of deliberately evading court appearances, leading to his arrest on the orders of the court.

    Upon arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Read Also: Ex-AMCON MD’s alleged N76b, $31.5m fraud trial: Court asks EFCC to disclose evidence

    His counsel, R.O. Atabo (SAN), filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection dated May 20, 2025, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter. 

    He also raised concerns over discrepancies in the prosecution counsel’s seal and name, urging the court to strike out the case for incompetence and lack of jurisdiction.

    “That by the combined effect of the provisions of Sections 2(1) & 24 of the Legal Practitioners Act and decision of the Apex Court in YAKI VS. BAGUDU (2015) 18 NWLR (PT. 1491) 288, the charge is null and void in law for NOT being signed by a legal practitioner known to law.

    “That the said Counts 1 & 4 are incompetent because the 2nd Defendant is absolutely protected by Section 47 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532, in that he acted pursuant to the lawful orders of this Honourable Court”, the Preliminary Objection read in part.

    Having replied on the point of law, the presiding Judge ruled the Preliminary Objection in favour of the Prosecution Counsel.

    Although the Defendant’s Counsel made an oral application for bail for Ibrahim on Tuesday, but it was swiftly objected to by the Prosecution Counsel, Barr. Frank Longe.

    In his ruling, Justice Oyeyipo remanded Prof. Ibrahim in Correctional facilities till 19th June, 2025, for hearing; pending when a proper bail application is filed and debated.

  • Court adjourns hearing of defamation suit against cleric

    Court adjourns hearing of defamation suit against cleric

    An Oyo State High Court sitting in Iyaganku, Ibadan has adjourned hearing of a defamation of character suit filed against Prophet Amos Ojo, aka Elewuogbo, Mr. Oyeleye Oladele and his publishing firm, Ee-nuel Global Information Ltd, for alleged defamation of Satguru Maharaj Ji, till June 26.

    During the hearing of the case, the presiding judge, Justice J.O.S Oyediran, ruled that in the absence of the first and second defendants in court, the case would be heard on the adjourned date.

    At the court, Maharaj Ji’s counsel,  Fereedah Obisesan, argued that the first and second defendants were aware of the court proceedings, but failed to show up, making it the third time they would snub court sittings.

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    He said the CMC had been fixed for the adjourned date and the hearing notice would be served on the defendants on the same day.

    Satguru Maharaj Ji’s adherents like Prof. Mogokeagba Obagah and Dunni Bolaji, who came from the United Kingdom to witness the court proceedings, testified to the good deeds of the Founder of One Love Family, Maharaj Ji and asked the world to disregard false accusations against Maharaj Ji’s personality.

    They advised Ojo, Oladele and his publishing firm, Ee-nuel Global Information Ltd, to come forward in the open and tell the world about their conspiracy against Satguru Maharaj Ji or face consequences of defamation of character by the law of the land.

    At press time, a separate criminal hearing of the defamation of character suit filed by Satguru Maharaji Ji against Ojo and Mr. Gbenga Dan Asabe was ongoing at the Magistrates’ Court 7 sitting at Iyaganku in Ibadan. The case was later adjourned till June 17.

  • Appeal Court dismisses CBN’s objection to N63.7m, $10000 awarded unlawfully detained German

    Appeal Court dismisses CBN’s objection to N63.7m, $10000 awarded unlawfully detained German

    …awards N300,000 cost against apex bank

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) seeking to block the payment of N63.7million and $10000 awarded against the Federal Government, in favour of a German, Martin Gegenheimer, for his unlawful arrest and detention by men of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

    A three-member panel of the appellate court held, in a unanimous judgment on May 23 (last Friday), that the appeal by the CBN was devoid of any scintilla of merit.

    In the lead judgment, Justice Hamman Barka resolved the two issues identified for determination, against the CBN and in favour of the first respondent, Gegenheimer.

    The Appeal Court proceeded to affirm the February 22, 2024 ruling by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordering the CBN to pay Gegenheimer the N63.7m and $10000 awarded against the Nigerian government in a 2021 judgment by the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    The appellate court, in the judgment on the appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/434/2024, also awarded N300,000 cost against the appellant (the CBN), in favour of Gegenheimer, for filing an unmeritorious appeal.

    Justice Ekwo had, in the February 22, 2024, ruling, ordered the CBN to deduct the N63.7m and $10000 from the FG’s funds in its custody to settle the debt that arose from a 2021 judgment given against Nigeria by the ECOWAS Court.

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    Justice Ekwo rejected CBN’s claim that the Federal Government’s foreign exchange accounts were currently in deficit, making it impossible to pay the entire judgment sum.

    The ruling was on a garnishee proceeding, marked: FHC/ABJ/NJR/M/3/2022, filed and prosecuted for Gegenheimer by his lawyer, Daniel Makolo, to enforce the judgment of the ECOWAS Court delivered on March 4, 2021.

    Justice Ekwo agreed with Makolo that, as against the contention by the CBN, the ECOWAS Court’s judgments do not qualify as a foreign judgment in the strict sense of it and could be enforced by Nigerian courts.

    The German, who said he visited Nigeria on a business trip, stated that while returning to Kenya on 23rd February 2020, he was stopped by men of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) at the boarding gate of the Kenya Airways aircraft after all necessary departure formalities were completed.

    He said the NIS officials arrested him, seized his passport and detained him in a jam-packed detention cell between February 23, 2020, and March 4, 2020, despite the COVID protocol and without acceptable food as well as medical care.

    He subsequently challenged his arrest and detention before the ECOWAS Court, in a suit marked ECW/CCJ/APP/23/2020.

    In the March 4, 2021, judgment, a three-member panel of the sub-regional court, presided over by the court’s president, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, declared Gegenheimer’s arrest and detention illegal.

    They ordered the Nigerian government to pay him N53,650,925 as special damages for various losses suffered and costs incurred while under unlawful arrest and detention by the NIS.

    The costs, the court said, relate mainly to hotel expenses incurred by the Germans while under forced detention by agents of the Nigerian government.

    The court further ordered the Nigerian government to pay him another N10m in general damages as reparation for all violations and moral prejudice suffered for violating his rights, and an additional $10,000 was the expenditure incurred by the applicant to secure his bail.

    The ECOWAS Court equally ordered the Nigerian government to remove the German from its watch list and to immediately and unconditionally release his German passport, which was “arbitrarily and unlawfully” seized by agents of the Nigerian government.

    Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a charge of forgery brought against Gegenheimer by the NIS in the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The NIS, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/152/2020, accused the German of, among others, forging a Nigerian international passport.

    In a ruling, Justice Evelyn Maha upheld the no-case submission made by Gegenheimer (through his lawyer, Makolo) and held that the prosecution failed to produce relevant evidence to support its allegations against the defendant.

    Justice Maha further held that the prosecution, having failed to make out a prima facie case against the defendant and failed to link him with the alleged offences, there was no basis to call on him to enter a defence.

    She proceeded to dismiss the charge and then discharged and acquitted Gegenheimer.

  • Court jails man for raping seven-year old step-daughter

    Court jails man for raping seven-year old step-daughter

    A middle-aged man, Raphael Adanlawo, has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for raping his seven years old step-daughter.

    The convict committed the act on April 4, 2019, at about 10 pm, at Adamama Quarters, Igbobini, Ese-Odo Local Government Area.

    He was subsequently arraigned before an Ondo State High Court on December 18, 2019 on two counts of rape and indecent assault.

    Adanlawo pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered documents such as the defendant’s statements and the doctor’s report, which were admitted as exhibits.

    Mother of the victims told the court how she discovered that her daughter was raped after she observed a change in the manner her daughter walked.

    “When I got back from my trip, I noticed that my daughter was having difficulty walking. I gently forced her to speak, and she revealed what the defendant had done to her.

    “My daughter told me that Adanlawo, who is my husband, pulled down her underwear, forcefully penetrated her and instructed her not to tell anyone about it.”

    Adanlawo did not call any witnesses.

    Read Also: Unlike Amotekun, ESN is illegal, witness tells court

    In his judgment, Justice Yemi Fasanmi said the victim’s testimony was corroborated by medical reports and another exhibit before the court.

    According to him, “There is ample evidence before the court that the victim was forcefully penetrated by the convict.

    “The evidence is believable, unassailable and credible that the defendant took advantage of the vulnerable girl

    “The court found Adanlawo guilty of the first count (rape), but discharged and acquitted him of the second count of indecent assault,” the judge held.

    The court sentenced the convict to 14 years imprisonment for the offence of rape.

  • Court averts attempt to stall today’s coronation of Owa Obokun

    Court averts attempt to stall today’s coronation of Owa Obokun

    An Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa yesterday adjourned a suit challenging the installation of Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, till July 3 for hearing of pending applications, thus averting attempt to stop today’s coronation.

    Arimoro Family of Bilaro Oluodo Ruling House had challenged the appointment of Oba Haastrup before the court, praying that Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and his agents should be restrained from installing the new king, adding that they should be stopped from proceeding with the planned coronation. The claimants, Prince Kayode Arimoro and Prince Adedire Arimoro, through their counsel, had alleged bias in the handling of the case by Justice A. A. Aderibigbe, hence they demanded that he should recue himself from the case. The prayer was granted and the case was re-assigned to Justice Matyas Agboola.

    Read Also: Court sentences two to death by hanging for armed robbery

    At the sitting yesterday, counsel for Arimoro, Oyebola Odeleye, informed the court that they had four applications before the court, including interlocutory injunction, notice of discontinual, motion of notice and joinder.

    He said part of the application was to stop today’s Owa Obokun coronation.

    The state counsel, Muyiwa Oyeleye, told the court that the claimants had not properly served the respondents in the case, hence they had not replied the service, stressing that such application was not mature to be heard or decided on. 

    The presiding judge, Justice Agboola, said all parties must be served, stressing that the court would not grant any injunction until all applications regarding service and harmonisation of parties were addressed, including the one requesting the stoppage of the coronation of Prince Haastrup.