The Nation Newspaper

Tag: hearing

  • Ekiti ‘murder’ trial: Families urge vigilance as hearing resumes today

    Families of slain World Bank consultant, Dr. Ayodeji Daramola, and the late Tunde Omojola have urged interest groups to pay attention to the murder trial which reopens today.

    The families urged reporters, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), lawyers, students’ bodies and the public to attend the continuation of the trial before Justice Adewale Fowe at the State High Court in Ado-Ekiti.

    Daramola was killed on August 14, 2006 at Ijan-Ekiti

    He planned to run for governor.

    Omojola was killed in 2005 during the councillorship poll at Ifaki-Ekiti.

    Both families, last week, petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Presidency, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Chief Judge of Ekiti State.

    They called their attention to an alleged manipulation of their sons’ murder trial in what they called a secret hearing where the families, who were the chief complainants, were kept in the dark.

    The petition also called the attention of NJC to a suspected fake list of defence and prosecution witnesses, all allegedly compiled to falsely testify in court to save some individuals indicted in the killings.

    According to the petition, none of the purported witnesses knew they were listed for either the prosecution or defence in the trial.

    The families said though the witnesses were members of the two deceased men’s families, but they were not aware of any trial.

    They added that their witnesses would be impersonated by another set of people allegedly paid to pose as witnesses.

    In a joint statement yesterday, representatives of the two families – Mrs Kehinde Olubunmi Daramola, Daramola’s widow, and Suleiman Bakare, Omojola’s brother-in-law – said they wanted reporters, lawyers, students and the public to attend the hearing to see out how the “witnesses” attained that status without the knowledge of the families of the victims.

    In the petition, Bakare, who was one of the purported witnesses in Omojola’s murder, confirmed that he was not aware of the trial; same with other 10 purported witnesses in Omojola’s case.

    At Ijan, two of the purported witnesses from Daramola’s family said they were not aware of any trial, while two other purported witnesses – Femi Kehinde and Edward Kehinde – never existed in the community.

    The families sought the support of Nigerians to insist on due process and open trial to ensure justice for their slain sons.

  • Olubadan: Court fixes Feb 24 for hearing

    Olubadan: Court fixes Feb 24 for hearing

    In Oyo State High Court in Ibadan at the weekend adjourned till February 24 the case by Seriki chiefs against the Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji.

    The chiefs, who include Adebayo Oyediji, Olalekan Fakunle, Rashidi Abinupagun and Gabriel Kofoworola, went to court to enforce the 1989 judgment that the Seriki line be included in the succession to  the Olubadan.

    At the resumed hearing, their counsel, Abideen Adediran, urged the court to fix a date for hearing for the case instituted in 2007.

    According to him, the case was adjourned at the last sitting at the instance of the defence counsel, Michael Lana, who was absent in court and sent no representative.

    He said: “It is quite unfortunate that the defendant has continued to prolong this case.

    “We started this case in 2007, which was 10 years ago and we are yet to move beyond this stage, what this means is that the defendant wants to delay the case as long as possible”.

    Justice Oladiran Akintola said the court would give the defendant another chance, stating that rather than give a date for hearing, he would agree on a short date for mention of the case.

    He adjourned the matter till February 24 for mention, noting whether or not the defendant appear on that day , the court would fix a date for hearing.

  • Hearing resumes in engineer’s $13m suit against MTN

    Hearing resumes in engineer’s $13m suit against MTN

    The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Lagos, will today resume hearing in a $13.14 million (about N4.1billion) suit by Mr. Paul Odunewu, an ex-Network Group Operations Manager in MTN Nigeria against the company.

    In the suit, Odunewu accused the company of withholding his entitlements, including a long-term incentive scheme (share option) worth over $13.14 million (about N4.1 billion).

    He is also demanding N100 million damages, among others.

    MTN Group Limited, South Africa; MTN Nigeria and MTN International, Mauritius are the defendants.

    At the last hearing on May 25, Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi dismissed the telecommunications firm’s motion for further amendment, which, among other things, sought to substitute witnesses.

    Defence counsel, Mrs. Ayo Obe, had sought the leave of court to amend MTN’s statement of defence and list of documents and witnesses.

    This was opposed by claimant’s counsel, Kemi Balogun, SAN, on the ground, among others, that the defendants intended to use it to amend their statement of defence without following the due process.

    He said: “There was no mention of amendment of statement of defence. The amendment seeks to change the colouration of the entire case in view of the evidence already tendered.

    “The amendment is seeking to overreach the evidence on record put forth by the claimant. The rules of court does not allow for further affidavit.”

    Upholding Balogun’s submission, Justice Oyewumi held that MTN’s application, if granted, would do injustice to the claimant.

    “The defendant in its statement of defence is seeking at this stage to gag the claimant from preferring evidence in support of his claim and that would do injustice to him.

    “Consequently, the motion for further amendment by the defendants is hereby dismissed,” the judge said.

    At a hearing last November, a former chief executive of the company, Mr. Adrian Wood, told the court that Odunewu increased MTN’s base stations from 100 to 2,500 in three years and was one of 50 top employees of  the company.

    Wood, an Australian, said to keep such top employees, MTN Nigeria initiated a retention policy of leadership development and succession, under which those with potential were identified within the MTN group and nominated for share option.

    He said: “Odunewu was nominated as a key employee and was identified to participate in a share option plan being devised at that time.

    “By 2004, he was one of 50 senior employees chosen to participate in MTN Nigeria’s share offer plan.”

  • House Committee seeks public hearing on airport concession

    The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation said yesterday that it will call for public hearing with stakeholders to discuss the proposed concession of some airport terminals by Federal Government.

    The committee also expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of work at the new international terminal being constructed by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company.

    The committee said given the current pace of work, the contractors may not be able to deliver the project in December.

    Its Chairman, Hon Nkieruka Onyejiocha said the public hearing will enable the lawmakers get the input of industry players on the proposed concession.

    She said concession may not be the best way to go as it will mean giving out airports that are yielding revenue to government.

  • Lagos restores hearing to 10 people

    The Lagos State Government has restored hearing to 10 people at the state teaching hospital (LASUTH) through cochlea implant surgery.

    The state government, according to the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof Wale Oke, paid N70 million to the hospital to carry out the surgery.

    He said the patients, who include six children and four adults, can now hear clearly on one ear because “it costs about N7million to do the other ear for each patient”.

    Deafness, Oke said, impedes growth, adding that the patients can now live a better life.

    “Besides this, we will send them to speech therapists to help them speak,” the CMD said.

    He said the hospital hopes to restore hearing to more as it now has necessary infrastructure and expertise. “This is the first time that a hospital in Nigeria has done this number of surgeries to restore hearing,” he said.

    For him, fund to buy implants and logistics is the problem.

    LASUTH Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Head, Dr Vincent Adekoya, said cochlea implant surgery was carried out on the patients because they have hearing loss, which could not be addressed by hearing aids.

    Hearing loss, he said, was the highest level of hearing problem.

    “Moreover, we accomplished bonebridge surgery for middle hearing problem in some of the patients. This is the first time it was done in Africa,” Adekoya said.

    He said the cochlea implant will pick sound through its microphone in the audio processor, adding that the audio processor analysis and codes sounds into a special pattern of digital information.

    “This information is sent and transmitted across the skin to the implant. The implant interprets the code and sends electrical pulses to the electrodes in the cochlea.  The auditory nerve picks up the signals and sends them to the auditory centre in the brain. The brain recognises these signals as sounds or hearing,” Adekoya said.

    He said hearing loss can be as a result of congenital problems, such as chromosomal abnormalities (mutations and inherited problems), diseases associated with prenatal infection, maternal drug abuse and environmental factors.

    Moreover, children and adults can also suffer ear problem from sudden trauma and drug use.

    An ENT consultant at the hospital, Dr Adeyinka Adesegun recommended neonatal screening.

    “The best time to screen babies for hearing is the first day up to the third month. And this can be done till the sixth months and one year before people can concluded that a child is actually deaf,” he said.

    He said early screening will help to avert pre-lingual as well as post-lingual deafness so that the person does not lose elasticity.

    Adesegun said treatment was possible at the hospital, stressing that the government, non-governmental organisation (NGO) and kind-hearted people should help indigent patients.

    Dr Olawale Olubi said catching hearing problem was best so that the brain could respond to treatment.

    He said deafness has been eradicated in some countries, adding that Nigeria can achieve same through collective effort.

    Olubi said in some developed countries, hearing screening was performed on babies the same day they were born.

    He said the recommended age to put hearing aid on a baby was when it is one year.

  • ‘Early treatment ’ll check hearing, speech disorder’

    ‘Early treatment ’ll check hearing, speech disorder’

    Experts have called for early detection and treatment of hearing and speech disorders in children.

    They spoke at this year’s Speech Pathologists and Audiologists Association of Nigeria (SPAAN) International Conference with the theme Communication disorders in children: Assessment and intentions.

    SPAAN President Prof Julius Ademokoya said prompt treatment would help nip disorders in the bud and  avert the consequences of untreated childhood communication disorders.

    ‘’Moreover, the consequences for failing to identify and treat various communication disorders in early years are that they become more intractable with age,’’ he said.

    The don said the onset of childhood communication disorders and prompt commencement of rehabilitation was very important to make a meaningful change.

    “Early years of an organism is very crucial as its biological make ups are more responsive to hearing and language interventions than in later years,” he said.

    He said poor hearing and cognitive skills can affect a child’s placement in an education programme, such that the child may be unable to develop appropriate social and psychological skills.

    Ademokoya decried Nigeria’s lack of universal newborn hearing screening and management of attendant speech consequences.

    “Many children in Africa continue to suffer from undetected and unmanaged hearing and speech disorders. When their disorders are diagnosed, particularly after their second birthdays, therapeutic interventions are likely to yield less result than if administered earlier. There can be irreversible consequences, which such children live with throughout their life,” he said.

    Ademokoya said there was the need for stakeholders in communication disorders, education and management disciplines to urge early identification and treatment of children’s hearing and speech disorders.

    Professor of Otorhinolaryngology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Dr. Abayomi Somefun, said many people with communication disorders do not know who to consult and cannot afford the cost of care.

    Besides, many government or private health institutions lack diagnostic and rehabilitative equipment, with inadequate or lack of manpower and training facilities.

    He said despite these challenges, experts render audiological and speech therapy services to Nigerians with communication disorders.

    Communication disorder, he said, is an impairment in the ability to receive, send, process and comprehend concepts or verbal, non-verbal and graphic symbol systems.

    He listed communication disorders as hearing, speech, language and central auditory processing.

    Children, he said, may demonstrate one or a combination of any of the aforementioned subtypes or even suffer from another sensory disorder, blindness.

    He called for cooperation among audiologists, speech-language-pathologist and otolaryngologist for the holistic care of the child with          communication disorder.

    This, he said, will go a long way in fostering continued language learning and enhanced communicative interactions in children.

    Causes of communication disorder, he said, might be genetic or acquired, adding that the disorders in early childhood are more often related to congenital or early onset hearing impairment.

  • Court to begin hearing on CBCIU leadership tussle

    A Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State will next Monday hear the case of the control of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU) between Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka and former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

    The notice of hearing showed that the hearing will begin by 9am on October 12.

    The attorney general and commissioner for justice and two others- the governor and Prof. Soyinka- are listed as defendants in the suit issued by the court order on September 14.

    The hearing notice asked all the parties to bring the evidence by witnesses or by documents with which they desire to rely on in support of their case and in contradictions of the ones by their opponents.

    It reads: “The proof will be required at the hearing and not on a subsequent day. And parties failing to bring their evidence forward at the proper time may find themselves absolutely precluded from adducing it at all. Or at best will only be allowed to do so on payment of substantial costs to the other side and on such other terms as the court thinks fit to impose.

    “Parties desirous to enforce the attendance of witnesses should apply at once to the court to issue one or more summonses for the attendance of the witnesses required. It is indispensable that the applications should be made so as to allow time for reasonable notice to the witnesses required.

    “If either party desires to use in evidence any book or document in the possession or power of the other party, he must give the other party reasonable notice in writing to produce it at the hearing, failing which he will not be allowed to give any secondary evidence of its contents.”

  • Lagos restores patients’ hearing

    Lagos restores patients’ hearing

    No fewer than 10 patients with hearing loss will be restored at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) between now and next month.

    On Monday, a 64-year-old  man has had his deafness reversed through cochlear implantation.

    This is courtesy of the hearing restoration initiative of the Lagos State government.

    The hospital’s Director of Clinical Service and Training (DCST), Dr Ayoade Adedokun, said some patients had been medically selected for the implantation.

    The hearing restoration, he said, was in line with the vision of the state to restore hope to the hopeless.

    “The experts have restored hearing to a 64-year-old man already. He is presently recuperating in the ward. The other nine surgeries would be performed between now and next month,” he said.

    He said cochlear implantation started in the hospital last year with experts coming from overseas to perform the first cochlear surgery, adding: “But by the end of last year, we were able to carry out another wholly by indigenous doctors. So, the one performed on the 64-year-old man would mark the beginning of the second set of surgeries performed by the hospital staff.”

    Adedokun said the capacity of LASUTH Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) experts was built in Austria about two years ago to enable them perform the surgery locally.

    This, he said, will deter Nigerians from seeking such treatment abroad as it is now available locally.

    The DCST said people who have lost their hearing because of their professional lives can be restored. Similarly, those with congenital hearing problem can hear again with cochlear implantation, he added.

    Adedokun thanked the government for initiating the programme, stressing that it is building on the foundation laid by the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who transformed Ikeja General Hospital to LASUTH.

    Head, Department of ENT, Dr Vincent Adekoya said the ear is not just for hearing but also to maintain body balance.

    He said deafness can be mild and profound or severe, adding that patients with the latter can be restored because “they need an amplifier or microphone in their ears but if this cannot address their problem will be addressed through cochlear implantation.

    The causes of  hearing loss, he said, are congenital, meaning somebody was born with it, infections, such as mumps and measles and drugs.

    Some people, he said, can come down with hearing loss due to ear trauma, which can occur when people’s ears are exposed to more than 80 or 90 decibels of noise/sound.

    “This kind of hearing loss is common among factory workers where obsolete heavy equipment/ machines are used as they produce loud noise. Also, people who use headsets are prone to hearing loss, which destroys their ear cells,” Adekoya said.

    The ENT expert said the problem can be prevented if expectant mothers have antenatal and deliver at health facilities.

    According to him, no Austrian has hearing loss problem because there is a system, which allows experts to pick the condition six months after the birth babies in their country.

    Besides, factory workers should have regular hearing (auditory) test so that the problem can be picked early and treated.

    The use of headsets, Adekoya said, should be discouraged.

    He urged the Federal Government to put in place a policy to help minimise noise in public places, especially in residential areas.

  • Hearing begins in petition against Saraki’s election

    Hearing begins in petition against Saraki’s election

    Hearing at the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, began yesterday. The election of Senate President Bukola Saraki of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is being challenged by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

    Saraki represents Kwara Central.

    The petitioner came with a witness, Mallam Oloyin Abdullateef Adebayo, who is his private personal assistant.

    The witness, who was led in evidence by the petitioner’s counsel, Mr. John Obumse, was cross-examined by the respondents’ counsel.

    Obumse told the tribunal that he had an application dated June 17, which was filed on June 29 and thus sought adjournment, based on three grounds.

    He said the date of the printout of the card reader to be collected at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja, meant to be used for the petition, was yet to be obtained.

    The lawyer said Mallam Adebayo was the only witness in court.

    He sought adjournment to move the application. The respondents’ counsel did not object to the motion.

    The tribunal Chairman, Justice Joshua Majebi, adjourned the matter till July 31 for the continuation of hearing of the petition and the hearing of the application filed by the petitioner.

  • Nyako’s suit for hearing

    Nyako’s suit for hearing

    Justice I. K. Banu of the Adamawa State High Court will on Wednesday hear a suit challenging the process that led to the impeachment of former Governor Murtala Nyako.

    Nyako is praying the court to set aside his impeachment and reinstate him on the grounds that the legislators failed to comply with the provisions of Section 188 of the constitution.

    Justice Banu, on September 30, fixed hearing for October 15, following complaints by parties that they were not yet served with copies of the plaintiff’s processes.

    The defendants are the Speaker, Ahmadu Fintiri (sued in person), and members of the impeachment panel – Buba Kaigama, Hajia Laraba Hassan, Njida Kitto, Joshua Abu, Binanu Esthon, Alhaji Sa’ad Lawan and Esthon Gapsiso.