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Tag: Igbosere

  • Breaking: Court orders actress Monalisa Chinda’s arrest over tax evasion

    A Lagos High Lagos in Igbosere has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of actress and producer, Monalisa Chinda Coker, over a tax evasion charge.

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye made the order on January 21, following an application by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, alleging that Coker had repeatedly failed to honor a court summons.

    The application flowed from a two-count charge accusing Coker of a six-year failure to file annual tax returns and failure to pay income tax in respect of her company, Monalisa Code Productions.

    Monalisa Code Productions carries on its business from Lekki in Lagos.

    Prosecution counsel, Y. A. Pitan told Justice Akintoye that Coker had not appeared in court since 2017, when the charge was filed against her.

    “The defendant has been served with hearing notice. The proof of service is in the court’s file,” Pitan said, while making an application for the bench warrant.

    Granting the application, Justice Akintoye adjourned further proceedings till February 2.

    But on February 2, the court heard that the bench warrant had yet to be effected.

    It ordered that the warrant should continue and adjourned till April 1.

    Read also: Three Nollywood films selected for Hollywood showcase

    Count one of the charge, marked LD/5712c/2017, reads in part:

    “Failure to furnish and file annual tax returns for the purpose of personal income taxation with the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) contrary to Section 94(1) of the Personal Income Tax Act 2004 (as amended).”

    The particulars of the count stated that Coker “of Monalisa Code Productions, being a taxable person in Nigeria and carrying on business at… Lekki… failed to furnish and file tax returns on your personal income for the years 2011 to 2016.”

    Count two reads: “Failure to pay income tax contrary to Section 56 of the Lagos State Revenue Administration Law of 2006.”

  • Evans: Absence of defence counsel stall trial

    The trial of alleged Kidnap Kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike also known as Evans before a Lagos High Court, Igbosere was stalled on Monday due to the absence of his lawyer from the court.

    At the resumed proceedings on Monday, the court was informed that Evans’ counsel Mr Olarenwaju Ajanaku sent in a letter that he would not be available and asked for an adjournment.

    Evans is facing two separate charges, bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder, before Justice Adedayo Akintoye.

    In the first charge, Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

    In the second charge, he is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.

    At the last adjourned date, a fifth prosecution witness, Izuchukwu Ezeuko, had told the court of how he travelled from Lagos to Eastern part of the country to drop $1 million ransom to the alleged kidnappers of his employer.

    Ezeuko, a manager in the firm of the victim of the alleged kidnap kingpin, Mr James Uduji, had made the revelation while giving evidence before Justice Akintoye.

    He had also told the court that he agreed to travel from Lagos to the east to drop the ransom in order to save his boss’ life.

    Ezeuko had narrated to the court how he paid $1 million ransom in two tranches of $800, 000 and $200,000 dollars to the kidnappers of his employer.

    Led in evidence in Chief by the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Lagos State Mr Adeniji Kazeem (SAN), Ezeuko had told the court that on September 7, 2015, his employer came to the factory at Agbara as he usually does, adding that at about 5.00pm he received a call that his employer who had left the factory for home was kidnapped.

    Read Also: Two suspected cultists face robbery, theft charge

    However, after some weeks of the alleged kidnap on October 10, 2015, he got a call from somebody on a private number, who said he should speak with his boss.

    “My boss then spoke to me and said if I want him alive, I should go to the east to deliver money to the alleged kidnappers.

    “I went to FESTAC and met Mr Edwin Uduji, the victim’s brother, who arranged the first $800, 000 for me to travel with.

    “On October 11, which was the next day, I drove down to the east with the victim’s elder sister, in the east, a voice gave us instructions on how to drop the money,” Ezeuko said.

    Another witness, Sergeant Kingsley Harold had also given evidence in the first charge in which Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba, for alleged kidnap of Mr Donatus.

    Harold who was led by Dr Jide Martins said after Evans was arrested, he was asked to make a statement at the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS)office Ikeja but Evans said he was not too good in writing.

    The case has been adjourned till October 24, for continuation of trial.

  • ‘Evans shot me, pretended to be a doctor’

    A prosecution witness, Chief James Uduji, on Friday told a Lagos High Court in Igbosere that suspected ‘billionaire’ kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans, shot him during his kidnap and afterwards pretended to be a doctor.

    Uduji told Justice Adedayo Akintoye that Evans was the driver of the Lexus 470 SUV which he and three other members of his gang used during the operation.

    The witness testified at the commencement of the prosecution’s case against Evans and his co-defendants; Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.

    The four were arraigned on June 26 following the dismissal of Evans’ objection to a five-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping and attempted murder, preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.

    The defendants and others at large allegedly committed the offences on September 7, 2015, at Seventh Avenue, Festac Town, Lagos.

    The allegedly conspired and kidnapped Uduji, obtained a ransom of $1.2 million dollars and shot him on the shoulder while trying to kill him.

    They pleaded not guilty.

    Evans is also facing another charge of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder, before the same judge.

    In this charge, he is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

    Led in Examination-in-Chief by prosecution counsel Adebayo Haroun, Uduji narrated yesterday how he was kidnapped on September 7, 2015, by four armed men on his way home from his factory at Agbara in Ogun State.

    He said the incident took place very close to his house at 7th Avenue area of Festac Town, Lagos.
    Uduji said the alleged kidnappers drove a Lexus 470 SUV and fired several gun shots during the kidnap operation.

    The witness said he was surprised to see the men shooting towards his vehicle, adding that he thought they were the police.

    Uduji said: “I was inside my Hilux van with my two drivers when the men came and pulled me out of my vehicle and dragged me inside their own vehicle.

    “I was not blindfolded at this point, so I saw the men clearly and the man at the steering wheel with a gun was Evans; he is the only one I can recognise among the four,” Uduji said.

    The witness testified that it was when he was dragged out of his vehicle, that he noticed that he was stained with blood.

    “I then realised I had sustained a bullet wounds,” he explained.

    Uduji said the kidnappers called a doctor on phone who treated his bullet wound at their destination.

    The witness said he was given two tetanus injections for seven days, adding that Evans was the so called doctor who treated him.

    He said that he stayed for 45 days in captivity and a ransom of 1.2 million dollars was paid before he was released by the alleged kidnappers.

    Uduji told the court that the ransom was paid in three instalments by his brothers, adding that he was released eight days after the ransom was paid.

    The witness was cross-examined by all the defendants’ counsel, Mr Olarewaju Ajanaku who represented Evans, Mr Ogedi Ogu who represented the second defenant and Mr Emmanuel Ochai for the fourth defendant.

    Ajanaku observed that the specific date when Uduji was released from the kidnappers was not mentioned in the statement he made at the police station.

    He also stated that the date which the witness told the court that he made the statement at the police station was different from the date contained in the statement.

    Read Also: Judge angry over delay in Evans’ trial

    According to the charge, the defendants also allegedly fired shots at Mr Donatus Nwoye which hit him on the hand.
    The court heard that they also shot Jereome Okezie, Uduji’s driver, on the hand and head.

    At the conclusion of Uduji’s testimony, the prosecution called Jerome Okezie, as its second witness.
    Okezie testified that he sustained bullet wounds from the kidnappers’ gun shots, adding that he pretended to be dead after he was shot.

    He said he was taken to the hospital by some people after the kidnappers took his boss away.

    The offences, according to the prosecution, contravened Sections 230 (a) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Justice Akintoye adjourned further proceedings till September 17.

  • Alleged murder: Court to hear five PDP members’ bail application

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere Thursday adjourned till August 23 to hear five People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members’ bail application following their remand for alleged murder.

    The defendants are Rotimi Kujore, Ismaila Abiola, Kehinde Fasasi, Fatai Adele and Amos Fawole.

    Read Also:Court suspends hearing in suit filed against INEC Chairman

    They were accused of involvement in the killing of the PDP’s Apapa Local Government Area (LGA) Chairman, Adeniyi Aborishade, on July 21.

    The police docked the men before Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe of the Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court on July 25 for alleged conspiracy and unlawful killing.

    Mr Komolafe granted the police’s request for their remand for 30 days in prison custody pending a Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advice on the case.

    But they challenged their detention at the high court.

    When the matter, came up yesterday before vacation judge, Justice Emmanuel Ogundare, the defendants’ counsel, Mr K. O. Osinowo, sought the leave of the court to apply for their bail.

    He brought the application by way of an August 7 motion ex parte, explaining that the matter was for urgent hearing.

    According to him, the defendants were being held for an offence they were innocent of.

    “They were in a meeting and one of them got shot,” Osinowo told the judge.

    He drew the court’s attention to the dismissal of the same charge against the Chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Mr. Moshood Salvador and 10 others, by an Ikeja High Court on Tuesday, following a DPP report exonerating them.

    He said: “I believe that the same thing will also happen when the DPP’s advice concerning these defendants is out.”

    Justice Ogundare granted his prayer and adjourned the hearing of the motion ex-parte till August 23.

  • OPC man jailed 25 years for killing trader

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere Thursday sentenced Jelili Falana an ‘Assistant Vigilante’ in the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC) office at Agege, Lagos, to 25 years imprisonment for manslaughter.

    Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya convicted Falana of the 20l4 shooting to death of a herbal medicine hawker, Afolashade Adedoyin Salami.

    The court found that the convict shot Salami and dumped her corpse in a disused soak away.

    The sentence followed Falana’s second re-arraignment on December 7, 2016 on a one-count amended charge of murder contrary to Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    Read Also:Police destroy ‘OPC shrine’, arrest three suspects

    The convict was previously arraigned by the Lagos State Government on January 11, 2016 and re-arraigned on an amended charge on February 1, 2016.

    He pleaded not guilty on the three occasions following which trial commenced.

    But in her judgment, Justice Ogunsanya held that the facts of the case were more consistent with manslaughter than murder.

    The sentence, which was without an option of a fine, takes effect from 2016.

    According to prosecution counsel Adebayo Haroun and Adeyemi Bamgbose, Falana committed the offence on or about June 15, 2014 at about 10:30pm at an OPC Vigilance Office 1n Agege.

    The case was reported to the Railway Police Division, Agege, by the OPC Coordinator or Chairman in the area, Mr. Adekunle Adegoke.

    In the convict’s statement to the police, which was admitted in evidence, Falana said he knew the deceased as a “local nurse’ and drug hawker who placed him on malaria medication on the morning of the incident.

    Falana said the deceased was on her way home but stopped at the OPC office to check on him at about 10pm.

    As she sat beside him he began fondling his single-barreled gun, but it went off and shot her in the head, following which she died.

    He became confused and afraid so he dumped her body and the gun in the soak away.

    The office and the soak away was divided by the rail track along Old Abeokuta Road, Agege.

    A prosecution witness, Inspector Gloria Anumo, testified that during interrogation Falana stated that he seized the gun from hoodlums and was using it for vigilance work, but that he neither had a license for nor knew how to operate it.

     

  • Breaking: Fake engineer bags 1,230 years for N28m scam

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere has sentenced a self-proclaimed site engineer and housing agent, Babatunde Habeeb, to 1,230 years imprisonment for a N28 million scam.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye convicted Habeeb, also known as Babatunde Salaudeen, of defrauding 101 accommodation seekers under the pretext of renting them 13 apartments in a building at Alapere-Ketu, Lagos.

    She found him guilty of 82 counts of conspiring with his elder brother, Alhaji Ishola Salaudeen, and obtaining the N28m under false pretence.

    According to the prosecutor, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Alhaji Salaudeen, who owns the property, is at large.

    The court said the EFCC proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

    According to the commission, the convict committed the offences in 2013.

    Read Also: Police arrest two for producing fake Voters’ Cards

  • Unemployed man remanded for robbing bishop of $500

    Unemployed man remanded for robbing bishop of $500

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere Wednesday remanded an unemployed man, Soliu Adeniran, who allegedly robbed a cleric of $500 at gun point.

    Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile made the order following Adeniran’s arraignment for conspiracy and armed robbery by the Lagos State Government.

    Justice Okikiolu-Ighile remanded Adeniran in prison custody and adjourned till May 7 for trial.

    Earlier, prosecuting Counsel J. A. Koku and S. O. Fashola said the defendant and his accomplices, who are at large, committed the alleged offences at about 5:45pm on February 17, 2014 at the Festac Extension area of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area (LGA).

    They accused Adeniran and his gang of accosting the cleric, Bishop Ray Bakeh, on the street and dispossessing him of his phones, wristwatch and wallet containing $500 cash.

    According to the prosecutors, the offences contravened sections 295 and 295(2)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

    Adeniran pleaded not guilty.

  • Court refuses to quash Evan’s kidnapping trial

    Court refuses to quash Evan’s kidnapping trial

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere has dismissed two applications by suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans seeking to quash the charges of kidnapping against him.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo rejected Evan’s contention that the court has no jurisdiction to try him.

    The court ruled, among others, that there was sufficient ground for a prima facie case against Evans and second defendant Victor Nonso Aduba.

    Justice Taiwo held: “I have read the proof of evidence. The court is the view of this court that there is sufficient reason to proceed. I find that this court has jurisdiction to try the charges. This application is subsequently dismissed.”

    Evans and Aduba are standing trial on four counts of conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of weapons on one charge.

    The case is still ongoing.

     

    Details later…

    Read Also: Evans : A begging example

  • Man ‘hacks neighbour to death’ after generator smoke quarrel

    Man ‘hacks neighbour to death’ after generator smoke quarrel

    A Lagos State High Court in Igbosere has heard how a man, Ibrahim Tijani, allegedly hacked his neighbour to death following a dispute about the fumes from a generating set.

    Tijani, 31, was accused of slashing Bashorun Okanla‎won, 57, in the left hand, leg and waist with a machete in the presence of Okanlawon’s son Adeola.

    He left Okanlawon and went after Adeola who had been begging him to stop. The teenager fled and hid behind a cashew tree.

    When Tijani returned, Okanlawon had bled to death.

    Adeola told Justice Adedayo Akintoye yesterday that the incident followed a fight between his father and the defendant over the fumes from Tijani’s generator.

    The 16-year-old gave his testimony while being led in evidence by Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem.

    According to him, Tijani attacked his father with a machete he picked from a food vendor.

    Tijani, who was arraigned on January 21, 2016, is standing trial on a one-count charge of murder.

    According to Kazeem, the defendant, who along with the deceased lived in an uncompleted building at Okun in Ajah area of Lagos, committed the offence at about 2:20am on February 8, 2015.

    He said the offence is punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

    Tijani pleaded not guilty.

    During cross-examination by the defendant’s counsel Onome Akpeneye, Adeola, the first prosecution witness, explained that the incident was preceded by a fight.

    He said that night, he and his father were bothered by the fumes which was wafting into their room from Tijani’s small generator.

    The deceased complained to the defendant about the smoke and asked him to reposition the generator but the defendant refused, following which the deceased turned the generator funnel away from his room.

    A fight, which broke out, was settled by neighbours and, afterwards, an Islamic cleric reconciled the duo.

    According to Adeola, it was on their way from the cleric’s home that Tijani attacked the deceased.

    The Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in the case, Sergeant David Abu, also testified as the second prosecution witness.

    He stated that at about 2:13am on the day of the incident, a bleeding Tijani came to report a case of assault at the Agbongon Police Division.

    But, about 10 minutes later, the neighbours brought the lifeless body of the deceased to the station in a tricycle.

    He said “In my investigation review, on February 8, 2015, the defendant and the deceased were living in the same uncompleted building at Okun Ajah. The deceased complained to the defendant to adjust his generator as the smoke from the generator was entering his room.”

    Abu said the deceased complained to the cleric, who owns a block industry, following which the cleric sent for the defendant and reconciled the duo.

    According to him, on their way home from the Alfa’s place, the defendant picked a machete from a food vendor’s place and started chasing the deceased who tripped on a block and fell. The defendant, he added, started cutting the deceased.

    “He cut his left hand, leg and waist. When the son of the deceased, one Adeola Okanlawan, started shouting ‘don’t kill my father,’ he started chasing the boy who hid behind a cashew tree. When the defendant saw that the deceased could no longer move, he picked up a bottle and stabbed himself on the left arm and ran to the Police station to make a report of assualt,” Abu said.”

    Justice Akintoye adjourned till November 1, for continuation of hearing.

     

  • Updated: Evans’ trial for attempted murder of Young Shall Grow boss stalled

    Updated: Evans’ trial for attempted murder of Young Shall Grow boss stalled

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere has adjourned till October 27 for the arraignment of suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans, for attempted kidnap of the Chairman of The Young Shall Grow Motors, Vincent Amaechi Obianodo.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo fixed the date following two applications by Evans seeking to quash the two charges and eleven counts filed against him by the Lagos State Government.

    The defendant told the court that the fresh charges including murder, kidnapping and attempted murder brought against him were incompetent.

    Through his counsel Olukoya Ogungbeje, Evans argued that the court had no jurisdiction to hear both charges, particularly as it relates to illegal possession of firearms, which is a federal offence.

    The proposed charges, seen by The Nation, have four counts on one and seven counts on the other.

    In the first charge, Evans and second defendant Victor Nonso Aduba are standing trial on four counts of conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of weapons.

    In the other charge, he and three others are facing seven counts of conspiracy, attempted kidnapping, kidnapping, murder and attempted murder.

    The second to fourth defendants are Joseph Ikenna Emeka, Chiemeka Arinze and Udeme Frank Upong.

    According to the second charge, the state will call 12 witnesses – six civilians and six senior police officers – to testify against Evans and Aduba for the alleged attempted kidnap of Obianodo.

    The prosecution also listed nine exhibits that it intends to tender, including four rifles, two pistols, bullet proof vests, among others.

    In the first charge, Evans, Aduba and four others still at large were accused of conspiring and kidnapping Sylvanus Ahanonu Hafia at about 5:30pm on June 23, 2014 at Kara Street, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

    They allegedly captured and detained Hafia and demanded a $2million ransom.

    According to the prosecution, the attempted kidnap of Obianodo occurred at Festac town, Lagos. Obianodo was returning from work at about 9pm when gunmen, numbering five, who drove in a Sport Utility Vehicle intercepted him on 22 Road and opened fire.

    His driver and one of his security details, a policeman, Ngozi Chijioke, were allegedly killed in in the process.

    Evans and Aduba, who were brought to court amid heavy police presence in a green Nigerian Prison Service truck at 9:03am, were kept in the vehicle for a few minutes until the courtroom was opened.

    When Justice Taiwo mounted the bench at 10:32am, the defendants were summoned to the dock.

    But, before their charge could be read, Ogungbeje drew the court’s attention to his applications.

    He said: “We have a pending motion on notice of October 19, 2017. The information filed by the prosecution was not served on us till this morning. However, we got wind that our client would be arraigned this morning. We had to move an application for the certified true copy of the information to enable us bring the necessary application. That is why we have filed a motion on notice seeking to quash the charge. It seeks to challenge the competence of the charge. “The prosecution in the circumstances has foisted an adjournment on this honourable court. I urge the court to grant us a short adjournment to enable us reply on point of law to this application.”

    The application was brought pursuant to Section 55 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2015 and Sections 36 and 6 (6) (b) of the Constitution.

    Ogungbeje argued that all 11 counts in both charges were “bad for duplicity, grossly defective, a gross abuse of court’s process and do not disclose a prima facie case” against Evans.

    In particular, he claimed that counts 1, 2 and 3 in the first charge do not disclose any prima facie case as there is no evidence of death in the proof of evidence in the information filed by the prosecution.

    Besides, he said counts 4 and 5 constitute a gross abuse of the court’s process as similar charges on the same offence of kidnapping had earlier been filed by the prosecution against his client in charge numbers; LD/5962/2017 and ID/5970/2017

    In another instance, he said counts 6 and 7 of the charge were a gross abuse of court process as the same offence concerning firearms had earlier been filed by the prosecution in charge number LD/5962C/2017.

    He claimed further that the Attorney-General of Lagos State had erroneously charged Evans with a Federal offence and under a Federal law, rather a state law.

    However, in its counter-affidavit, the Lagos State Government contended that the charge numbers; LD/5962/2017 and ID/5970/2017, referred to by the applicant are separate and distinct from the new charges.

    Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) T. K. Shitta-Bey further argued that the second to fifth defendants in the new charge are not defendants in charge number; ID/5970C/2017.

    She stated that apart from the confessional statements of Evans, arms and ammunitions were recovered from him and his alleged cohorts.

    The DPP said the charges were valid and competent having satisfied the provisions of the relevant laws and that it has enough evidence to proceed against Evans

    The prosecution further claimed that the application is vexatious and calculated to delay and frustrate the trial of Evans.

    Counsel for other defendants, Mr Emmanuel Ochai and Mr Ogedi Ogu, however, did not object to the arraignment of the defendants.

    In a bench ruling, Justice Taiwo said: “In view of the defendant’s application to have the motion heard before arraignment, the case is hereby adjourned till October 27 at 10am.”

    Last August, Evans pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping, before an Ikeja High Court, Lagos.

    Last Thursday, however, he changed his plea to not guilty.