The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prison

  • Court orders murder suspect remanded in prison

    A Magistrate, Mrs. Abimbola Komolafe of an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court, yesterday ordered a 28-year-old man, Michael Terhumba, facing charges of murder and robbery, to be remanded in prison custody, pending legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution(DPP).

    Another suspect, Mustapha Rabiu, 37, was arraigned for receiving stolen property, one Mack Truck Tipper, from the murder suspect, Terhumba.

    Terhumba was arraigned before Mrs. Komolafe on a three-count charge of conspiracy, robbery and murder, and the receiver of the stolen truck, Rabiu, was arraigned on a two- count charge of conspiracy and receiving a stolen good.

    The police prosecutor, ASP Iranus Nnamonu, told the court that the defendant allegedly conspired with others at large and with intent to rob, unlawfully killed Mr. George Aboagry.

    He also alleged that Terhumba conspired with others at large to steal one Mack Truck Tipper, with registration number XX 293 FST, valued at N6 million, belonging to Mrs. Omowunmi Omotuwase.

    When the charges were read, each of the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them by the Police.

    The magistrate adjourned Terhumba’s case till October 15 for DPP’s advice and adjourned Rabiu’s case till September 24 for mention.

  • A lift for people behind bars

    A lift for people behind bars

    Things are looking up for inmates of Oji River Medium Security Prisons. There is a turnaround of fortunes for them.

    The prison commissioned in 1992 was tucked away in rural Oji River with the aim of reforming convicts with light sentences.

    But due to logistics and remoteness of the prison, the inmates were often deprived of some basic amenities and provisions. The problems of drugs, foodstuff, clothings and sanitary wares have been hitting the inmates in addition to the fact that their number has since shot up from an initial 80 to 149.

    Commissioned on December 7, 1992, the prison was fitted with every amenity required for living at least a tolerable life. The prison cells were provided with functional showers in their bathrooms.

    There was also a functional borehole. There was a clinic and a well equipped workshop.  But all these amenities are no longer functional. The inmates resigned to fate. They almost provide everything for themselves. Visits by charitable organisations were rare.

    Things are changing. A charitable organisation, Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organisation (CAPIO) visited the prison and met with the inmates. The organisation, a Catholic Church organ, went with lots of items for the inmates. There were various foodstuff, drugs, clothings, provisions, slippers, towels and toiletries.

    The items were so much that the Deputy Comptroller of the Prison, Sir Eric Okafor exclaimed: “This is first of its kind. Additional goodness on top existing goodness.”

    One of the leaders of the inmates added: “I have never seen such gift items since my stay in this prison.”

    He thanked the CAPIO for their gesture which he said was “unprecedented in the history of this prison.”

    He prayed that God will bless them and always replenish their sources.

    CAPIO director, Rev. Fr. James Ekereku told the inmates that it has been one desire of the organisation to fight for those who have been imprisoned unjustly, adding, “we also have programmes to rehabilitate freed prisoners.”

    Ekereku said he was impressed by the orderliness of the prison and the inmates. He advised the inmates not to waste their time in prison idling away but should try to learn a trade or at least keep busy with one trade or another.

    He also implored them to give their lives to God.

    “These items you see here were donated by individuals. It was difficult for us convincing them to donate for prisoners because of their experiences in the hands of criminals.”

    He urged them to change their lifestyle when they are freed so as to make their work easy for the organisation.

    “We discovered that many of you are not interested in changing after regaining your freedom and often go back to crime. You should know that God is there for you and if you repent, he will open the way for you to make positive achievements.”

    Ekereku pleaded with them not to venture into anything that could bring them back to prison after being freed.

    The comptroller of the prison, Sir Eric Okafor told the visiting Carmelites that he regarded their visit as a “widow’s mite” not because it “is all you have but because you squeezed out time to come and give to those who could not reward you.”

    “I say this because any good without a pinch on your skin may not be rewarded. You came for charity, charity without reward.”

    He prayed that God will continue to bless the CAPIO members and the inmates will ever remember them for this unprecedented visit and gesture.

  • Akure prison bombed

    Akure prison bombed

    No fewer than 175 inmates of the Olokuta Maximum Security Prison in Akure, the Ondo State capital, have been set free in an unprecedented attack on the facility.

    The attack, which took place at about 12.05 am, was launched by a gang of unknown gunmen.

    The gunmen shot dead two civilians and used explosives to break into the prison.

    They shot sporadically into the air to scare away prison officials before breaking the walls of the facility.

    They reportedly entered the prison yard after breaking the keys.

    “The unknown gunmen numbering over 20 came at about midnight into the Olokuta prison through the main gate after using dynamite,” Prison Comptroller Tunde Olayiwola told Reuters.

    “The gunmen shot and killed two people while trying to get in … Some of the escaped prisoners have been re-arrested,” Olayiwola said, adding that some prison staff were injured in a gun battle and were receiving treatment.

    The gunmen were said to have attempted to dismantle the main gate into the prison, but were unsuccessful. They then blew off the wall leading into the cells.

    It was learnt that one prison official was hit by a bullet. All the inmates at the prison were set free.

    Olokuta Prison, which is about one kilometre to the headquarters of the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Owena Barracks was reportedly riddled with bullets.

    The prison was established in 1989. It was built to accommodate 150 inmates. But at the time of the attack it had about 1,000 prisoners.

    The state prison comptroller, Mr. Tunde Olayiwola, described the attack as unusual, stressing that the prison authority would arrest and prosecute the culprits.

    He ruled out the possibility of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram being the masterminds of the attack, saying the incident happened around 12: 05 am.

    “We cannot specifically identify those behind the attack, but the incident is unusual. One of our officers was injured during the attack and he is in the hospital right now receiving treatment, but I am assuring that those behind the attack will brought to book,” Olayiwola maintained.

    The comptroller said the attack was the first of its kind in the history of the prison.

    Unconfirmed reports said some of the prisoners who were set free by the hoodlums has been arrested by security agents.

    Commissioner of Police, Patrick Dokumo and some top government officials have reportedly visited the prison.

    Police spokesman Wole Ogodo confirmed the incident, maintaining that it had no link with Boko Haram.

    He said: “This incident has nothing to do with terrorism. People shouldcontinue with their normal duties. The police will continue to protect lives and properties.”

    Ogodo urged anybody with information on the incident to give it to the police, pledging that such will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

    According to him, all security agents are working to track down the culprits for prosecution.

  • ‘Prison Services loses 45 officers to insurgency’

    No fewer than 45 officers have been lost to the various attacks across the country following several cases of jail breaks by the Boko Haram insurgents in the north, the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) said yesterday.

    NPS Comptroller-General Zakari Ibrahim told reporters in Abuja that 45 warders, including high ranking officers were killed by Boko Haram militants, since the group started its ‘’unholy campaign’’ about two years ago.

    Zakari, who spoke at the League of Interior Correspondents of Nigeria Accountability Forum, said that top security equipment are now being installed in several prisons to reinforce security. Besides, he said soldiers have been deployed to assist the prison mobile police to protect the prisons around the country.

    He said many prisons were vulnerable because the buildings and walls were built about 100 years ago with mud and have never been re-inforced or replaced with stronger concrete materials.

    The Comptroller-General said that the insurgents usually attacked the prison formations in large numbers with heavy weaponry, saying “the attackers overwhelm our security easily because they come sometimes with 15 or 20 vehicles armed to the teeth and in their hundreds.”

    He said that the NPS has been facing numerous challenges, especially as it relates to modern security equipment and dilapidated infrastructure. Zakari said: The prison establishment was indebted to several contractors and may face litigations for implemented capital projects which have not been paid for in the past two years.

    “Inadequate security weapons and gadgets required for operational uses in view of the prevailing security situation across the country where our facilities have been attacked and burnt down and some of our officers have been killed by terrorist groups are our major challenges and constraints now,” he said.

  • Edo lawmaker remanded in prison

    A magistrate’s court in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government of Edo State yesterday ordered the remand in prison of a member of the House of Assembly, Rasaq Momoh, for alleged unlawful possession of firearms.

    Momoh, who represents Etsako West Constituency 1, was arrested on April 20 for alleged possession of fire arm.

    The lawmaker, who was arraigned on May 2 before Magistrate Caroline Nwoha, was arrested during the local government election in Agbede, Etsako West Local Government.

    Magistrate Nwoha remanded him in police custody instead of prison on health grounds as prayed by his counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi.

    The magistrate reserved ruling till yesterday after listening to the amendment of the earlier charge of unlawful possession of fire arm to that of robbery.

    The prosecutor, the commissioner of police, represented by Daniel Mato, had called for the case to be heard in the high court adding that the charge had nothing to do with electoral offence.

    He argued that it was only a mere coincidence that the offence was committed the same day the election took place.

    The magistrate said her court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

    She ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to Director of Public Prosecutor (DPP) for advice.

    Magistrate Nwoha adjourned the matter till June 3 and ordered that the accused be remanded in Auchi prison pending the date.

     

  • Alleged N100m fraud: Ex-Provost, bursar remanded in prison

    The Federal High Court in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, yesterday remanded a former Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Dr. Paul Ajah Onu, and Bursar, Samuel Atoi in prison.

    The accused were arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N100million fraud.

    A statement by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspects were arraigned before Justice Maureen Onyetenu on a four-count charge of conspiracy, abuse of office, fraudulent diversion and misappropriation of public funds.

    The statement said: “The accused allegedly misappropriated over N100milion of the school’s funds.

    “Their arrest, investigation and subsequent arraignment followed a petition by members of the institution’s Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institute and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIA).

    “The union had alleged that the provost, with the help of some workers of the College, transferred excess funds from the staff personnel emolument account to other illegal accounts.

    “The provost was also alleged to have illegally awarded salaries and other fraudulent advances to himself; employed his wife and placed her on a level far above her qualification and experience.

    “Investigations by the EFCC revealed how over N100million was illegally transferred from the personnel emolument account on recommendation of the Bursar to other accounts between 2009 and 2012 with the approval of the Provost, contrary to the provisions of the Financial Regulation.

    “For instance, N100, 000,000 meant for the construction of a farm guest house was paid into the account of FECAI Ventures (a business unit of the college under the control of the provost). The fund was progressively depleted without the money being used for what it was intended.

    “When the charges were read to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty.

    “The prosecution counsel, J.A. Ojogbane asked the judge to set a date for trial but counsel to the ex-Provost, J.O Asonuka, pleaded with the court to consider the accused persons’ application for bail as their alleged offence is bail able.

    The judge adjourned till tomorrow to hear the bail application; she remanded the accused in prison custody.”

  • Crippled, three others remanded in prison for allegedly raping 22-yr-old

    A  cripple and three others have been remanded in prison custody by an Oredo Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Benin City.

    The suspects were allegedly to have of gang-raped a 22 year-old-girl.

    The accused persons, Saturday Enabulele (28), Moses Okoeki (18), Osasumwen Enina (17) and Junior Odubu (20), were also alleged to have on April 13th 2013 at 9 Akugbe Street, Siluko Road, Benin City, beat up the girl, tore her skirt and pants, and fingered her private part and consequently filmed her with a camera phone.

    Apart from filming the victim’s nudity and showing same to people, the prosecution further alleged that the accused persons and others now at large collected the girl’s Nokia handset and a wallet containing the sum of ten thousand naira.

    They pleaded not guilty to the twelve count charge brought against them. The trial Chief Magistrate, Peter Edo Asemota remanded them in prison custody. Hearing was adjourned to May 7th, 2013.

     

  • 2015 anti-Jonathan suit: Applicant freed after three weeks in prison

    2015 anti-Jonathan suit: Applicant freed after three weeks in prison

    A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Cyriacus Njoku, who is trying to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting in 2015, was yesterday freed from prison after three weeks of strange trial for alleged rape.

    Last August, Njoku filed an action at the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to stop Jonathan.

    He insisted that the President was spending his second term in office as the nation’s leader.

    The politician said Jonathan ran for the Presidency in his first term in office on a single and inseparable ticket with the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

    According to him, the 1999 Constitution does not make provisions for separate elections, both for the Office of the President and Vice-President.

    But on March 2, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi dismissed Njoku’s application.

    The judge held that Jonathan can contest in 2015, if he wishes, because he only completed the tenure of the late President Yar’Adua.

    But shortly after the judgment, Njoku through his counsel, Osuagwu Ugochukwu, headed for the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. The applicant, however, raised two questions for the court to determine.

    These are: Whether Section 135(2) of the Constitution, which specifies a period of four years in office for the President, is only available or applicable to a person elected on the basis of an actual election or includes one in which a person assumes the position of President by operation of law as in the case of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; and

    Whether Section 137(1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which provides that a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections applies to the 1st Defendant who first took an Oath of Office as substantive President on May 6, 2010 and took a second Oath of Office as President on May 29, 2011.

     

     

     

       

  • 14 remanded in prison for issuing forged letters of admission

    A Minna Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered a 14-man syndicate that specialises in issuing forged letters of admission and certificates of the Niger State College of Education to be remanded in prison till May 13.

    Danlami Abubakar and 13 others were arraigned on a four-count charge by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mu’azu Shehu, for joint acts, forgery, being in possession of forged documents and using as genuine a forged document, contrary to sections 79, 364, 368 and 366 of the Penal Code.

    Other members of the syndicate include Hussaini Vatsa, Suleiman Ahmad, Umaru Salihu, Ibrahim Yusuf and Moh’d Bello Waziri.

    Others are Zakaryah Ibrahim, Garba Gwalu, Ndaman Umar, Moh’d Shabako, Umar Yabagi, Aminu Usman, Usman Musa and Hassan Mohammed.

    The prosecutor said the accused between December last year and January in Minna formed a common intention to issue fake admission letters as genuine documents to candidates.

    The prosecutor said the accused caused injury to the public by their action.

    They were also found to be in possession of fake admission letters.

    One of the accused, Usman Jibrin Musa, was alleged to have used as genuine, scanned and reprinted admission letters of the college, which he issued to Zulai Aliyu, Umar Kabir and Zainab Mohammed.

    Thirteen members of the syndicate pleaded not guilty to the charges. The plea of Awwal Gana, who is said to be at large, could not be taken.

    The accused counsel, Zakariyahu Bello, made an oral application for bail, a prayer that was not opposed by the prosecutor.

    Magistrate Bilqquis Gambo Yusuf said the accused were entitled to a bail and directed the defence counsel to make a formal prayer for it.

    She ordered them to be remanded in prison and adjourned the case till May 13 for further hearing.

     

  • Two years prison term for N23 billion fraud?

    Two years prison term for N23 billion fraud?

    SIR: There is inevitably something comic about this political enterprise of ours. N23.3 billion stolen by one John Yakubu Yusuf, a former Assistant Director in the Police Pension Office, in another classic now known as the Police Pension Scam, and after months of back and forth, he gets two years imprisonment with an option of N750, 000 fine only?

    What does the country get? What do the people get? Shock perhaps mild disbelief, pain and destroyed hopes.

    Can I ask, did our Government not spend more than N750,000 to prosecute that man? Gleefully, the matter is reported as plea bargain – the arrest of justice and its subsequent trial on the altar of bargain. By the time bargain is closed, the highest bidder is throwing a party. Sounds to me more like justice auctioned to the highest bidder.

    I thought there is something referred to as the Mischief rule in the Canons of Interpretation, a rule which solemnly calls on today’s actors in the theatre of law and justice to reach out to the original intention of the parliament, to help them unearth the mind of the then makers of the law, to order their steps in doing justice. Was it the intention of lawmakers that a man guilty of stealing N23.3 billion be handed a two-year sentence that can be exchanged for a paltry sum of N750, 000?

    I think not. Some have even attempted to advance the argument that after all the man has forfeited 32 properties to the state and returned part of the loot. I am confident that position would be easily rubbished by the submission of any Undergraduate Law Student studying elementary Criminal Law. Is the administration of our Criminal Justice system not rooted in punishing both the “mens rea” i.e. Intention and the “actus reus” i.e. Act of an Offence?

    Where a man steals N23.3 billion as we have in this very ugly story and is later caught, and by reason of his being caught turns around, his return of the loot is not an escape route for him. It is incumbent on the Law to still go ahead and punish his criminal mind. The Law presupposes that his act of stealing is first and foremost anchored on the criminal intent built in his mind, which is buttressed by the fact that if he wasn’t caught, he would automatically have escaped with the loot.

    More importantly, the punishment of his criminal intent is to serve as a deterrent to the others who may want to ride on the crest of his fraudulent success. Certainly, it is one case that will stall tall in our Hall of Fame of national absurdities for a long time to come. It is the saddest judgement I have ever heard of, it is the greatest attack on our collective intelligence.

    Beneath this mess simply lies our fatal inability to live up to reasonably expected behaviour as it obtains in other climes. Every arm of government regales in the exercise of its powers ambushing the people and nailing the remnant of their hopes and aspirations of justice to the cross. Definitely those who come after now will ask painful questions of those who seek to mismanage today. Is it not said that Justice must not only be done, but must be manifestly seen to have been done?

    Congratulations to those who have brought us here, for they all will be well remembered. Today our nation is caught in a vice between justice and organised malignity, between a majority of rogues in civilian uniforms and a minority of the people in their right minds.

    Permit me to submit on this poignant notes, that it is not the virtues of a government official that restrains him from wrongdoing, neither is it the vices of the demagogue that urges him on, rather the plain, natural history of all political Institution coupled with the aggregation of the will and consent of the ordinary people written in just laws, and backed up continuously by a fearlessly independent and courageous judiciary is the safeguard of sanity and survival of every human society.

    This is a code locked in the immortal Latin maxim, “Fiat Justicia, Ruat Coelum” meaning, “Do Justice, even if Heaven will fall”. Once we lose this, we lose everything.

    • Olusola Adegbite, Esq.

    Kubwa, Abuja.