The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prison

  • Court remands computer instructor in prison for alleged rape

    Court remands computer instructor in prison for alleged rape

    An Ikeja Magistrates Court yesterday ordered that a computer instructor, Cosmos Ugbaja, be remanded in Kirikiri Prison until he meets his bail.

    Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi made the order after Ugbaja pleaded not guilty to a one-count charge of rape.

    Ugbaja is accused of raping a 14-year-old girýl, a Junior Secondary School Three (JSS 3) pupil in Ikorodu.

    According to prosecuting police Inspector Samuel Imohsonwa, the suspect serially raped his victim between January and May.

    The one-count charge against him reads: “That you Cosmos Ugbaja, 43, between January and May, 2016 at 13, Banjo Oyesanya Street, Olainukan, Ishawo, Ikorodu did unlawfully had sexual intercourse with one (names withheld) aged 14 years and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011”.

    Magistrate Osunsanmi granted Ugbaja N500,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    The sureties must have means of livelihood, evidenceý of tax payment in the last three years and property in Lagos, all of which the magistrate said must be verified.

    She adjourned till August 1.

    Police sources said Ugbaja, who owns a computer centre in Ishawo was engaged by his victim’s school to train pupils in computer studies.

    It was learnt that he allegedly raped the victim when she came to make photocopies in his centre in January. He allegedly gave her N50 after the incident.

    The girl was allegedly raped again on June 1 following which she developed stomach pains and was taken to hospital where it was discovered that she had been abused severally.

    The victim’s mother reported the matter to the police.

    The suspect, it was said, confessed and offered to settle his victim’s medical bill of about N100,000 in instalment within 100 days.

    Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) coordinator Mrs Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, who confirmed the report, advised young girls to always shout whenever they were being raped.

    She also advised victims to seek medical treatment at Mirabel Centre at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTHý) immediately after such incidents.

    The treatment, she said, is free.

     

  • Alleged N4.6b fraud: Court remands Fani-Kayode, Nenadi Usman in prison

    Alleged N4.6b fraud: Court remands Fani-Kayode, Nenadi Usman in prison

    Two former ministers were yesterday remanded in prison after being arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  for laundering N4.6billion.

    Justice Sule Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered former Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and one-time Finance Minister Mrs Nenadi Usman, remanded in prison until Friday when their bail applications will be heard.

    They pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge read to them.

    They were charged along with a former Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) and ex-Chairman of Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State Mr. Yusuf Danjuma, and a company said to belong to him, Jointrust Dimensions Nigeria Limited.

    EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo said the 17-count charge was dated June 13. He prayed that it be read to the accused.

    Usman’s lawyer, Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), pleaded with the judge to let the former finance minister sit while the charge was read because she was ill. The judge agreed and she sat in the dock.

    Moments later, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), also asked that a chair be provided for his client.

    “He indicated to me that he is not feeling too well,” Adedipe said. A chair was brought for the former Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation. He sat down

    After the charge was read, Oyedepo said: “In view of the plea of the accused, by Section 273 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, they are deemed to have put themselves up for trial.

    “Your lordship has the power under Section 19 (2) of the EFCC Act 2004 to order accelerated trial. I’ll be asking your Lordship to remand the defendants in prison pending the determination of this charge or as your lordship may deem proper in the course of this trial,” he said.

    But the defence counsel said they had all filed bail applications. While EFCC was served with two of the applications on Monday, Adedipe said he served the commission with Fani-Kayode’s motion since June 16.

    Adedipe said Fani-Kayode had been in detention since May 9, even after the remand order issued by a magistrate had lapsed.

    “My client has been in custody for 48 days. He was invited. He went, and they kept him. We filed his bail application and served the EFCC, but I’ve not received any counter-affidavit indicating an opposition,” he said.

    Oyedepo said he did not respond separately to Fani-Kayode’s application because he thought all the bail applications would be heard together and a single ruling delivered.

    He added that the charge was filed the day the Magistrate’s order lapsed, saying Fani-Kayode was not detained illegally.

    But Adedipe said it would unfair to adjourn hearing of his bail application because “each criminal trial is personal.”

    “Taking all the applications together has no basis in law. It will amount to a cynical manipulation of the judicial process to grant this adjournment,” he said.

    In a short ruling, Justice Hassan said for better case management, it would be better to hear all the bail applications together and deliver a single ruling on them.

    When the defence counsel prayed that the defendants be kept in EFCC’s custody until Friday rather than in prison, Oyedepo said the commission’s detention facility “is overstretched.”

    He said the practice was for every accused person to be taken to prison once they are arraigned. “We don’t want to be accused of bias,” Oyedepo said.

    Justice Hassan then ruled that they be remanded in prison custody.

    Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Nenadi Esther Usman, Femi Fani-Kayode, Danjuman Yusuf And Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Ltd on or about the 8th day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to indirectly retain the sum of N1,500, 000,000.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

    The four were also accused of indirectly retaining N300million, N400million and N800million, all proceeds of corruption, according to EFCC.

    EFCC said they allegedly committed the offence between last January 8 and last March 25, 2015 ahead of last year’s general election.

    In another count, the prosecution alleged that Fani-Kayode directly retained N350million which he ought to have “reasonably known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

    The commission said Fani-Kayode directly used the sum of N170million, among other sums, which he reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of corruption and stealing.

    He was also accused of doing cash transaction of N24million with Olubode Oke, said to still be at large, without going through a financial institution.

    The offence, EFCC said, violates sections 1(a) and 16(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 16(2)(b).

    The defendants’ bail applications will be considered on Friday.

  • Disquiet as Suswam visits Ortom’s aide in prison

    Disquiet as Suswam visits Ortom’s aide in prison

    There is apprehension in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and government circles following former Governor Gabriel Suswam’s visit to Governor Ortom’s aide, Joe Ikyaagba. Ikyaagba is standing trial for the murder of Ortom’s security aide, Denen Igbana.

    Suswam and Ikyaagba were close friends before they parted ways during the build-up to the 2015 election. Ikyaagba was appointed special adviser to Governor Ortom on special duty.

    When Igbana was murder last month, eyewitness said he made a dying declaration, accusing Ikyaagba of complicity.

    Ikyaagba was arrested, charged to court and then remanded in Makurdi prison.

    Yesterday, Suswam visited Ikyaagba in prison. He prayed for him and other prisoners and urged him to see his predicament as an act of God.

    Since the news of Suswam’s visit to Ikyaagba was made public, people, especially those in the APC administration, have wondered what the motive behind the visit was.

    A prison official, who pleaded for anonymity, said Ikyaagba spoke to Suswam about Ortom’s administration and the success of the amnesty programme, which Ortom initiated.

    He added that Ikyaagba rated Ortom and the APC-led government very high and pledged his loyalty to Ortom.

  • Two inmates escape in Kuje prison jailbreak

    The Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) has confirmed that there was a jailbreak in the Kuje maximum Prison on Friday where two Awaiting Trial inmates escaped.
    The NPS Public Relations Officer, (PRO), Francis Enobore told our correspondent at the scene of that the incident was unfortunate.
    He however, debunked the reports that a brother of Henry Okah, jailed leader of the Movement For The Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) Charles Okah escaped during the jailbreak.
    Enobore said the Comptroller General of the NPS has ordered an investigation into what happened and vowed to bring to book any staff found wanting.
    Other security operatives according to him, has been informed of the escape to enable quick action and help recapture the two escapees.
    His words: “it s not true, Charles Okah is still in safe custody in Kuje Madium security Prison.
    “The Controller General himself came when the news was trending. I drove down here myself just to confirm what I was told.
    “Actually yesterday we had an incident where two awaiting trial inmates escaped from custody. The CGP has already directed a preliminary investigation to be carried out. The officers doing the investigation are in the prison yard now combing everywhere to find out how they escaped.
    “Throughout the night our armed men and other security personnel that were deployed to search the nearby bush around the prison unfortunately came back this morning but has not been able to find the two prisoners that escaped.
    “I can tell you that we maintain good relationship with other security operatives in order to recapture the prisoners. CG has directed that detained account of what happened should be forwarded to his office soonest.
    “And he has promised that any staff found wanting will not be speared and that such staff will be made to face the law. The two prisoners that escaped have no business with Charles Okah.”
    Security has been intensified in the area when our correspondent visited the Kuje Prison.

  • Another Air Force chief remanded in prison for ‘accepting bribe from contractor’

    Another Air Force chief remanded in prison for ‘accepting bribe from contractor’

    •Judge to rule on bail July 1

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja has ordered that a former Air Officer Training Command and a member of the Committee for Procurement, Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Alkali Mohammed Mamu be remanded in Kuje prison.

    Justice Salihu Garba made the order yesterday after Mamu’s arraignment on a three-count charge in which he was accused of accepting bribe from contractors engaged by the Ministry of Defence. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Mamu’s arraignment is coming about three weeks after another Air Force chief, Air Vice Marshal Olutayo Oguntoyinbo was arraigned and remanded in similar manner for allegedly accepting bribe from the same company from which Manu has again be accused of receiving bribe.

    Oguntoyinbo, a former Chief of Training and Operations of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) was arraigned before Justice Oluwakayode Adeniyi (also of the High Court of the FCT) on a one count charge, in which he was accused of receiving N166m bribe.

    Oguntoyinbo, who was arraiged on June 3 was accused of receiving the bribe from a contractor to the NAF, Société D’ Equipments Internationaux Nigeria Limited, using a company, Spaceweb Integrated Services Limited, with an account in Wema Bank Plc.

    Yesterday, Justice Garba, who entertained arguments form parties on Mamnu’s bail application, directed that the defendant be kept in prison until he ruled on July 1 on whether or not to grant him bail.

    Mamu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The commission stated that, while the defendant was the Air Officer Training Command and member of Committee for Procurement under the Ministry of Defence, Mamu allegedly collected a cash gift of N5.9million for the purchase of a Range Rover Evoque.

    He was said to have also accepted $300,000 and two vehicles (Ford Expedition SUV and Jaguar XF Saloon) valued at N15million and N12million respectively from a firm, Societe D’ Equipments Internationaux Nigeria Limited, a contractor with the Nigerian Air Force.

    The offence is contrary to Section 17 (a) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 17(c) of the same Act.

    One of the counts reads:

    “That you, AVM ALKALI MOHAMMED MAMU whilst serving as the Air Officer Commanding training Command and a member of the Committee for Procurement Ministry of Defence, Abuja between 2014 and 2015 at Abuja

    within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did accept a gift in the sum of five million nine hundred thousand (N5,900,000.00) from Societe D’ Equipments Internationaux Nigeria Limited, a contractor with the Nigerian Air Force to make up for the purchase price of a Range Rover Evoque from Coscharis Motors Ltd in performance of your official act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17(a) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 17(c) of the same Act.”

    Shortly after Mamu’s arraignment, prosecution lawyer, Cosmas Ugwu asked the court for a date for the commencement of trial. He said the prosecution would call six witnesses.

    He further urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody pending the commencement of trial.

    Defence lawyer, Tawo E. Tawo said he filed a bail application on June 17, 2016 filed and served it on the prosecution the same day. Although Ugwu objected to the hearing of the application, Justice Garba elected to hear it.

    At the conclusion of submissions by parties, the judge adjourned to July 1 for ruling and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison till then.

     

  • Col Inusa’s ‘killers’ remanded in prison

    •Hearing begins July 21

    Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Yusuf of the Senior Magistrate Court 1 in Kaduna, Kaduna State, has ordered that the suspected killers of Colonel Inusa Samaila be remanded in Kaduna prison.

    Magistrate Yusuf, after reading the allegations leveled against the suspects, which they consented to, said he did not have the right to charge them but to advise the appropriate quarters.

    “I don’t have the right to charge you. I am just to let you understand the allegations leveled against you and advise the Chief Judge.

    “This case is hereby adjourned till July 21 for hearing while the accused be remanded in prison,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Police Prosecuting Counsel Kenneth Dika hinted that the suspects will be charged for criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of firearms, kidnapping and culpable homicide, all of which are punishable under the Nigerian Criminal Laws.

  • Man to spend 30 days in prison for stabbing friend to death

    21-year-old man, Wasiu Ademola, is to spend 30 days in Ikoyi Prisons’ custody for stabbing one Olamilekan Shoga to death with broken bottles.

    Magistrate B.O. Folarin-Williams of an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos gave the judgment yesterday when the accused appeared before her.

    The accused is facing trial for murder.

    The court refused to take the plea of the accused citing lack of jurisdiction to prosecute such a case.

    The court said within the period it would have received a legal advice from the State’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs).

    She, then, adjourned the case till July 5.

    Earlier, Prosecuting Inspector Gbemileke Agoi said the accused committed the offence on May 26, around 10.30pm at Ajele Street, Lagos Island.

    He alleged that the accused and the deceased, Shoga, had an argument over an undisclosed issue.

    In the process, Ademola stabbed the deceased on his armpit to death with a broken bottle, the prosecutor said.

    Agoi said that the offence contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

  • 95 Auchi Poly students remanded in prison

    Ninety-five part-time students of the Federal Polytechnic at Auchi in Edo State, have been remanded in prison custody.

    They were reportedly arrested last Thursday during a riot in the school, where 141 vehicles were allegdly destroyed, 48 computers atolen and other school property of vandalised.

    The vehicles belonged to the lecturers, who reportedly  scaled the fence to escape being beaten up by the students.

    Many of the students were not allowed into the examination hall, following the school’s “no school fees, no examination policy”.

    The students allegedly became riotous after police shot tear gas canisters to disperse their protest over the “no school fees, no examination” policy.

    Those arrested were arraigned for allegd conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting,robbery, stealing and malicious damage.

    Police Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, who visited the institution yesterday to assess the damage, described the incident as unfortunate and highest order of impunity.

    Ezike said the school library and computer laboratory were destroyed and vandalised.

    The police chief pledged to arrest other students who vandalised the school property.

    He said those charged to court would be remanded in prison custody till June 29, adding that the police had to fire teargas canisters to disperse the students when they set bonfire on the highway.

  • Rivers Chief Judge releases 62 prison inmates

    The Rivers State Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Iyaye A. Laminkanra, has granted pardon and discharged 62 inmates of the Port Harcourt Maximum Prisons ahead of the Democracy Day celebration.

    It was her maiden exercise since she was appointed CJ last July. She took over from Justice Daisy Wotube Okocha who was substantive CJ for just two weeks, before her retirement from service in July.

    Justice Laminkanra said it is the constitutional right of CJs to embark on routine jail delivery to decongest the prisons.

    Over 450 names were presented to the visiting Judge for consideration, including those charged with capital offences, but only 62 were lucky.

    Most of the persons she released are those charged with light offences, such as conspiracy, stealing, burglary, assault among others who have been awaiting trial for between three and seven years.

    Three of the inmates were released on the grounds of age. They are 70 years and above and have been on awaiting trial list for about eight years. Underage inmates were also considered.

    However, nobody was released from the female list. The 34 names On the list are all charged with capital offences, mostly murder. The CJ said their charges are critical and that they should stay back and allow the law take its course.

    No fewer than 55 of the inmates are suffering from either Tuberculosis (TB) or immune supressed ailment.

    The medical doctor in charge of the prison, simply identified as Wakama confirmed this. He presented the lists to the CJ.

    The conditions have deformed some of them. They no longer walk on their own and had to be carried by their colleagues. But their pitiful conditions did not still fetch them release.

    Most of them are charged with murder, defilement of underage girls and armed robbery. Two of them, Olali Ogana and Inusa Usman, who were charged for assault and stealing, were discharged. But the state of Ogana’s health, a TB patient, looked critical. The condition has paralysed him, his legs twisted.  He was in custody for two years, eight months.

    Justice Laminkanra encouraged the prison officials to ensure those that were not considered are always taken to court and promised to discuss with the magistrates on the need to include the cases in the list to be heard.

    But to those discharged, she urged them to steer clear from crime and be engaged with meaningful means of living.

    “Go and sin no more. There should be no excuse that there is no job, many of you can farm, get menial jobs to keep life moving.

    “Go and be good citizens of the country and the state, stay out of crime. Some of you have been here for seven years. If you come back here again, you may not be that lucky again,” she advised.

    The Deputy Controller of Port Harcourt Prison, Mr. A. Ndupu, said the prison as at May 18, 2016 has a population of 3, 824 inmates, with 3, 422 in the ATM.

    Ndupu said the Prison, which was built almost 100 years ago, was planned for just 804 inmates but the facility has been overstretched without any expansion of any kind.

    He thanked the CJ for the exercise, saying that it would go a long way in decongesting the facility.

    The coordinator of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Orashi Mandate Group, Napoleon Adah, urged the Minister of Interior, Abdullrahman Dambaza, and the Controller-General Nigeria Prison Services, Dr. Peter Ekpendu, to facilitate the completion of Omoku prison to ease congestion of Port Harcourt prison and to check further spread of diseases in the place.

    Adah  was reacting to the reports of over congestion of the prison.

    The activist also called for the rehabilitation of the three existing prisons in the state-, Port Harcourt, Degema and Elele prisons to help the inmates lead good lives  while being incarcerated.

    He noted that the steps would give room for proper security to avoid jail breaks.

  • Synagogue engineers sent back to prison

    Synagogue engineers sent back to prison

    THE two engineers being tried for the collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) guest house in which 116 persons died are to remain in prison, pending the May 3 ruling on their bail applications.

    Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of the Ikeja High Court sent Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun back to Kirikiri Prisons yesterday when he reserved ruling on the case.

    Mrs Titi Akinlawon (SAN), counsel to Fatiregun, in her client’s April 19 application brought pursuant to Section 115 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, argued that the offences were bailable.

    “He has been charged before for the same offences at the magistrates’ court and did not jump bail. So if granted bail now, he will also not jump bail,” she argued.

    Ogundeji’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo told the court that “granting my client bail will put him in the best position to prepare for his trial.”

    But the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mrs Idowu Alakija, urged the court not to grant the applications.

    She argued that though the court has discretion on bail, “the 4th defendant (Ogundeji) does not have an address within the jurisdiction of the court and therefore may jump bail if granted.”