Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, June 9, 2018
27 News
Ozubulu church massacre trial: Judge angry with prosecuting lawyer Moses Oyediran, Enugu
There was harsh altercation at the Awka High Court on Friday between the judge handling the Ozubulu Church Massacre trial, Justice Fidelis Aniukwu and the prosecution counsel Jay Jay Ezeuko, SAN, over the latter’s lack-lustre attitude to the case. The prosecution counsel brought only two witnesses who merely repeated what the 10 other witnesses volunteered previously. The judge was furious over the poor presentation of witnesses by the counsel and threatened to reconsider the bail application denied the accused persons
some weeks ago. “This case is becoming irritating. The prosecution is slowing down the matter. As at 10.45 am, the prosecution could not bring more witnesses contrary to the instruction I gave during the last adjourned date that the prosecution should increase speed and bring as many witnesses as possible. “The prosecution just smuggle witnesses and the judge’s time is being wasted. Why not tell those who employed you that you are not willing to continue the case, and save us from wasting our time in court,” Justice Aniukwu said. In the resumed sitting at the Awka High Court, Anambra
state on Friday, two witnesses testified in the August 6, 2017 massacre at st Philip’s Catholic Church, Ozubulu during which 13 persons were killed while 24 others were wounded. Led in evidence by Jay Jay Ezeuko, prosecution counsel, Timothy Nwadike, a native of Egbema Ozubulu and 11 the witness in the case told the court that it was Qunitus Onyebinamma, a.k.a. Obasanjo that reviewed that Gozilla and Afam were responsible for the August 6, massacre. According to him, Onyebinamma, chairman of Ozubulu development union, South Africa branch summoned all the chairmen and Obis of all
the quarters in Ozubulu to relay a message from Gozilla from Nnobi and Afam from Oba, all in Anambra state, currently in prison in South Africa, to the effect that they were responsible for the killing of Ozubulu sons and daughters. “He brought out a video clip from his phone where there was a raging fight and showed us hired killers and their victims, including his manager that was shot in South Africa. “He said it was these people that sent him to tell Ozubulu people that they were responsible for the massacre irrespective that they were in prison. At a point he put a call through to the duo in South African prison and we
heard their voices.” Nwadike told the court that Gozilla made it clear that he had scores to settle with Aloysius Ikegwuonu, a.k.a. Bishop; Nkwado Onyeka,a.k.a Ebubedike and Christian Oruche, a.k.a Utonwa. “He said these persons have always reneged in their agreement and that is why the killing will continue. He said that there is only one good person among Ozubulu sons in South Africa. He said that the person is Chinedu Akpunonu, the first defendant”. During cross examination, he denied knowledge of the phone number Onyebinanma used to call Gozilla and Afam. He also denied that Gozilla and
Afam ever mentioned the killer squad that massacred people at Ozubulu. In his testimony, Ikechukwu Akpunonu, 12th witness a public servant and former youth leader said he was equally threatened by Gozilla on July 27 and 29, 2016 to resign his position as youth leader or be ready to ‘dance the spirit dance’. He said he was accused of being sponsored by Ikegwuonu to wreck havoc in the house of their “boss”. He told the court that he eventually bowed to pressure to save his life and those of his family members after reporting to law enforcement agents.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right), with Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Lehmann (middle); Second Secretary, Australian High Commission, Nigeria, Mr. Fabien De Vel-Palumbo (2nd left); Commissioner for Special Duties & Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Oluseye Oladejo (left) and his counterpart for Transportation, Mr. Ladi Lawason (right) during a courtesy call by the Australian High Commissioner at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja. . . on Thursday
APC Congresses: Stop making baseless allegations, party tells Okorocha Tom Okpe, Abuja The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has warned Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha against wild and unsubstantiated allegations regarding its conduct of congresses in the state and its handling of the disputes thereof. The party stated this while reacting to reports which quoted Okorocha as vowing to send the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to jail for disobeying what he said was a valid court order. In a press statement signed by the party National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on Friday, the party said: “In reacting to recent allegations by the Imo state
governor, Rochas Okorocha that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun ‘disobeyed’ court orders regarding Congresses in Imo State and inauguration of the state’s Party executives, the APC wishes to state that these allegations are spurious as the Party did not at any time receive any court injunctions regarding the Congresses in Imo”. The Party therefore urged the Imo State Governor to desist from what they described as “making these kinds of allegations that have no basis in facts”. The party further said; “In conducting the Congresses across the country, considering the outcome of each one of them and in swearing in the respective
State Chairmen, the National Working Committee NWC had strictly followed the guiding rules and the Constitution of the party. “There is always room for redress was justified; hence, we encourage the Imo State Governor to explore internal dispute resolution mechanisms spelt out by our Constitution to address his perceived grievances. While we urge compromise among Party stakeholders, the Party has already mandated the Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Lawali Shuaibu to head our reconciliation efforts following issues that arose from recently conducted ward, local government and state Congresses”. Meanwhile, the party
has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring June 12 as Democracy Day as well as granting posthumous award of Nigeria’s highest National Honor, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) to Moshood Abiola, winner of the annulled presidential election of June 12, 1993, calling on the President to consider granting similar honor on Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. The APC believes that Alhaja Kudirat Abiola who paid the supreme price with her assassination in Lagos on June 4, 1996 at the heat of the mobilization for the restoration of her husband’s mandate as the winner of the 1993 presidential election, deserves to be honored in her own right as a heroin and martyr of democracy in Nigeria.
The Party recalls how she mobilized market women, students, activists and other human rights community against Military rule and the struggle for a truly democratic nation. The Party in a statement on Friday in Abuja also commended the decision to honor Abiola’s running mate, Babagana Kingibe, and late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi SAN with the second highest national honor, Grand Commander of the Niger (GCON). “In taking this courageous and patriotic decision, the President has again displayed a sincerity of purpose and his well-known penchant for doing the right thing irrespective of political and sundry
considerations. As a Party, we remain resolved in our struggle to deepen our democracy and continue to improve on the transparency and credibility of our electoral systems. We reiterate that regardless of its imperfections, democracy remains the best form of government that can best serve the interest of our people”. “We affirm that this decision by President Buhari yet again exemplifies APC’s commitment to the sanctity of popular elections and respect for the right of the people to freely choose their leaders in accordance to that fundamental principle of democracy that no man has the right to exercise power over other men, except with their consent”, the Party said.