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  • Witness: I got N77m campaign job from Metuh

    Witness: I got N77m campaign job from Metuh

    Spokesman for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh gave a N77 million media campaign job to a Lagos-based public relations firm, it was learnt yesterday.

    Metuh last night left the Kuje Prisons for home after meeting the bail conditions.

    Managing Director of the firm – CMC Connect – Yomi Badejo-Okusanya and a bureau de change operator, Kabiru Ibrahim, testified yesterday in Metuh’s trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Badejo-Okusanya, the fifth prosecution witness, gave evidence how he was recruited by Metuh to develop and execute campaigns for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Metuh is on trial for allegedly using the N400 million he purportedly received from the Office NSA in November 2014 to fund the party’s presidential campaign for the 2015 general election.

    He was arraigned, with his company, Destra Investment Limited, on January 15, on a seven-count.

    Metuh was accused of fraudulently receiving N400 million from the NSA Office in November,  2014, and laundering $2 million through a phoney investment transaction.

    Badejo-Okusanya told the court that his firm was engaged to provide a media campaign and “image management” job for the PDP and Jonathan.

    The witness said he was paid N77.5 million through Metuh’s firm, Destra Investments Limited, in December 2014  and that he started executing the job towards the end of the month.

    He said he was paid before he attended a meeting with  Jonathan, ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, former Senate President David Mark and top government functionaries of the PDP-led government, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    Badejo-Okusanya, who was led in evidence by prosecution lawyer Sylvanus Tahir said after the meeting with Jonathan and other top officials, Metuh called him the next day to inform him Jonathan was impressed with his presentation.

    He said his relationship with the PDP started under ex-Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo.

    “My company, CMC Connect, had done some work for the PDP under Dr. Nwodo, who was repositioning the PDP as a vehicle for national transformation. A substantial part of that work required communication which is what we deal in.

    “The work, which started in 2010, stopped abruptly when Dr. Nwodo resigned as chairman.

    “We had some outstanding not paid then, so when Metuh became spokesman for the party, we met with him.

    He said he liked the work we did then, but that unfortunately, the party had no money to pay us to continue.

    Metuh promised that he would compensate us and that whenever opportunity arose he would call us. That should be in 2012.

    “In November,  2014, he called, asking me where I was. He said I should come to Abuja for a meeting and I obliged. On arrival at Abuja, I went to his house and he drove me to the Presidential Villa where we met a meeting in progress. The meeting was presided over by former President Jonathan, his Vice President, Chairman of the party, Muazu, Senate President David Mark, the presidential communication team, comprising Doyin Okupe, Reuben Abati, Prof. Alkali and others. The meeting was on how to go about the last election.

    “In the course of the meeting, Metuh introduced me as a communication consultant and that I had worked for the party before. He asked me to speak.

    “I proceeded to speak very frankly, to Mr. President. Without going into details, I said I felt I should point out to him the critical things he had to do to get the election right.

    “The President asked me a couple of questions and I remember telling him that there was a disconnect between his government and the people. He seemed to take everything in good faith and asked us (including Chief Metuh) to go.

    “The next evening, Chief Metuh called me. He said it seemed we have made an impression on the President, that he had asked him to coordinate the initial campaign plan for the presidential and general election for PDP.

    “So we set about with the plan and I was meeting him (Metuh) severally on the ideas we had about how we can position the party in the minds of Nigerians.

    “Throughout November, 2014, we were unable to do anything meaningful because, according to Chief Metuh, funds were unavailable to prosecute the ideas we had.

    “I remember him telling me severally that contrary to what most people felt the party wasn’t awash with money and he shared with me some of the constraints he had in his work,” the witness said.

    Badejo-Okusanya said his firm commenced execution of the project in December after it received N77.5 million in two tranches with N7.5 million transferred to CMC Connect’s account on December 1, 2014 and the balance of N70 million on December 15, 2014.

    The witness added: “The first part of the work was to get Nigerians to appreciate the roles of the military in the fight against Boko Haram, in general, insurgency.

    “This was leading up to the Armed Forces Remembrance Day and we had insertions in newspapers, such as This Day, The Guardian, Punch, Vanguard, Daily Trust, Leadership and Sun.

    “Thereafter, this was leading up to the Christmas season, so we had a campaign on TV stations wishing Nigerians Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We had it on Channels, AIT, Silverbird and NTA.

    “We had placements on those stations. We did some of them directly and some we engaged the services of media brokers.

    “The reason for this was that, at that time, there was a lot of demand for airtime from various political parties.

    “So, to get the prime time, we needed to go through the media muscle to secure the spots we wanted – the actual time.

    “We did that during the Christmas and New Year season. We also wrote materials, which we titled: ‘FACTS Speak’. The essence of this was to draw attention to some achievements of the PDP.

    “We also did a series of other materials which ran into January, 2015. We had daily media trail to PDP, which was one of the services that will tell them whatever appeared in the media, concerning the party.”

    The court admitted documents containing evidence of publication of the materials in the newspapers, and certificates of broadcast in the electronic media, invoices and cheque vouchers relating to the media jobs.

    The witness, under cross-examination by Metuh’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), confirmed that he was given the job due to his proficiency in “image positioning management” and his relationship with the PDP.

    When asked to confirm that Metuh acted for Jonathan when he (Metuh) told him (witness) that the President was impressed with his presentation, Okusanya-Badejo said: “That was what he told me”.

    The witness said there was nothing unusual about the job he did for the PDP.

    The sixth prosecution witness, Ibrahim, gave evidence how he was engaged by an employee of a financial service firm, Arms and Resource Management Limited, Nneka Ararume, to convert $1 million, which the prosecution alleged was provided in cash by Metuh, to naira.

    Justice Okon Abang fixed February 4 for the continuation of trial.

  • Metuh gave me $2m cash to invest , witness tells court

    Metuh gave me $2m cash to invest , witness tells court

    Two testify as PDP spokesman’s trial begins in Abuja

    Trial opened yesterday at the Federal high Court, Abuja in the money laundering charge against Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman Olisa Metuh, with the prosecution calling two of its planned 18 witnesses.

    The first witness, Nneka Ararume, an employee of Asset and Resource Management (ARM) Company Limited, admitted collecting $2million in cash from Metuh in his house at the Prince and Princess Estate, Abuja in one day.

    Ararume, a Wealth Manager at ARM, said she collected the cash from Metuh on December 2, 2014 with an instruction to invest the money in the name of his company – Destra Investments Limited.

    The witness, who said she was assigned to manage Destra Investments Limited’s funds with ARM, said she later converted the $2m with the help of two bureau de change operators.

    Led in evidence by the lead prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, the witness said: “Metuh gave me the sum of $2m in $100 bills. It was taken to bureau de change operators who would then transfer the money to ARM. From there (Metuh’s house), I proceeded to Sie Iyenome’s office at Wuse 2 where I gave him the sum of $1m.

    “I also invited Mr. Kabir Mohammed and I also gave him the sum of $1m to transfer the naira equivalent in favour of Destra Investment Limited. Later on the same day, December 2, 2014, Kabir and Sie Iyenome confirmed the receipt,” Ararume said.

    The defence sought an adjournment after Ararume completed her testimony.

    .Under cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Ararume said Destra, owned by Metuh, had been ARM’s client before she was employed by the financial services company in April 2013.

    When asked if she knew how long it took the defendants to accumulate the $2m he gave the witness in one day, the witness said “no”.

    The second prosecution witness, Sie Iyenome, one of the bureau de change operators who assisted Ararume to convert $1m out of the $2m she received from Metuh to naira, said he never knew Metuh, but knew only his company, Destra, on December 2, 2014 when Ararume forwarded the company’s account details to him for the payment of the naira equivalent of $1m he received from her.

    He said he reached an agreement on the rate of N183 per dollar with Ararume and that the total sum of the naira equivalent of the $1m amounting to N183m, was eventually paid to Destra’s account.

    Under cross-examination, the witness, who said he believed he was carrying out “a valid transaction”, also told the court that it was practice in the foreign exchange business to ask for the purpose which funds brought by customers were meant for.

    “Most times the question for the purpose the money is meant is done verbally, just for due diligence.

    “This was a brokering transaction. I’m not the one using the dollar. Even at that I asked who was selling and Nneka said it was her client at ARM, which was as good as a bank selling to you, Iyenome said.

    While being re-examined by Tahir, Iyenome confirmed that there was a limit imposed by law as to how much cash a bureau de change operator could transact with.

    “I am aware of some. I can’t name all of them. I’m aware that to sell to an individual travelling outside the country, the limit is $4,000, and for a business, the limit is $5,000,” Iyenome said.

    Earlier, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang had rejected a move by Ikpeazu to prevent the commencement of the trial. The judge refused Ikpeazu’s application for adjournment to enable the defence team prepare for the trial.

    Also, the judge refused Ikpeazu’s request that his application for the variation of his client’s bail condition be heard. Ikpeazu had told the court that his client was yet to meet the conditions attached to the bail granted him.

    In a ruling, the judge said the application was not ripe for hearing. He adjourned further trial till today and fixed tomorrow for the hearing of Metuh’s application for the variation of his bail conditions.

     

  • Witness in Isara Remo stool case is dead

    An Ogun State High Court sitting in Sagamu has heard that one of the three defence witnesses lined up in the suit filed by Prince Adetayo Odunsi challenging the nomination of Albert Mayungbe to the stool of Odemo of Isara-Remo is dead.

    The co-defendants in the suit are the head of the ruling house, Prince Obafemi Awoyade; Secretary, Remo North Local Government;  Oliwo of Isara, Chief Ajibowu Ogunfowodu; Apena of Isara, Chief Jimoh Soyombo; Chief Ladipo Ogunyemi; Ogbeni Odi of Isara, Chief Olajubu Osibote; Ekeji Asipa Odi, Chief Tunde Kalejaiye; and Asipa Odi of Isara, Chief Owuye Logba.

    Others are Ekeji Asipa Odi of Isara, Chief Efuwape Sotikare; Olori Emo of Isara, Chief Bashiru Awoniyi; Ekeji Olori Emo of Isara, Chief Korede Ogunwole; Asipa Emo of Isara, Chief Nosiru Sodipe; Ekeji Asipa Emo, Chief Adewole Sopitan; Governor of Ogun State; Executive Council of Ogun State; the State Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government and the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice as second to 18thdefendants.

    Counsel to the defendants, A.O. Odusanya made this known during a Pre-Trial Conference (PTC) held last week and presided over by Justice A. A. Babawale for parties in the matter.

    Odusanya informed the court that the defence is now left with two witnesses instead of the initial three since they lost one of them to the cold hand of death.

    Counsel to the claimant, Muyiwa Obanewa on the other hand told the court the claimant has additional one witness thereby bringing the number of their witnesses to four.

    The trial judge, Justice Babawale ordered the parties to carry out a fresh appraisal of their respective claims and other issues filed for determination of the court in order not to delay trial through filing of frivolous applications.

    Justice Babawale thereafter adjourned the matter till February 10, 2016 for filing of any further application.

    At the last sitting of the court last month, both Odusanya and Obanewa told the court that they had filed all issues for determination  and  showed the stamped copies of the documents to prove their position.

    They had also confirmed to the court that the state government  filed Form 17 while the third and fifth defendants, who have no counsel, did not file any document despite being served with all necessary court papers in the matter.

    In his 32-point statement of claim, Prince Odunsi , who is a direct descendant of the late Oba Oyemade Mayungbe and progenitor of Erinsiba-Ayoledoye Ruling House, averred that he is the one lawfully entitled to the stool of Odemo of Isara-Remo.

    Odunsi sought seven prayers and orders against the defendants: “A declaration that the first defendant is not a member of the Erinsiba-Adyoledoye Ruling House and therefore not qualified to contest for the stool; that under native law and custom applicable in Isara and Remoland, an Odi (servant of the king) or  any of his descendants is not qualified to contest for the stool of Odemo of Isara; that the first defendant’s late grandfather and father, the late Ogunsakin and Oyekunle Mayungbe were Odi  to the late Oba Samuel Akinsanya and late Oba Adeboboye Osideinde  and therefore not qualified to aspire or to be considered for nomination to the stool”

    He therefore sought an order of the court setting aside the nomination exercise of Erinsiba/Ayoledoye ruling house held on February 21, 2011 at which meeting the first defendant emerged as one of the candidates for the Odemo of Isara chieftaincy; an order setting aside the decision of the kingmakers selecting or electing the first defendant as the candidate for the Odemo of Isara chieftaincy; an order setting aside any recommendation, if any, made by the 19th defendant and generally by the 15th, 17th and 18th defendants  in relation to the first defendant as the Odemo-elect of Isara-Remo and an order directing the third defendant to issue fresh notice to the second defendant, as head of Erinsiba/Ayoledoye, to summon a fresh meeting of the ruling house for the purpose of nominating candidates to fill the vacant stool of Odemo of Isara, to the exclusion of the first defendant. In their statement of defence and counter claim, the first, second, sixth to tenth and 14th defendants admitted some of the averments of the claimant and deny others.

    The first defendant, Albert Mayungbe, insisted on being a “bonafide member  and descendant of the Erinsiba/Ayoledoye Ruling House and that the late Oba Mayungbe, aside from being a trader, met and married Arobo in Akure where Ogunsakin, his grandfather, was born.

    They  prayed the court for an order of mandamus compelling the 15th and 16thdefendants to give approval to the appointment of the first defendant as the new Odemo-elect of Isara-Remo.

    But the claimant, in his reply to the statement of defence and counter claim of the first, second, sixth to 10th and 14thdefendants, had contended that the first defendant is not a bonafide member and descendant of the Erinsiba/Ayoledoye Ruling house.      The claimant further contended that even though Ogunsakin was a child of Arobo, he was not fathered by the late Oba Mayungbe and that the late monarch was never a trader who lived in Akure but was an Ifa Priest and a pig rearer based in Isara emphasising that there was never a time he travelled to or live in Akure.

  • How NIMASA spent N2.6b, by witness

    How NIMASA spent N2.6b, by witness

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday heard how part of the N2.6 billion allegedly stolen by a former Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General,  Patrick Akpobolokemi, was disbursed.

    Akpobolokemi was also accused of defrauding the Federal Government of N795.2 million.

    He was arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba with three others – Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan – and three companies; Blockz and Stonz Limited, Kenzo Logistics Limited and Al-Kenzo Logistic Limited.

    In a 22-count by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), they were accused of allegedly converting  N2,658,957,666 between December 23, 2013 and May 28, last year. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the counts.

    EFCC, which opened trial yesterday, called its first witness, Teslim Ajuwon, who is the Compliance officer at Zenith Bank.

    He said he was responsible for enquiries from regulatory agencies, such as the EFCC, police and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), among others.

    Ajuwon said he received enquiries from EFCC for a report of activities on some accounts, including R-World Consulting Limited, Extreme Vertex Limited, Southern Options Limited, Green Lemon Services and Committee on ISPS.

    He said the bank received a request to produce the companies’ account opening package as well as their financial statements.

    For instance, the witness said the fourth defendant, Governor Juan, was paid N11 million on September 9, 2014, while Kenzo Logistics got N10 million.

    For the Committee on ISPS account, there was an inflow of N14.2 million on June 17, 2014, from Access Bank; N21.2 million on March 5, 2015; N16 million on May 5, 2015; and N21.2 million on June 18, 2015.

    He said the monies were disbursed, leaving N1.4 million on June 18, 2015.

    Ajuwon said N10 million was transfered to Uchenna Emenalo on June 19, 2015; while another N11 million was transfered to him the same day.

    He said on August 29, 2014, there was a a credit of N795.2 million into the Committee on ISPS account from NIMASA.

    The witness said it was followed by several payments amounting to over N27 million to Ekene Nwauche between September 16 and November 18, 2014.

    According to him, N318 million was paid to Extreme Bracket on November 6, 2014, while Avant Guard Security Services got N94 million.

    According to the witness, last January 8, Soko Global Services got N15.7 million; Alfa Convoy got N6.9 million; R-World Consulding got N70 million, while O2 Services Plus Limited got N21.2 million on March 5, 2015.

    Ajuwon said on May 28, 2015, NIMASA made a lodgment of N447 million, which was also disbursed to various companies.

    They include N95 million to Avant Guard on May 28; N46 million to R-World Consulting and N7 million to Green Lemon Consulting.

    During cross-examination by Akpbolokemi’s lawyer, the witness said he did not see the first accused’s name in the documents he tendered.

    “I’ve looked through exhibits 1-12. I did not see the name of the first defendant,” he said.

    It took the witness almost 30 minutes to look through the documents for Akpobolokemi’s name.

    During the intervening period, Justice Buba joked that it was the longest he ever had to wait for an answer during a trial. “If I sleep, please wake me up,” he joked.

    At a point, the court also became unbearably hot, and Justice Buba asked any lawyer, who wished to remove his robe, to do so.

    Many lawyers hurriedly pulled their wigs and gowns. The judge also removed his robe.

    When the judge announced that the trial would be day-to-day, some of the defence counsel protested, saying they have other cases before other courts.

    But the judge insisted that the trial must continue the next day, saying it was in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, which provides that criminal trials must be daily.

    Amid protests, he adjourned for continuation of trial today.

     

  • How Suswam diverted Benue’s N3.1b share proceeds, by witness

    How Suswam diverted Benue’s N3.1b share proceeds, by witness

    A Federal High Court in Abuja heard yesterday how former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam allegedly diverted about N3.1 billion, which formed part of the proceeds of the sale of the state’s investment.

    A prosecution witness, Junaidu Saidu, said at the resumed trial of Suswam and the ex-Finance Commissioner, Omodachi Okolobia, how the ex-governor allegedly raised over N9 billion from the sale of the state’s shares, from which he purportedly diverted N3, 111, 008, 018.51k.

    Saidu, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was the first prosecution witness when trial opened yesterday in the nine-count charge brought against Suswam and Okolobia by the EFCC.

    The witness, who was led in evidence by lead prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said the ex-governor and his Finance commissioner realised about N9.4 billion in the sale of the shares belonging to the state government and its investment agency, Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC ) Limited, using a stockbroking firm – Elixir Investment Partners Limited.

    Saidu, who said he was part of the EFCC team that investigated the petition against Suswam and Okolobiato, said upon enquiry, the clerk of the House of Assembly denied knowledge of when the Assembly authorised the sale of the shares.

    He said Elixir Investment, acting on the directive by the two accused, paid the proceeds of the share sale into three accounts, from which N3.1 was converted to $15,800,000, whiallegedly handed over to Suswam in his home at Maitaima, Abuja.

    “Investigation revealed that the 1st defendant (Suswam) requested that shares owned by the Benue State government be sold for N10 billion to be raised. Thereafter, Elixir Investment Partners were appointed as stockbrokers to cary out the sale of the shares.

    “In carrying out this directive, Elixir realised over N9 billion. Elixir Investment Partners were thereafter instructed to pay the money into three accounts. The payment instruction was for N1 billion to be paid into BIPC account, while the balance was to be paid into two accounts with the names of Benue State Ministry of Finance.

    “Investigation revealed that these directives were carried out by Elixir, but when Elixir attempted to make payments into the two accounts, it discovered that one of the accounts did not belong to the Ministry of Finance, but to Fanffash Resources, a bureau de change firm,” Saidu said.

    He added that upon realising that one of the accounts belonged to a private firm, Elixir contacted Okolobia, who gave the stockbroking firm the go ahead to make the payment, which it eventually did.

    The witness said information from Zenith Bank Plc, the bank into which the payments were made, showed that N5 billion was paid into the Ministry of Finance account while N3, 111, 008, 018.51k was paid into Fanffash Resources account.

    “Subsequently, the owner of Fanffash Resources, Abubakar Umar, was invited. He confirmed the receipt of the N3, 111, 008, 018.51k and said he converted same to dollars, amounting to $15,800,000. He added that he delivered the money to the 1st defendant (Suswam) at his residence in Maitama, Abuja,” Saidu said.

    He added that Okolobia admitted, in his statement, that he received N370 million from the Finance Ministry’s cashier in three instalments of N150 million, N100 million and N120 million, funds which were allegedly withdrawn from the ministry’s account into which Elixir allegedly paid N5 billion from the share sale proceeds.

    Before Saidu ended his evidence-in-chief, the prosecution tendered through him, the petition against Suswam and Okolobia, their statements to the EFCC and bank statements in relation to the accounts into which the share sale proceeds were paid.

    Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed admitted the documents in evidence and adjourned to January 18 following a request by defence lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN) for time to enable the defence team acquaint itself with the witness’ evidence before it could cross examine him.

    Prior to Daudu’s arrival, the court refused a plea by Ahmed Raji (SAN) and Audu Adoga (for the defence) for time to enable them prepare their case. Raji had told the court that they have not been successful in their effort to reach the bureau de change operator named in the charge.

    Jacobs opposed Raji’s request. He expressed surprise that Raji said they were making effort to reach the individuals who the prosecution has listed as its witnesses.

    Suswam and Okolobia are being tried on a 9-count charge of money laundering and abuse of trust over their alleged diversion of the proceeds of the 2014 share sale, using Elixir Investment Partners and Fanffash Resources.

  • Alleged murder: Witness seeks Fayose’s aides’ probe

    Alleged murder: Witness seeks Fayose’s aides’ probe

    The star witness in the alleged murder of former Ekiti State National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Chairman Omolafe Aderiye has spoken of how he was “tutored” to implicate eight persons accused of complicity in the crime.

    The late Aderiye’s Personal Assistant, Gbolahan Okeowo, revealed that he secretly recorded the voices of the two aides of Governor Ayo Fayose whom he accused of “tutoring” him to write another statement which indicted the accused.

    On trial for the ex-NURTW boss’ murder are: Bayo Aderiye (aka Ojugo), Niyi Adedipe (aka Apase), Sola Durodola, Oso Farotimi, Ajayi Kayode, Sola Adenijo (aka Solar) and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu (aka Mentilo).

    Also implicated in the murder is a security aide to former Governor Kayode Fayemi, Deji Adesokan (aka Jarule) who has been declared wanted for Omolafe’s murder.

    The governor’s aides are Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Owoseni Ajayi and the Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media Lere Olayinka.

    Both Ajayi and Olayinka have denied any link with Okeowo in a chat with a weekend newspaper where Olayinka claimed that he had never met Okeowo. Ajayi accused Okeowo of committing perjury by recanting his evidence before an Ado-Ekiti High Court.

    In an exclusive interview with The Nation on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti, Okeowo urged the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the call logs of Ajayi and Olayinka to unearth the conversations they had with him in connection with the murder case.

    Okeowo reiterated his position in an affidavit of facts he deposed to at the Federal High Court, Akure –  that all the seven persons standing trial and Adesokan who had been declared wanted knew nothing about the murder as the second statement he wrote at Ajayi’s office was used to frame them up.

    The late NURTW chair’s aide disclosed that he was shocked to read the claims of both Ajayi and Olayinka in the said newspaper that they had nothing to do with him, adding that all his encounters with the duo were secretly recorded. He is to tender the recording at the appropriate time.

    Okeowo said the two government officials told him that the first statement he volunteered at the state police headquarters “was too weak” to nail the murder suspects, hence the need to write another one to indict them.

    Okeowo claimed that Ajayi, who was Special Adviser on Legal Matters and had not been confirmed as Attorney General at the time he wrote the second statement, called on the DPP to bring the case file.

    According to him, the son of the deceased, Yinka Aderiye, younger brother of the deceased, Wale Ibidapo, the Permanent Secretary, Director of Public Prosecution, were there on the day he was allegedly coarced to write another incriminating statement against the suspects.

    Okeowo revealed that the initial plan was to bring Yinka (the late Omolafe’s son) to court to testify against the accused persons even when he (Yinka) was not present at his father’s office where he was murdered.

    He said somebody called the late Omolafe 15 minutes before he was murdered, adding: “My late boss was enthusiastic that a big man called him. The question now is, who is that big man? The phone with which he received the call was taken away by the killers.”

    Okeowo explained: “At this juncture, I will implore the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of DSS to investigate the call logs of Owoseni Ajayi. I am ready to surrender myself for full investigation to unravel the mysterious death of my late boss.

    “These people saying they don’t know me, how come they have been calling me since? I received a call from (Lere) Olayinka on October 27 and Owoseni has been calling me through Yinka Aderiye, the son of my late boss. Let the NSA, IG and DG of DSS invite all of us.

    “I want the IG to investigate the MTN call logs of Owoseni Ajayi and this will assist the whole world to know the truth. I want Owoseni Ajayi, Lere Olayinka and Yinka Aderiye, who is now Owoseni’s personal assistant, to be summoned to Abuja to explain all they know about this matter.

    “They promised me a local government appointment on behalf of the governor if I could go ahead to indict all the seven persons on trial and Jarule on the murder of my boss but these people are innocent.

    “It is ungodly and wicked for me to say what I have not seen after I had listened to a sermon of my pastor and I have gone to court to swear and depose to an affidavit because God is looking at all of us.

    “Police knew nothing about what happened at Owoseni Ajayi’s office. They submitted their file to the DPP but it was Owoseni Ajayi who ordered the DPP to bring the file and that was where we wrote another statement indicting the innocent souls.

    “Ajayi said all what his boss wanted to hear was that Jarule came down from the vehicle, waiting in company with Apase, that Jarule opened fire on my late boss and that there was a particular Hilux van at the opposite side of our office then.

    “That inside the vehicle were (Bayo) Aderiye, Mentilo, Durodola, Farotimi, Adenijo, (Kayode) Ajayi. All these are fabricated lies; there was nothing like that on that day. I was with my boss on that day and there was nothing like that.

    “I never saw anybody called Jarule on that day, I never saw Adedipe on that day. The statement I wrote at Owoseni Ajayi’s office was done under threat. That was the way I was tutored and coerced that day in his office but he never knew that he was recorded. I have my facts and figures and I will release them at the appropriate time.”

     

  • Witness: I was ‘tutored’ to frame up suspects, Fayemi’s aide

    Witness: I was ‘tutored’ to frame up suspects, Fayemi’s aide

    •Says my life under threat   •Fayose’s aide: we have nothing to do with him

    A new twist has been added to the drama surrounding the trial of suspects for the murder of former Ekiti State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Omolafe Aderiye.

    The late Aderiye’s personal assistant, Gbolahan Okeowo, said he was “tutored” by some officials of the Ayo Fayose administration to frame up the accused persons and a security aide to former Governor Kayode Fayemi, Adedeji Adesokan aka Jarule.

    But the government denied the claims, urging the public to ignore him.

    The accused are Adebayo Aderiye, Adeniyi Adedipe, Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi, Oso Farotimi, Sola Adenijo and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu.

    At the court proceeding on Monday, Okeowo exonerated all the seven accused persons during his cross-examination by defence counsel.

    Okeowo, in an affidavit of facts he deposed to at the Akure Division of the Federal High Court, claimed that he deposed to an earlier affidavit which implicated the accused persons and Adesokan.

    In the affidavit he said: “I state categorically that persons standing trial for the murder of Omolafe Aderiye in charge no: HAD/12C/2014: The State v Adebayo Aderiye and six others, were not involved and neither did they participate in Aderiye’s murder on the September 25, last year.

    “Soon after Governor Ayo Fayose was sworn in, I was invited by Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, who was the Special Adviser (Legal) to Dr. Fayose who produced the statement I had given to the police on September 26, last year, wherein I wrote concerning what I witnessed to the effect that I did not recognise any person as the assailant and either did I mention the names of the persons standing trial as the suspects in the said statement.

    “I was put under considerable pressure, including threats to my life and family, to write another statement which was tendered in court on October 7, the content which were dictated to me by Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, in company of Mr. Lere Olayinka, the media aide to the governor sometimes in October last year, which I backdated to September 26, last year on their instructions.

    “The statement which I tendered in court was made in the office of Owoseni Ajayi at the Attorney General’s chambers, who in conjunction with Mr. Lere Olayinka provided me with the names of Adebayo Aderiye, Adeniyi Adedipe, Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi, Oso Farotimi, Adenijo Olusola, Adedeji Adesokan (Jarule) and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu and dictated to me what to write concerning them.

    “Since I wrote the statement, I have been reporting to the office of Mr. Owoseni Ajayi at his office at Ministry of Justice, State Secretariat, Ado Ekiti, occasionally on his instruction.

    “I emphatically state that none of the persons standing trial and/or indicted for the murder were present and/or participated in the killing.

    “I made this affidavit for record and official purposes and state that I have not been induced in any manner whatsoever by any manner whatsoever by any person (s) to make this affidavit, and I did same of out my own free will and according to the dictates of my conscience and upon a reflection as to the nature of the sentence for murder.

    “I have since been receiving daily threats to my life and grievous bodily harm from Mr. Owoseni Ajayi and Mr. Lere Olayinka in the event that I renege on my statement.”

    But Olayinka said: “This person you are talking about, I don’t know him facially, I can’t even identify him.

    “I don’t know him, I have never met him, I don’t have anything to do with him. I am not a police officer, I am not a staff of the state judiciary. If he has said something before and he is now saying something else again this is the only thing I can say which he himself cannot deny.

    “The last time he came to the court and gave evidence, the story was used on the radio and he called the following day that the story was giving him some problems that some people were threatening his life that was the only time we spoke.

    “He said I should find a way to stop the story from being used on the radio and I told him that the radio was only reporting what happened in the court.

    “He said he was being threatened, his family was being threatened and maybe because of fear for his life, he went to court and did some other things. That is his business, I have nothing to do with him.”

     

  • Accused not on murder scene, says witness

    Accused not on murder scene, says witness

    •Doctor: 29 pellets extracted from body
    •Lawyers make no-case submission

    None of the seven persons being tried for the murder of former Ekiti State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW),  Omolafe Aderiye, was seen on the scene on September 25, last year, an Ado-Ekiti High Court heard yesterday.

    Justice Lekan Ogunmoye also heard that 29 pellets were removed from the deceased’s body during autopsy by pathologists at the State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).

    These were part of revelations at the trial of the  seven persons accused of complicity in Aderiye’s murder.

    The accused are Adebayo Aderiye , Adeniyi Adedipe , Sola Durodola, Ajayi Kayode , Oso Farotimi , Sola Adenijo and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu.

    The defence lawyers made a no-case submission.

    The police earlier testified that none of the accused was arrested on the murder scene.

    Aderiye’s personal assistant Gbolahan Okeowo, who was cross-examined by defence lawyers, said he did not see any of the accused at the deceased’s office where he was murdered.

    Answering questions from Victor Saliu counsel to Aderiye, Durodola and Kayode, Okeowo said he was with  the deceased with two others – Wale Ibidapo and Akinyemi Adedeji –  when the incident occurred.

    Under cross-examination by Biodun Fasakin counsel to Adedipe, Okeowo admitted not seeing any vehicle around when the incident occurred.

    He also said he did not see Adedipe.

    The witness told the court that the late Aderiye’s office was partially fenced with barbed wire, which was removed about two months after he was murdered.

    Under cross-examination by Lekan Olatawura counsel to Farotimi and Olanbiwonnu, the witness said he was aware that the penalty for murder is death, adding that his evidence would assist the court in arriving at a just decision.

    When asked by the counsel if Farotimi and Olanbiwonnu were responsible for the murder, the witness replied: “No, they are not. They were not on the murder scene that day.”

    Okeowo also admitted that the first son of the deceased, Yinka Aderiye, was not on the murder scene.

    Responding to questions from  Adetunji Osho counsel to Adenijo, Okeowo said he did not see the accused (Adenijo) on the murder scene.

    After the cross-examination, Okeowo told the court he had something else to say but he was overruled by the judge.

    Dr. Abidemi Emmanuel Omonisi, a consultant anatomy pathologist from EKSUTH, led in evidence by prosecution counsel Ahmed Tafa said he was served with a coroner form by the police to perform autopsy on the body.

    He tendered two pictures of the body and three copies of x-ray, which were admitted and marked Exhibits 5A, 5B and 14A-C.

    Omonisi said the autopsy, conducted on October 4, last year, showed that the lower chest, upper abdominal region, the right thigh and the left leg were lacerated with gunshot wounds.

    The doctor said: “We recovered 20 pellets from the chest and upper abdomen, five pellets from the right thigh and four from the left leg making a total of 29 pellets recovered from the body of the late Omolafe.

    “We also recovered a shell containing the pellets from the abdominal cavity.”

    The 29 pellets were marked and admitted as Exhibit 15; the shell was marked and admitted as Exhibit 16. A medical report on the findings submitted to the police was marked and admitted Exhibit 16.

    Shortly after the doctor was discharged from the witness box, defence lawyers made a no-case submission for their clients but Justice Ogunmoye noted that under the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, such a submission would have to come by way of written address.

    The case was adjourned till December 1.

  • Diary of a witness

    Medinat Kanabe looks at malnutrition and how to prevent it

    Rekiah’s father brought her to the crèche by 7.30 am. He gave her bag to the nanny and quickly ran out to meet up with his work. Her mother had already gone to her place of work.

    Almost immediately her father left, she began to cry. This reporter who was at the crèche to make an enquiry noticed the baby crying. She wasn’t crying like all the other children. It was as though she didn’t have the strength to cry.

    She looked very skinny and had pale skin, bloated stomach, and seems smaller than all her crèche mates. Rekiah is three. She looked obviously malnourished.

    The nanny began to go through Rekiah’s bag, she brought out her food flask and gave a sigh of relief. “Thank God they have changed her flask to a much bigger one,” she said.

    The reporter looked at Rekiah again, and told the nanny that the girl may be hungry. “Why not give her a biscuit or snack from her bag,” I requested.

     The nanny again brought out her bag and looked, she looked very hard as if there was a hidden pocket but she didn’t find any biscuit. Her face suddenly changed and she began to complain.

    “What kind of rubbish is this? This girl’s parents don’t give her anything good to the crèche. Madam (me) do you know that whenever they give her the usual two biscuits, they put a very small plate of food for her, and when she finishes the food by 9am which is when we feed them, she stays like that until about 4pm when her father comes to pick her up. Today they gave her a bigger flask without any snack?

    “When she just started coming I used to buy her snacks but I stopped because it is against the school ethics. When I complained to her father, he said she has Ribena and cartons of biscuits at home but I have never seen her with Ribena. Why is he lying?”

    This reporter looked at Rekiah again, felt pity for her and requested that the nanny gave her the food. As soon as her food flask was brought out, Rekiah stopped crying. She was indeed very hungry.

    The nanny fed her with the beans and plantain in the flask and kept the remaining for when she is hungry again.

    Then she began to complain again “Everyday, this girl does not eat before she leaves the house and they don’t give her enough food to the crèche. They will not buy her toilet paper or any of the things in the list given.”

    Rekiah is one out of the so many malnourished children in Nigeria. According to August 2015 UNICEF report, 1.7 million Nigerian children are severely malnourished and in dire need of prompt service to curtail the menace.

    “Nearly a thousand children die of malnutrition-related causes every day- a total of 361, 000 each year. About 10 per cent of the total malnutrition cases are in Nigeria,” the report stated.

    Former Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Femi Olugbile says malnutrition is poor or inadequate nourishment over a sustained period, affecting the functioning of the body negatively.

    He said it can be caused by poor or inadequate diet, chronic illness, leading to poor appetite or inability to feed.

    “You can know a child is malnourished through their appearance and behaviour. They look weak, lean, and have possible skin changes. Emaciation may be conspicuous; specific syndromes such as Kwashiorkor; body organs, including brain may be damaged, especially in very young children; increased vulnerability to other illnesses due to diminished immunity.

     “To prevent malnutrition children should be fed balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as proteins and minerals,” he said.

    Nothing that any child can be malnourished either through ignorance, war or torture, he said the only way to prevent malnutrition in children is by giving them balanced diet and general care.

    He noted that less privileged children can be healthy if they eat balanced diet from local food items that are not usually expensive.

    “Ignorance is a major factor here,” he said.

    According to Nemours, an online children health centre, Malnutrition is not the same thing as hunger. People who are chronically malnourished lack the nutrients needed for proper health and development. Someone may be malnourished for a long or short period of time and the condition may be mild or severe. People who are malnourished are more likely to get sick and in severe cases, may even die.

    The growth of the child may also be stunted, making them much shorter than average. In developing country, 1 out of four children younger than age five are underweight.

    People who don’t get enough food often experience hunger, and over the long term this can lead to malnutrition, but one can become malnourished for reasons that have nothing to do with hunger. Even people who have plenty to eat may be malnourished if they don’t eat foods that provide the right nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

  • How Air Force plane crashed, by witness

    A witness yesterday spoke on how the Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on a bombing mission against Boko Haram crashed in a windstorm in Adamawa state town Hong.

    The pilot of the plane was killed according to the Air Force.

    The jet “returning to base from an interdicted mission crashed due to bad weather and not under enemy fire,” Air Force spokesman Commodore Dele Alonge said in a statement on Saturday.

    The Air Force yesterday said the Chief of Air Staff it had set up an investigation panel.

    The Chinese-built Chengdu F7 went down in a rural area of Adamawa State, Commodore Alonge said. The crash happened in an area where Boko Haram Islamic extremists last year shot down a military jet and beheaded its pilot.

    Farmer Moses David said he watched the pilot parachute from the plunging jet, only to ram into a tree, which killed him, according to French News Agency, AFP.

    He said there was a violent windstorm when the jet hit the ground with such force that its nose is buried.

    In August, a Nigerian Air Force plane crashed into a home in northern Kaduna city, killing all four crew and three passengers. In November 2014, a military helicopter exploded in the northeast, killing all three crew members. In December 2013, Boko Haram destroyed two helicopter gunships and three fighter jets in northeastern Maiduguri city.