The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Musa Maina

  • Man jailed three months for stealing from police officer

     A Karmo Grade I Area Court  in Abuja on Wednesday sentenced one Stephen Musa to three months’ imprisonment for stealing  a police officer ‘s television set, phones and laptops valued at N 1.5 million.

    Magistrate Inuwa Maiwada, however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N11,000.

    Musa,  who has no fixed address,  was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on  house breaking, theft and mischief to which he pleaded guilty.

    Earlier, the prosecutor counsel, Mrs Ijeoma  Ukagha, told the court that the convict, on Sept. 25, at 11:45 p.m., broke into the house of ASP Musa Maina but was arrested.

    Ukagha said that during police investigation, the convict confessed that he broke into the same house in August and made away with LG television, phones and laptops.

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    She added that  Musa also confessed to have stolen four generators and  buckets.

    She also said that the convict confessed that he had been arrested for stealing.

    The offences contravene the provisions of Section 346, 287 and 327 of the Penal Code.

    NAN

  • Funsho Williams: Court rules on no case submission June 30

    Justice Adeniyi Adebajo of a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, has fixed June 30, for ruling on a “no case submission” raised by alleged murderers of Funsho Williams.

    The defendants – Bulama Kolo, Musa Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imariabie had through their lawyer, urged the court to dismiss the charges against them after prosecution closed its case.

    At the last adjournment, the court had fixed Monday for the defence to open its case but defense counsel, Agbara Okezie made a “no case submission” before the court, contending that the defendants had no case to answer.

    In his application dated May 20, 2014, Okezie argued that from the totality of the prosecution’s case, it has failed to establish a prima facie case against any of the defendants.

    He submitted that the evidence of the prosecution were at best circumstantial in nature which the court cannot rely upon.

    He argued that for a court of law to rely on such evidence, the evidence must be compelling and irresistible.

    Besides, he urged the court to hold that the prosecution has failed woefully to link any of the defendants to the murder of Williams saying ‘’there has been to legally admissible evidence against the defendants.”

    Citing Section 243 of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, Okezie urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants in the absence of a prima facie case against them.

    In her response, the Director, Directorate of Public Prosecution, Lagos Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Idowu Alakija, urged the court to dismiss the no case submission made by the defendants.

    She argued that the prosecution has sufficiently established a prima facie case against the defendants that warrants their explanations.

  • Funsho Williams: Confusion as defendant slumps in court

    Funsho Williams: Confusion as defendant slumps in court

    There was confusion at a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, as a defendant in the ongoing trial of alleged killers of Funsho Williams slumped in court.

    Musa Maina (second defendant), slumped in the dock at the peak of an argument on whether or not the prosecution should be allowed to collect fresh blood samples from the defendants for forensic investigation.

    Maina, who is said to be Asthmatic, has been in prison custody since 2006, along with the first defendant, Bulama Kolo.

    Barely 45 minutes after the defendants, Kolo, Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imariabie were put in the dock, an obviously discomfort Maina slumped.

    His co-defendants had assisted him to stand but his discomfort drew the attention of the trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Adebajo, who said he should be allowed to sit down.

    As the trial proceeded, a seated Maina slumped for the second time, which created a feeling of unease in the court.

    Worried at the recurrence, Justice Adebajo ordered his support staff as well as prison authorities to call for an ambulance from the clinic.

    Maina, who was seen struggling with an inhaler, with tears and catarrh running down his eyes and nostrils, was supported by security operatives who made him lie down.

    The court was rowdy for about 10 minutes with lawyers and litigants running round to assist the defendant. While some asthmatic patients brought their inhalers, others were fanning Maina to regain consciousness.

    At this point, Justice Adebajo rose and ordered that the defendant should be immediately taken to the clinic for medical attention.

    About 25 minutes after the incident, a nurse came into the court and was assisted by two prison officials to carry the defendant into a Lagos State Ambulance with the registration number, JJJ704AP, parked at the court’s entrance.

     

     

  • Funsho Williams: Court adjourns trial to June 21

    Funsho Williams: Court adjourns trial to June 21

    A Lagos High Court at Igbosere will on June 21continue the trial of six persons charged with the murder of a candidate in the 2007 governorship election in the state, Chief Funso Williams.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Williams, the People’s Democratic Party chieftain in Lagos, was killed in his Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos residence, on July 27, 2006.

    The accused are Bulama Kolo, Musa Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imerabo.

    They are all male.

    Justice Ebenezer Adebajo adjourned the trial after a brief evidence by a prosecution witness, DCP Ovie Oyokomino, in charge of Forensic Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    Oyokomino, who was cross-examined by the Defence Counsel, Mr. Agbara Okezie, testified that the responsibility of the unit was to provide forensic evidence and not to charge suspects to court.

    He made the clarification while responding to a question by Okezie as to whether he directed that the suspects be charged to court.

    Prosecution Counsel, Mrs. O.A. Akin-Adesomojo, apologised for the absence of the other witness – Mr. Adedayo Adeoye, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police.

    She promised that the prosecution would produce Adeoye in court on the next adjourned date.

    Oyokomino had told the court on April 29 that some exhibits for the trial got damaged due to epileptic power supply.

    He said the exhibits, brought by a pathologist during a post mortem on the deceased in 2006, included blood samples.

    NAN reports that the accused persons were arraigned on March 1, 2013 on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    According to the police, they conspired and murdered Williams on July 27, 2006 at 34A, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi.

    The offences contravene Sections 316 and 324 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2003.