TheNewsGuru

Tag: Court

  • Supreme Court ruling on PDP sparks wild celebrations in Makurdi

    Youths in Makurdi on Wednesday took to the streets to celebrate the Supreme Court ruling that declared Sen. Ahmed Makarfi the authentic leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

    The youths, who appeared to have been waiting for the judgement, poured into the streets immediately it was delivered, dancing and chanting victory songs as they marched through major streets in the Benue capital.

    TheNewsGuru reports that some of the youths held placards some of which read “Congrats to Democracy”, “PDP will Change the Change”, and “now, real politics has started”.

    Mr Tersoo Akya, one of the youths, told NAN that Makarfi’s victory at the Supreme Court was not just for the PDP members, but the entire lovers of democracy across the land.

    He said that the ruling would breed unity needed by the PDP to serve as an effective opposition that would keep the government in power on its toes.

    Mr Mike Agbo, another youth, said that the PDP would now look inwards, re-organise itself and work toward entrenching good governance with premium on accountability and transparency.

    “The PDP will now re-strategise and re-brand itself so as to warm itself way into the heart of Nigerians,” he said.

    Miss Deborah Ahii, a PDP supporter, said that the party would pick up its pieces in Benue, where it could not field candidates for the June 3 Local Government polls, owing to internal wranglings.

    TheNewsGuru reports that some of the youths wore T-shirts and faze-caps with various inscriptions of congratulatory messages to Makarfi and Mr Ngbede, PDP chairman in Benue.

    TNG also reports that free meals and drinks were ordered at some joints across the town as the joyous group moved through the town.

  • Oba Akiolu was chosen by gods, Lagos kingmaker tells court

    Chief Fatai Olumegbon, a kingmaker and the Olumegbon of Lagos, on Tuesday told an Ikeja High Court that Oba Rilwan Akiolu was chosen by Ifa, the god of divination as the rightful monarch of Lagos.

    Olumegbon said this at the resumed hearing of a suit challenging the legitimacy of Akiolu as the Oba of Lagos.

    Olumegbon, who in his evidence explained the process for the selection by kingmakers, said: “We received the application of those who were selected by their various ruling houses.

    “To ensure transparency, we requested that the names be submitted through the Olori Omo Oba.

    “All the envelopes containing the names of the applicants as received were sent for Ifa divination and one by one, the names were screened.

    “When the name containing Akiolu’s name was done, they shouted ‘ejiogbe’, that is, this is the man that will rule well and bring the desired changes.

    “Apart from that, Akiolu was the first Oba unanimously selected by all the six kingmakers, in fact, he scored 6-0.”

    The kingmaker added that when a particular name was investigated by the ifa priests, it was outrightly rejected because the candidate was an alcoholic and a womaniser and that he would not handle the throne properly as a result of the vices.

    While being cross-examined by Mr Babatunde Fashanu (SAN), the counsel to the claimants , Olumegbon, said that a 90-day rule where an Oba could not be selected until after 90 days did not exist in the selection of Obas in Lagos State.

    “Oba Dosunmu was chosen same day his predecessor died, same for my grandfather,” Olumegbon told the court.

    Fashanu also enquired why minutes of the kingmakers meeting were being recorded contrary to customary practice.

    Responding, Olumegbon said the minutes were not being kept in previous times because the kingmakers of old were not literate.

    “What is happening today would have not been easy to defend if not for the records of minutes.”

    He added that he followed due process in the selection of Akiolu as Oba.

    “Any kingmaker could crown the Oba and Oba Akiolu was crowned by a member of Eletu Edibo family,” he noted.

    He explained that every eligible prince must trace his lineage to Ado, the first Oba of Lagos, through the two ruling houses of Olugunkutere and Akinsemoyin, excluding the Sokun family that was settled with special title.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akiolu’s title is being challenged by Prince Adedoyin Adebiyi and Prince Rasheed Modile, both of the Akinsemoyin Ruling House of Lagos.

    Adebiyi and Modile were candidates chosen by the Akinsemoyin Ruling House to contest the Obaship in 2003 after the demise of Oba Adeyinka Oyekan, in 2003.

    They lost the race to Akiolu, who they alleged had no rightful claim to the throne.

    Joined in the suit as respondents are the state governor and the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Prince Awobade Pearse.

    Others are the representative of the Ologun Kutere Ruling House and Chief J.J. Junaid-Eko and the head of the traditional white cap chiefs of Lagos.

    Other respondents include Prince Kola Balogun and Mr Musibau Kelani, who are the respectively the Head and Secretary of the Eshilokun Royal Family.

    Justice Adebowale Candide-Johnson adjourned the case until Nov. 8 for adoption of written addresses.

  • Court grants ex-COAS, Dikko permission to travel abroad over ailing health

    Court grants ex-COAS, Dikko permission to travel abroad over ailing health

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday granted the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Umar Dikko, permission to travel abroad for a medical check-up.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Dikko, who was head of the Nigeria Air Force from September 9, 2010 to October 4, 2012, is facing a seven-count charge of money laundering before the court.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alleged that he used looted funds to purchase six choice properties in Abuja, Kano and Kaduna.

    At the resumed hearing of the case, the defendant, through his counsel, Ibrahim Bawa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, begged the court to allow the defendant to travel abroad for medical checkup.

    Bawa also urged the court to order the release of the defendant’s international passport which was deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court as part of his bail conditions.

    Counsel to the EFCC, Fatima Addo, said she would not object to the application since it was based on health ground.

    In his ruling, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, said he was disposed to granting the motion since it was not opposed by the prosecution.

    Before adjourning the trial till Oct. 19, Dimgba directed Dikko to surrender his international passport with the Deputy Registrar of the court on his return to the country.

     

     

    NAN

  • Delta PDP crisis deepens as Court sacks Obro Philomena Asamah

    A Delta High Court in Sapele has sacked Obro Philomena Asamah , Councillor representing Ward 17 in Sapele Local Government and has declared Mr. Ibiuke Monday the winner of the Delta State Local Government Council general election conducted on the 25th day of October 2014.

    “The purported nomination of Asamah as candidate for the local government election held by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission on October 25, 2014 is null and void. She being not the valid lawful candidate at the primaries conducted by the PDP. Mr. Ibiuke Monday is the lawful candidate of the PDP for the general election in ward 17 of the Sapele Local Government Council Area, Delta State” Justice Roli Daibo Harriman said.

    Aside directing the sacked councillor to vacate her seat forthwith, the Court ordered the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Obro Philomena Asamah and issue a certificate of return to Mr. Ibiuke Monday.

    “The Certificate of Return issued by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission in favour of Obro Philomena Asamah is hereby declared null and void”

    It held that Asamah should within 30 days refund all the salaries/allowances and or emoluments she collected while occupying the seat.

    “Obro Philomena Asamah is hereby ordered to refund within 30 days to the appropriate government payer agency be it the Delta State government or the Sapele local government or howsoever called, all financial benefits, salaries and allowances she has received by virtue of her being the councilor representing ward 17 of Sapele Local Government council in the election conducted by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission on October 25, 2014 and all such sums to be paid to Mr. Obiuke Monday within 14 days of receipt”

    The Court’s decision was hinged on the fact that Mr Ibiuke was the lawful candidate at the primaries conducted by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).‎

    Ibiuke asked the court to declare him the winner of the poll, alleging that Asamah was not the lawful candidate of the PDP.

    Honourale Justice Roli Daibo Harriman held that Asamah was not validly nominated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to participate in the councillorship contest, noting that the complainant, Obiuke, was the lawful candidate.

    “It is the claimant’s case that Asamah was not even qualified to contest in the primaries and the local government elections held on 25 October 2014. In as much as I had found that Asamah did not win the primaries, it will purely academic to further investigate whether Asamah was even eligible to contest the primaries”

    “Since votes cast at an election belong to the political party, I find that the votes cast for PDP at the local government elections should be for Mr. Ibiuke K. Monday who I have found to be the lawful candidate”

  • Alleged N650m fraud: Court grants ex-FCT Minister, Akinjide N100m bail

    A Federal High Court in Ibadan on Thursday granted bail to Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide, former Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, on self-recognition, in a case of N650 million fraud.

    The judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek, also granted bail to Sen. Ayoade Adeseun and Mr Olanrewaju Otiti in the same case, in the sum of N100 million.

    The judge added that the each of the sureties to be provided by the two accused persons, must deposit their passport photographs and Certificates of Occupancy of landed property belonging to them.

    Abdulmaleek adjourned the case to Sept. 12, for the commencement of trial.

    The three accused persons were dragged before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over a N650 million fraud charge.

    At the resumed hearing of the matter, Adeseun, who was conspicuously absent at the previous sitting, was seen in the dock, along with the other two accused persons.

    When the charges were read to Adeseun, he pleaded not guilty to the 24-count charge proffered against him.

    Mr O.F.A. Adeosun, the defence counsel, immediately prayed the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms and in self-recognition.

    However, Mr Idriss Mohammed, counsel to the EFCC, objected the application, saying that the accused persons might jump bail.

    Mohammed recalled that Adeseun had previously failed to make himself available in court when the agency granted him administrative bail.

    Meanwhile, Mr Richard Ogunwole (SAN), counsel to Akinjide, had earlier prayed the court to admit his client to bail, based on self-recognition.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the EFCC had last month arraigned Akinjidebe for Justice J.O Abdul-Malik of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State.

    The former minister was arraigned alongside a man, Olanrewaju Otiti, on an amended 12-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N650 million.

  • Court rejects Melaye’s suit to stop recall, adjourns till September

    The embattled Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District Dino Melaye on Thursday failed in his bid to stop the ongoing recall process by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Justice John Tsoho in an ex-parte ruling rejected Melaye’s motion for a temporary injunction restraining INEC from proceeding with the recall process until the determination of suit challenging his recall.

    Instead, the judge ordered parties in the case to “maintain status quo pending the hearing of the motion on notice.”

    Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) argued Melaye’s ex-parte motion.

    The judge adjourned till September 29 hearing of Melaye’s motion on notice and applications filed by three individuals, led by Chief Cornelius Olowo, who applied to be made parties in the suit.

    In the main suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/587/2017, with INEC as the only defendant, Melaye faulted the recall process, saying it was tainted with political malice and initiated by his political enemies.

    The Senator denied any wrongdoing and claimed he was being targeted for standing up for the oppressed in Kagi State and the many workers who have not been paid salaries by the state government.

    Melaye is praying the court to declare the petition submitted to INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, as “illegal, unlawful, wrongful, unconstitutional, invalid, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

    He also wants the court to void the recall process because it was commenced in breach of his fundamental right to fair hearing.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the embattled senator had sued INEC to halt the recall process while also alleging that the names and signatures presented to INEC were those of the dead.

  • [JUST IN] Attempted murder case: Court orders Kashamu to submit self for investigations

    [JUST IN] Attempted murder case: Court orders Kashamu to submit self for investigations

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu, to submit himself to the police for investigation into an allegation of alleged his attempt to murder a member of the House of Representatives representing Ikene/Shagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency, Mr. Oladipupo Adebutu.

    Delivering judgment in a suit instituted by Kashamu, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ordered that the senator must honour all invitations extended to him by the Special Investigating Panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the allegations contained in Adebutu’s petition.

    Justice Dimgba, who noted that the same special investigating panel had been directed by the Inspector-General of Police to investigate Kashamu’s counter-petition against Adebutu, ordered that the police must ensure that the police must conduct the probe in their facilities and not the houses of private citizens.

    But the judge ruled that any attempt by security agencies, particularly the police and the Department of State Service to capitalise on the said investigation by arresting the senator, incarcerating him and transport him to the United States of America to face illicit drugs charges would be unlawful.

    TheNewsGuru.com Adebutu had alleged that the Senator had along with some thugs made attempted to murder him during Peoples Democratic Party’s convention held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on August 16, 2016.

    The member of the House of Representatives then sent a petition dated August 22, 2016, reporting the alleged attempt ‎on his life to the Inspector General of Police.

    But in response, Kashamu wrote a counter-petition dated August 26, 2016, to the IGP alleging that Adebutu was instigating the police and the DSS to abduct and transport him to the US in relation to illicit drugs charges he had been cleared of and in violation of court orders stopping him from being extradited.

  • N46bn fraud: Court dismisses Tompolo’s suit to stop trial

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed the suit filed Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tomopolo, challenging a criminal charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.

    Tompolo, through his lawyer, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, had approached the court seeking nullification of Section 221 and 306 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, under which he was charged.

    He argued that the two sections violate his constitutional right to fair hearing.

    Joined as defendants in the suit are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC; the Inspector-General of Police; the Chief of Army Staff; the Chief of Naval Staff; and the Chief of Air Staff.

    In the application, Tompolo also argued that both Sections 221 and 306 of the ACJA are unconstitutional since they seek to prevent the court from exercising its jurisdiction to entertain any objection to a criminal charge.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Section 221 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, provides:
    “objections shall not be taken or entertained during proceedings or trial on the ground of an imperfect or erroneous charge.”

    Section 306 states that “an application for stay of proceedings in respect of a criminal matter before a court shall not be entertained”.

    Responding to Tompolo’s application, the federal government, through its lawyer, Idris Mohammed, urged the court to dismiss the suit with a substantive cost, saying it is an abuse of court process.

    Dismissing the suit, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun held that the Supreme Court had affirmed that whether a charge is defective or not, an accused is bound to first take his plea.

    He added that an interlocutory application could stop a criminal trial.

    The judge, however, did not award any cost against the plaintiff.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalled that Justice Ibrahim Buba of the same court had on January14, 2016, issued a warrant for the arrest of Tompolo, after he failed to show up for his trial.

    The EFCC had charged Tompolo alongside nine others for an alleged N45.9 billion fraud.

    NAN

     

  • Court orders FG to publish names of suspected looters

    Court orders FG to publish names of suspected looters

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the Federal Government to “immediately release to Nigerians information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered and the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.”

    The judgment was delivered today by Hon Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/CS/964/2016 brought by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

    The suit followed disclosure last year by the Federal Government of funds recovered from some high-ranking public officials and private individuals.

    In her judgment, Justice Shagari agreed with SERAP that “the Federal Government has legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.” Joined as Defendants in the suit are the Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Muhammed and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

    SERAP is now processing a certified true copy of the judgment.

    Timothy Adewale, SERAP deputy director who argued the case on behalf of SERAP and was in court this morning when the judgment was delivered said “This is a victory for justice, rule of law, transparency and accountability in this country.

    The judgment shows the way forward in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators. We will do everything within the law to ensure full compliance by President Mohammadu Buhari and Acting President Osinbajo with this landmark judgment.

    It would be recalled that the Ministry of Information last year published details of the recoveries, which showed that the Nigerian government successfully retrieved total cash amount N78,325,354,631.82, $185,119,584.61, £3,508,355.46 and €11, 250 between May 29, 2015 and May 25, 2016.

    Also released were recoveries under interim forfeiture, which were a combination of cash and assets, during the same period: N126,563,481,095.43, $9,090,243,920.15, £2,484,447.55 and €303,399.17. Anticipated repatriation from foreign countries totalled: $321,316,726.1, £6,900,000 and €11,826.11.

    The ministry also announced that 239 non-cash recoveries were made during the one-year period. The non-cash recoveries are – farmlands, plots of land, uncompleted buildings, completed buildings, vehicles and maritime vessels.

    Subsequently, SERAP issued an FOI request and gave the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed 14 days to disclose the names of all suspected looters.

  • Court clears Ndume of terrorism charges

    Court clears Ndume of terrorism charges

    The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Tuesday upheld the no-case submission of former majority leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, who was accused of sponsoring terrorism.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Ndume was arraigned in 2011 for alleged sponsorship of the Boko Haram.

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole upheld the senator’s no case submission on Tuesday and dismissed the case.

    Details later…