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Tag: Magistrate’s Court

  • Court remands two teenagers for theft

    An Ikorodu Magistrates’ court  in Lagos  on Friday ordered that two  teenagers, Ogunshina Kudus,19, Bashit Olalekan, 18, who stole electronics worth N154,000, be  remanded in prison until Dec. 6, for sentencing.

    Police charged Kudus and Olalekan,  with two counts bordering on felony and stealing.

    The accused pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against them.

    Following their guilty plea, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs F.A Azerz, remanded them in prison pending sentence.

    According to Police Prosecutor, Sgt. John Iberedem, the accused committed the offences on Oct. 20 at Liado area, Igbogbo Baiyeku in Ikorodu at 10.45 a.m.

    Iberedem told the court that the accused break into the residence of one Mr Ogunyemi Olabode  and stole a computer system valued at N50,000,  LG plasma TV valued N100,000 and three crates of egg valued at  N4,000.

    The offences contravened Sections 411 and 307(c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 (Revised).

    Our reporter also reports that section 411 stipulates seven years imprisonment for felonious offence while section 307(c) seven years for break in.

    NAN

  • 11 men arraigned for alleged cultism in Lagos

    Eleven men were on Friday brought before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly belonging
    to an unlawful society –`Eiye’  confraternity.

    The accused : Wahab Fagbemi, 28; Jimoh Azeez, 25; Dele Ajiboye,23; Olumayowa Seun,18; Dominic Adeh,18; Ezekiel Alabi, 18;  andPeter Julius, 18.

    Others are Bayo Shiwoku, 22; Idowu Yusuf, 27; Oyegbelen Ayuba, 25; and Ibrahim Oladokun, 20.

    The accused, who reside mostly within Command area of Iyana Ipaja, a Lagos suburb, are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, belonging to an unlawful society and unlawful possession of dangerous weapons.

    According to the Police Prosecutor Lucky Ihiehie,  the accused committed the offences on Aug. 26 at 11.00 p.m. at Meiran area Lagos.

    Read Also: 13 suspected cultists remanded in Ilorin prison

    Ihiehie said policemen from the Meiran Police Division arrested the accused after they received a distress call that some cult members were terrorizing the area.

    He said the accused had gathered for their meeting, but a misunderstanding ensued among some members which led to violence.

    “The accused were arrested with axes and cutlasses.”

    Ihiehie said the case was transferred from the Meiran Division to Anti-Cultism Unit, Lagos, on Aug. 27.

    The offences contravened Sections 42 (a), 51 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje, granted the accused a bail of N50, 000 each with one surety each in like sum.

    Kubeinje said the sureties should be gainfully employed with an evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case was adjourned until Oct. 2 for mention.

  • Man to sweep magistrates’ court for stealing N15,000 make-up

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday sentenced a make-up artist, Tunde Ebikeme, to community service, for stealing beauty products worth N15, 000 from a supermarket.

    Magistrate M. O. Ope-Agbe convicted Ebikeme, 24, following his plea of guilty to a one-count charge of stealing.

    She ordered him to sweep the court’s premises from the fourth floor to the ground floor.

    She explained that the convict got only community service as punishment because he had a good skill which he should try to get better at.

    Ope-Agbe warned Ebikeme to never involve himself in crime again because he could be sent to prison the next time.

    She said: “Prison will not be better for you, I want you to get better with your make-up job, but if you go back to crime, you will be sent to prison.”

    Read Also: Lonely woman abducts two-year-old girl in Lagos

    The magistrate delivered judgment after prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji stated the facts of the case.

    Osuji told the court that Ebikeme committed the offence on June 26, at Prince Ebeano Supermarket, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

    According to him, the convict entered the supermarket bought and paid for some items, but concealed other items in his pockets and attempted to leave without paying.

    The stolen items are: two nail polish worth N10, 000, two Ushas Eye blow pencil worth N2, 000; two hair beauty born to glow worth N2, 000 and one Honda

    beauty Eye lashes worth N1, 000.

    The total amount of all the items stolen was N15,000.

    “The defendant tried to leave the supermarket with the items he stole before a supermarket attendant accosted him.

    “It was the CCTV inside the supermarket that detected that Ebikeme stole the beauty products.

    “The supermarket attendant complained to the police that it was the second time Ebikeme stole from the supermarket,” Osuji said.

    The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

  • Court remands two businessmen in prison for extortion

    A Sokoto Chief Magistrates’ Court on Monday remanded two  businessmen, Hassan Abubakar and Samaila Malami, for extorting N85,00 from one  Abubakar Mikailu .

    The defendants who reside on Ahmed Bello Way, Sokoto, are facing a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and extortion.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, Abubakar Tambuwal, told the court that the complainant, Abubakar Mikailu, reported the case at the Nigeria and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) office, Sokoto South Division on May 12.

    Tambuwal said the accused and one other now at large criminally conspired and attacked Mikailu of the same address with cutlasses and intentionally extorted N85, 000 from him.

    He said when the defendants were arrested the two cutlass were found in their possession.

    The prosecutor said the case contravened Sections 97 and 292 of the penal code.

    The duo however pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

    The Chief Magistrate, Abubakar Adamu, ordered the defendants to be remanded in prison and adjourned the case until June 24 for further hearing.

    NAN

  • Car dealer in court for alleged fraud

    A 40-year-old car dealer, Taiwo Olorunisola, who allegedly defrauded a customer of N2.5million was on Monday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    Olorunisola, who resides at No. 10, Wale Adesina St., Oke-Aro in Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of obtaining under false pretence and stealing.

    The Police prosecutor, Insp. Victor Eruada, told the court that the accused committed the offences on August 8, 2017 at about 1.00 p.m. at Ijaiye Ojokoro in Lagos.

    Eruada alleged that the accused collected N2.5 million from the complainant, Mr Akinbiyi Adepoju, to buy a Lexus RX 300 car from Cotonou, a representation he knew was false.

    He said the accused diverted the money to his personal use after he took the complainant to Cotonou to choose the car he wanted.

    “The accused later told the complainant that the car was seized by customs,” he said.

    Eruada said the offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    Report has it that Section 287 stipulates a seven-year imprisonment for stealing, while Section 314 prescribes a 15-year jail term for false pretence.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Dan Oni, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Oni said the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case was adjourned to June 28, for continuation of hearing.

    NAN

  • ‘Fake’ lawyer held at magistrates’ court

    The police have arrested a man described as a fake lawyer at the Ojo Magistrates’ Court.

    Uche Julian Nwajiakwu was arrested by some undercover operatives of the Lagos State Police Command on May 25.

    He is the second fake lawyer to be arrested at Ojo Magistrates’ Court. The first is Chris Elisha, who was arrested on February 6, after being in ‘illegal’ practise for 15 years.

    Nwajiakwu, The Nation learnt, has been practising since 2015.

    In a statement yesterday, the command’s spokesman, Chike Oti, a superintendent of Police (SP), quoted the suspect as saying that he fell in love with law practice when a friend commissioned him to act as a lawyer to serve a tenant a quit notice.

    Oti said: “He was handsomely rewarded after the deed and since then, there was no looking back. However, luck ran out on Nwajiakwu on May 25, while he was arguing a bail application for his client when intelligent lawyers in the court suspected he was a laid back. The lawyers said his quackery was too obvious to be ignored.

    “The police investigation into the case thus far, revealed that the suspect did not study Law in any of the Nigerian Universities nor anywhere else in the world. He was charged to Ojo Magistrate Court on May 30 with impersonation.”

    The police Commissioner (CP), Imohimi Edgal, Oti said, reiterated his warning to professional bodies to scrutinise those parading themselves as their members.

    “This is one incident too many and must be checked. The CP noted that the command had in the recent months arrested fake medical doctors and other spurious health workers including fake journalists,” he said.

  • Uber driver docked for stealing employer’s car

    A 27-year-old man, Uber driver, James Ejemba, was on Wednesday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly absconding with his employer’s Toyota Corolla car valued at N2million.

    Ejemba, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Benson Emuerhi, told the court that the accused committed the offences with some other persons still at large on Feb. 14 at Ile-Zik Bus Stop, Ikeja, Lagos.

    He alleged that the accused stole the car with registration No. SMK 694 EU belonging to one Mrs Ngozi Ireoha.

    Emuerhi said the accused however claimed that the car was stolen by four men who robbed him at gun point along Oshodi Expressway.
    “He said he was attacked, but he failed to report the case to the police until he was arrested,’’ he said.

    The offences contravened Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    Section 287 stipulates a three-year imprisonment for stealing.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule Amzat, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two responsible sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until July 2.

    NAN

  • Three docked for killing journalist in Malta

    Three docked for killing journalist in Malta

    A Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged three men with murder over a car-bomb blast that killed anti-corruption journalist, Daphne Galizia, court officials said.

    Galizia died instantly when her car was blown up as she drove out of her home on October 16, a killing that shocked Malta and raised concern within the EU about the rule of law on the tiny Mediterranean island.

    All three pleaded not guilty at the arraignment, which was attended by her husband, Peter Galizia.

    The men were named as Vince Muscat and brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio.

    It was not immediately clear whether police thought they had acted on their own or were hit men working for others.

    Galizia wrote a popular blog in which she relentlessly highlighted cases of alleged graft targeting politicians of all colours, including Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. Vince Muscat was not a relative.

    Police arrested 10 men on Monday in connection with their investigation into the killing. The other seven were released on bail.

    A close friend of Galizia said that she did not think the journalist had ever investigated the three men charged on Tuesday.

    “She wrote about government officials, politicians and wealthy business types,” the friend said, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the case.

    The Malta government had offered a one million euro reward leading to information on the murder.

    It also called in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Europol to assist in investigations.

    Maltese media said investigators had homed in on the suspects following telephone intercepts , known as triangulation data – that included the call from a mobile phone which triggered the car bomb.

    Malta, the smallest nation in the EU, has been engulfed by a wave of graft scandals in recent months, including accusations of money laundering and influence peddling in government – all of which have been denied.

    Galizia exposed many of these cases and was loved by her readers as a fearless, anti-corruption crusader.

    Critics saw her as a muck-raking fantasist and she had been hit with 36 libel lawsuits in the nine months preceding her death.

    Much of her criticism was leveled against Prime Minister Muscat and his leftist Labour party, which won power in 2013 after a nearly quarter of a century of uninterrupted rule by the conservative Nationalist Party.

    In the months before her death, she had also regularly targeted senior Nationalist figures.

    Italian newspapers have speculated that she might have fallen foul of men, who were making a fortune by smuggling fuel out of lawless Libya.

    However, her friend said she had never looked into the illegal trade and any mention of it in her blog related to articles already published elsewhere.

    NAN

  • Man charged with receiving stolen phone

    Man charged with receiving stolen phone

    A 43-year-old man, Dauda Olaonipekun,  on Wednesday appeared in an Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun for allegedly receiving stolen phone.

    Olaonipekun is facing a charge of stealing to which he pleaded not guilty.

    He was, however, granted bail in the sum of N20, 000 with one surety in like sum on the orders of the SeniorMagistrate, Mrs Risikat Olayemi.

    Olayemi said  the surety, who  must swear to an affidavit of means, should be a blood relation of the accused and should be resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

    She added that the surety must present a national ID card and provide two recent passport-size photographs.

    Earlier, Police Prosecutor Sunday Osanyintuyi told the court that the accused committed the offence on Aug 27 at 5.30 a.m. at Sabo, Ile-Ife.

    Osanyintuyi said the accused received a Nokia phone valued at N25, 000 from a man, Bisi Olawole, knowing full well that the phone was a stolen property belonging to a man, Ayo Okekunle.

    The offence contravened Section 427 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2003.

    The case was adjourned until Nov. 9 for hearing.

  • ‘Policeman framed me for robbery for denying him sex’

    ‘Policeman framed me for robbery for denying him sex’

    A 27-year-old trader, Mrs Victoria Amodu, Wednesday told an Ikeja High Court, Lagos that an Investigative Police Officer (IPO) at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja Division, demanded sex from her to release her from custody.

    Amodu, a mother of four, gave the testimony as a defence witness in her trial for alleged conspiracy and armed robbery, before Justice Kudirat Jose.

    The defendant, who denied the allegation, was arraigned alongside one Hammed Isiaka on a six-count charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery, contrary to Section 295(2)(a) of the Criminal Law No 11 Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    One of the charges reads, “Hammed Isiaka, Victoria Amodu and others now at large, on or about August 12, 2014 while armed with a pistol did rob one Elizabeth Moses of a cash sum of N35, 000 and a cheque of N1.4m.”

    However, while being led in evidence by her counsel, Nelson Onyejaka, Amodu told Justice Jose that she was unjustly arrested by the police on August 12, 2014 at Church Bus stop, Badagry, Lagos.

    She said she was selling bread at the bus stop when policemen raided the area, arrested her and others and bundled them into their truck, where they met some men who were already tied up.

    Narrating the incident, Amodu said: “I was arrested by the police while I was selling bread and taken to the station at SARS, Ikeja. An IPO (name not mentioned) there told me to call someone that would come for my bail. I called a neighbour, a lady that helps me look after my kids. When she arrived, the IPO said a woman could not sign my bail bond, which he put at N400,000.

    “I became worried because I didn’t know any man to call since I was no longer living with my husband and I was also new in Lagos. I decided to call my father but he refused coming to the station. He said since I was married he had no hand in anything concerning me.

    “I didn’t know what else to do at this time, so I started begging the IPO to let me go and take care of my kids since I didn’t commit any offence. The IPO took me outside the cell to a corner and said that I am a pretty lady and that if I submit myself to him, I would be freed. I got angry and shouted at him, asking why he would make such a statement to me. He immediately, dragged me back to the cell. Some others who were arrested that day were released after they paid money, though I don’t know how much they paid.

    “Nights after, the IPO brought out some case files and told me and others in the cell to sign them. He said that when we were done signing, we would be released. I agreed to sign the documents on the condition that he would not touch me. But the other men refused saying they couldn’t sign what they didn’t know.

    “The IPO immediately brought out his gun and threatened to shoot them if they didn’t sign and they fearfully signed it.

    “After signing the documents, we were all taken to a Magistrates Court and from there, to Kirikiri Prison.

    Amodu pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy and permit her to go home to cater for her children.

    During cross-examination by prosecution counsel, Mrs. Awosika, Amodu denied knowing the first defendant, Isiaka.

    She said she had never seen him before and only met him for the first time in court on the day of arraignment.

    Isiaka, a driver, who also testified while being led by his counsel, Mrs Olamide Amore-Akintoye, said he was arrested on his way from Seme border while carrying food items belonging to a customer.

    He said his car was impounded and taken to the station where he was locked up after he failed to pay for his release.

    Justice José adjourned till November 29 for adoption of final addresses.