PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012
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EFCC docks man over love scam By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem
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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Ayoola Temitayo (aka Nelly James and Dara Martins) before a Lagos High court sitting at Igbosere, for allegedly obtaining the sum of USD 5,000 (Five thousand United States Dollars) from one Ricky Dean under false pretences. Ayoola was arraigned before Justice E. O Adebanjo on a four count charge but pleaded not guilty to the charges. Mohammed A. Kabir, counsel to the EFCC asked for an adjournment, while urging the court to remand the accused person in prison custody. The defence counsel, F.E Ajao, represented by Ifeoma Ukandu did not object. She said even if the trial was to commence she was not prepared as she was holding brief for the defence counsel who was not in court. Justice Adebanjo at this point remanded the accused in Ikoyi prisons and adjourned proceedings to April 5, 2012.
Kaduna gun runner: Court rejects application to join SSS DG From Mohammed Adamu, Kaduna
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he Federal High Court in Kaduna, has rejected an application by the Nigerian Army, requesting to join the Director-General (DG) of the State Security Service (SSS) in the case filed by the family of former Chairman of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), Comrade Nuhu Mohammad Babawo, challenging his arrest and detention for alleged
gun running by the army authorities in Kaduna. Denying the application filed by counsel to the respondant (Nigeria Army), Biola Oyebanjo, the High Court Judge, Justice Lucia Ojuckwu granted the objection raised by counsel to the plaintiff, Bello Ibrahim against the request by the Army to join the DG SSS as co-defendant as ‘unnecessary party to the case.’ The family had dragged the
Army Authorities to the court last Thursday, seeking for unconditional release of their bread winner, Nuhu who had been in Army custody on alleged association with a terrorist group and gun running since January 14 th 2012. The High Court Judge, Justice Ojuckwu has set Thursday 16 th February, 2012 for ruling over the case. The former Chairman of the
Man, 30, arraigned in court on sodomy charges
Wife killer to die by hanging in Kogi From Sam Egwu, Lokoja
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ustice Esther Haruna of High Court in Ankpa, Kogi state has sentenced a motorcycle rider, popularly called Okada, Idris Amodu to death by hanging for killing his wife, Mrs. Sadia Adjatu. Delivering verdict on the convict at Ankpa, headquarters of Ankpa local government, Justice Esther Haruna said “those who kill by the sword also die by the sword”. The judge, who upheld the submission of the state prosecuting counsel, David Ocheme said she was not unmindful of the provision of section 273 of the criminal procedure code which gave capital punishment to accused persons who violate provision of that section of the law. Justice Haruna explained that section 221 [a] of the Penal Code also pronounced capital punishment for violators of the section and thus she accordingly ordered Idris Amodu to be hanged by the neck till he was pronounced dead. It would be recalled that the convict Idris Amodu was accused of using a cutlass to slaughter his wife, who had three children for him, after some family dispute on August 8, 2010 at Ogaji village in Ankpa local government, Kogi state. The prosecuting state counsel, Mr David Ocheme, who described the sentence as commendable, articulate, balanced and sound also stated that it would serve as a deterrent to others.
PTD, Kaduna branch, Nuhu and his son Musa Marafa were arrested and subsequently paraded by the Nigerian Army in Kaduna in January, for being in possession of ammunition and other items including a bottle with contents described as explosives. But his lawyers, who addressed journalists shortly after he was paraded said the paraded ammunition particularly the gun, was licensed, adding that his arrest was politically motivated. The lawyers, who described the suspect as a law-abiding citizen said they will employ all legal actions in defense of the suspect. In the meantime, one of the sons of the suspect, Yusuf Marafa was said to have escaped with another weapon and is presently at large. The Army has however declared him wanted.
From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina
L-R: Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Adah Oduah, and Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, at the State House, in Abuja, yesterday.
LG caretaker committees are illegal, says INEC By Ali Alkali, with agency reports
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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has described as “illegal” the appointment of caretaker committees at local government councils and warned state governors against taking actions that can truncate democracy, insisting that the leadership at the local government council level must be constituted by elected officers. INEC made the clarification yesterday in Abuja through Mr. Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman. INEC said sole administrators and caretaker committees had no place
in the local government system. “The act of having caretaker committees, transition committees and stuff like that is illegal because the constitution makes provision for the councils to be constituted by elected people”, Kayode said in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Kayode said the view formed part of recommendations made at the INEC retreat with State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) in Enugu in November 2011. The electoral body identified local government councils as the tier of government closest to the people insisting that “its leaders should be democratically elected as
provided for in the constitution.” He pointed out that as part of its recommendations, the retreat had demanded the immediate conduct of elections into local councils where such sole administrators and caretaker committees currently exist. He, however, said though INEC had no control over the conduct of the local government elections, “we are advising states that have not conducted local council elections to do so”. Just recently, the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Musdapher had to petition the Plateau state government over this unconstitutional act, describing Governor Jang as “a threat to democracy”.
Apo 6: Court orders arrest of witness By Sunday Ejike Benjamin
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n Abuja High Court yesterday, has ordered the arrest of a prosecution witness, Mr. Chukwudi Chukwu for failing to testify before it over the Apo six murder trial. The trial Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, who made the order following an application for the order by representative of the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), Mamman Usman (SAN), said, “I have no difficulties in acceding to the request
made by the prosecution. There is no doubt that he has receipt of the court process which he has flagrantly violated. Bench warrant is hereby issued to have the said witness, Mr Chukkudi Chukwu arrested and brought to court tomorrow for the continuation of trial”, the judge said. In the application for the bench warrant, Usman had notified the court that after a subpoena was issued against Chukwu on February 2, which he acknowledged receipt of but still refused to appear. “Relying on section 56 of the
Criminal Procedure Code, I apply my lord, to issue a bench warrant on the said Chukwudi Chukwu to compel him to testify in this matter”, he urged. Earlier, a prosecution witness, Cpl Haruna Saleh, who said he was one of the officers that investigated the killings, testified that in the morning of June 8, 2005 after he saw corpses in front of the station, the Divisional officer, Uthman Abdulsalam ordered him to bring the photographer, popularly called Chidi Best to take shots of the bodies together with two locally made pistols, two knives and one cutlass.
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30-year-old man, Musaddiq Musa Rafukka was yesterday arraigned before Senior Magistrate Court 3 sitting in Katsina, for alleged repeated sexual abuse of a 13 year-old boy for over a year. Arraigning the suspect before the court, prosecuting police officer, Mr. Okolo Usman told the court that the accused was reported to the police by the father of the victim over alleged sexual abuse of his son by the accused for over a year. The prosecutor noted that it was after the arrest and investigation of the accused that he was brought to the court to answer charges for the alleged sexual abuse of the minor. Similarly, the prosecutor told the court that the victim was taken to the General Hospital, Katsina where, according to him, doctors that examined him discovered that the boy has some injuries in his anus as a result of alleged repeated sexual abuse by the accused. He also said the accused has committed an unnatural act, which he said was contrary to section 284 of the Penal Code. However, the presiding magistrate, Nuruddeen Abdulmumini Jikamshi asked the accused whether he fully understood the charges brought against him and said he was only brought to the court for mention of the case before sending him to the appropriate court for trial. The magistrate therefore ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody till the 23rd of February for continued hearing on the case.