Justice
EFCC: Court dismisses charges, acquits ex-NMA chairman, others
Justice Efe Ikponwonba of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City, yesterday, dismissed the charges brought against former Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Edo State branch, Dr. Emmanuel Ighodaro, and two other executive members by the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). It could be recalled that EFCC had arraigned in January 2018, Dr. Ighodaro and four others namely Dr. Anthony Owolabi, Dr. Quincy Atoghengbe, Dr. Raymond Ogieva, and Dr. Oseremen Gabriel Ogbebor, for alleged to have conspired to commit felony, punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code CAP 48 Laws of Bendel State of Nigeria as applicable to Edo State. The court had earlier ruled in May 2018 whereby Dr Quincy Atohengbe and Dr Raymond Ogieva were discharged. However, at the hearing of the case ...
Nigerian government frees 7,813 inmates in 18 states, FCT
The Federal Government, on Tuesday, said it has released a total of 7, 813 inmates from various Correctional Centers since the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, who made the disclosure at a press conference in Abuja, said FG took the decision so as to curb the spread of the virus among inmates. Malami said the Federal Executive Council had earlier in 2017, passed a resolution that directed the Federal Ministry of Justice to put in place measures to fast track the decongestion of Correctional Centres nationwide. He said as a result of the resolution, a Presidential Committee on Correctional Service Reform and Decongestion was inaugurated in October 2017. Highlighting some achievements of the Pres...
Man sentenced to death by hanging for murder
File Photo An Osun State High Court sitting in Ile Ife has sentenced a 37-years old man, Oluleke Ogunyemi to death by hanging for alleged murder. Ogunyemi was said to have killed one Moshood Babalola on 17th of February 2010 at about 10am at a village called Agbedegbede in Ile Ife, Osun State. Ogunyemi was arraigned on 6th March, 2013 on two counts charge murder and conspiracy to murder an ofgence contrary to section 319 and 324 criminal Code Laws cap 34, Laws of Osun State. Ogunyemi was said to have killed Moshood Babalola by cutting off his head with knife and kept his lifeless body in the house at Iredunmi Area in Ile Ife. Upon serious search for Moshood, his father, Sikiru Babalola lodged complaint at Moree Police Station where investigation took place and upon search of Ogunyemi’s hou...
Sunday Adeleye reacts as court reinstates Ibrahim Gusau as AFN president
Sunday Adeleye, the Technical Director of AFN has reacted to the court verdict that sacked Hon Olamide George and reinstated Ibrahim Gusau as the AFN President. The Federal High Court Abuja has affirmed that Engr. Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau remains the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) while sacking the board led by Olamide George. In his ruling on Wednesday, July 1, Hon. Justice A. I. Chikere said that only the President of the athletics federation had the powers to call a congress and appoint a Technical Director. The court, therefore, nullified the purported suspension and subsequent impeachment of Gusau as well as all other actions and resolutions taken by the Olamide George’s led AFN. The court also reinstated Sunday Adeleye as the Technical Director while declaring that...
Suspension: Adams Oshiomhole withdraws application against Appeal Court ruling
Mr Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday, withdrew his application for stay of execution of the June 16, 2020 judgment of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal which affirmed his suspension as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress. The withdrawal, his lawyers said, was in line with his concession to the dissolution of the National Working Committee and the subsequent appointment of a caretaker committee by the National Executive Committee of the party on June 25. Following the withdrawal of the motion, the three-man panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Eunice Onyemenam unanimously dismissed in a short ruling on Tuesday. Oshiomhole’s Ward 10 in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State had in November 2019 suspended him as a member of the party for anti-party activit...
Ekiti to inaugurate human rights action plan committee July 1
The Ekiti government will, on July 1, inaugurated a committee saddled with the responsibility of developing a human rights action plan. Newsmen report that the inauguration of the committee is sequel to the directive by Gov. Kayode Fayemi to the state Ministry of Justice to that effect. The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Olawale Fapounda, in a statement issued on Monday in Ado-Ekiti, said that the governor had stressed the need to put measures in place to protect and promote human rights in the state. He announced the composition of the advisory and technical committees for the development of the State Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Right (SAPHR). According to him, the action plan is aimed at auditing the human rights situation in the state. Fapo...
Court acquits man over prosecution’s inability to prove case of rape
Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Friday discharged and acquitted one Niyi Oyelami charged with defiling a nine-year-old daughter of his neighbour. Oyelami was charged by Lagos State on a count charge of defiling a minor, to which he pleaded not guilty. Delivering the judgment during a virtual court proceedings, the judge found the defendant not guilty as charged. Justice Ipaye said that the testimony of the two prosecution witnesses failed to establish that the accused actually committed the offence. She said the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond every reasonable doubt. Ipaye said that the failure of the prosecution to provide eyewitnesses even the victim to give evidence as whether it was the defendant who actually ruptured the hymen was fatal to it...
EFCC docks Benue deputy speaker, clerk for alleged N5 million fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Deputy Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, Christopher Adaji, and the Clerk of the house, Torese Agena, before Justice S. O. Itodo, of the Benue State High Court, Makurdi, for their complicity in an alleged fraud totalling N5, 040,950 (Five Million, Forty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty Naira only). They were arraigned on two-count charges bordering on conspiracy, bribery, criminal breach of trust and abuse of office. They pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them. Counts one read: “That you, Torese Agena, on 18th day of October, 2019 being Clerk, Benue State House of Assembly, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage to yourself as bribe, to the tu...
George Floyd: We’ll evaluate evidence – US
The United States says it will compile and evaluate information obtained from witnesses in the killing of a black man, George Floyd. In a joint statement on Thursday, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Minneapolis Field Office said they were conducting a “robust criminal investigation” into the circumstances surrounding Floyd’s killing on May 25. “The Department of Justice asks for cooperation from all witnesses who believe they have relevant information and urges calm as investigators methodically continue to gather facts. “The Department of Justice and FBI’s comprehensive investigation will compile all available information and thoroughly evaluate evidence and information obtain...
Canadian court disappoints Huawei over CFO’s case
A Canadian court ruled against Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Wednesday in her extradition case to the US on fraud charges. However, the company said it has faith her innocence will ultimately be maintained. Meng, the CFO of the telecom giant and eldest daughter of its founder is wanted by the U.S for alleged fraud. The US authorities alleged that she lied to HSBC Bank about Huawei’s relationship with its Iran-based affiliate Skycom, putting the bank at risk of violating US sanctions against Tehran. In a statement posted on Twitter, Huawei Canada said; “Huawei is disappointed in the ruling today by the Supreme Court of British Columbia, we have repeatedly expressed confidence in Ms Meng’s innocence”. “Huawei continues to stand with Ms Meng in her pursuit for justice and...
Kogi governor reacts to tribunal ruling affirming his election
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has described the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal upholding his election as an affirmation of his landmark victory on November 16, 2019. In a statement by Onogwu Muhammed, Chief Press Secretary, (CPS) to the governor, he said the judgment affirming his landmark victory is a validation of the people’s mandate and an added impetus to his drive to do more for the good people of Kogi State. The governor in the statement lauded the tribunal for being upright and just and thanked the entire citizens of the state for support and prayer. The Governor noted that “The rule of law once again came to the defense of democracy by affirming the collective will of the people, which was expressed on the 16th of November, 2019 when a vast, compelling majo...
FBI chief orders internal review of Michael Flynn investigation
European Photopress Agency Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said on Friday he has ordered an internal review of the investigation into President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn. In a statement, Wray said he ordered the FBI’s inspection division to conduct an after-action review of the Flynn investigation to “evaluate the relevant facts related to the FBI’s role in the Flynn investigation and determine whether any current employees engaged in misconduct.” The review is also aimed to “evaluate any FBI policies, procedures, or controls implicated by the Flynn investigation and identify any improvements that might be warranted,” said the statement. “The after-action review will complement the already substantial assistance t...
