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Tag: Court

  • Court orders Oba’s arrest over alleged involvement in ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ scam

    An Osun State Chief Magistrate Court has issued a warrant of arrest against a first class traditional ruler in the state, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi.

    According to a report by Channels Television, the arrest warrant is coming days after Chief Magistrate, Olusola Aluko, threatened at the last sitting of the court that if Oba Akanbi failed to appear before him in compliance with the order of the court on November 25, in a case filed against him by the Oluwo of Iwo-Oke, Oba Kadiri Adeoye, he would have no option but to issue a bench warrant for his arrest.

    At Tuesday’s sitting, while the applicant, Oba Adeoye, was in court, the Oluwo of Iwo was conspicuously absent, a situation that drew the rage of Magistrate Aluko.

    He had at the last sitting sent another monarch, Ologburo of Ogburo, Oba Asimiyu Sadiq, to represent him.

    Counsel to the Oluwo of Iwo-Oke, Mr Soji Oyetayo, in his submission urged the court not to entertain any of the applications filed by the respondent until he complies with the order of the court.

    He said: “The first respondent (Oba Akanbi) filed an application of stay of proceeding yesterday afternoon, so, I am of the opinion that he is not ready to move any application today.

    “Meanwhile, the court made an order on 25 November, 2016 and up till now the order has not been complied with. The application asking for a stay of proceeding cannot stay the order already made.

    “The order of the court is meant to be obeyed. The non-appearance of the first respondent in this matter is a flagrant disobedient of the order of the court”.

    Counsel to Oba Akanbi, Mr Olayide Yekeen, explained that his client submitted the notice of preliminary objection, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case on November 15 and that by careful perusal of the State Magistrate Law, Section 19:1, the court could not entertain the matter.

    According to him, “it is the threshold of all cases that whenever the issue of jurisdiction is raised, it is to be taken first. On the issue of jurisdiction and the competence of the case, the respondent has the right to be heard first before any enquiry can be made in the matter”.

    In his ruling, Magistrate Aluko stated that he agreed with the respondent’s counsel that the issue of jurisdiction must be treated first.

    “On the order of the court made on November 25, 2016, the order remained. I hereby issue a bench warrant against the first respondent while further proceeding on the matter is adjourned to December 27, 2016,” he told the court.

    Involvement in “Yahoo Yahoo” scam

    Oba Adeoye had approached the Magistrate Court accusing the Oluwo of Iwo of concealing some facts about his past to the state government when he was installed as a first class monarch about a year ago.

    Oluwo-Oke in a 33-paragraph affidavit said Oba Akanbi’s character did not befit a person of his status and calibre as he was used to carrying armed thugs, miscreants and hoodlums around to harass, intimidate, molest and attack persons whom he perceived as his enemies.

    He further alleged that Oba Akanbi forged his name to obtain travelling documents to the United States where he was jailed in New York City and deported to Nigeria in year 2000.

    He added that Oba Akanbi later travelled out with his real name to Canada in 2001 and became a Canadian citizen but was also arrested in Toronto and was in jail between 2006 and 2007.

    “These facts were concealed for the state government which appointed and installed him as the Oluwo of Iwo,” the suit read.

    He also accused him of presently making money through the internet fraud otherwise known as “Yahoo Yahoo” and was using his palace as a cover-up.

    However, Oba Akanbi reacted to these allegations in a 13 paragraph affidavits through the Aremo of Iwo land, Mr Adelani Akanbi, describing the application filed against the Oluwo of Iwo by Oba Adeoye as “scandalous, vexations and designed to embarrass, blackmail and ridicule the monarch in the view of right thinking members of the society”.

  • She attends widows’ forum when I’m still alive – Man tells court

    She attends widows’ forum when I’m still alive – Man tells court

    One Adeetan Adeoye, Tuesday sought for the dissolution of his marriage to his wife, Sekinatu, on the grounds that she partakes in widow’s benefits when he (the husband) is still alive.

    Adeoye urged a Grade C Customary Court, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State to dissolve his 47-year-old marriage to avoid further embarrassment, molestation and provocation from the respondent.

    Speaking before the President of the court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, the grandfather said his wife used to partake in widows’ benefits and abused him whenever he raised eyebrows on her actions.

    He said, “She collected widows money and food, she replied me that I am a dead man when I asked her reason for doing that.

    “She is a disobedient woman; I am tired of her victimisation and can no longer cope with her bad attitude since our togetherness is no more peaceful.”

    But Sekinatu pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage that was already blessed with four grown up children.

    She said she married him as a virgin 47 years ago.

    Sekinatu said: “Though he did not pay my dowry nor know my parents since we married but I do not want to leave him.

    “My husband had not been living up to his responsibilities. I was solely responsible for the maintenance of the four children till they were grown up,” she added.

    But in his judgment, the court president said the evidence of both parties had shown that there was no love between the couple.

    Balogun granted the dissolution request of the petitioner.

    He ruled that they both remain unmarried since the petitioner did not pay any dowry, ordering the couple to go their separate ways.

  • PDP Crisis: Again, Court adjourns hearing of appeals indefinitely

    The Special Panel of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, established to determine all appeals arising from the ongoing Peoples Democratic Party, PDP leadership disputes has again adjourned its proceedings indefinitely.

    The Chairman of the panel, Justice Ibrahim Salaawu at the resumption of the day’s proceeding announced the information to the parties.

    Recall that the panel had on Nov.18 adjourned indefinitely awaiting decision of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division on the sister appeal.

    The Judge also held that the court’s decision hinged on a notice of motion for stay from the Supreme Court served on it by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP.

    The parties were however taken aback when hearing notices slated for Dec.15 were served on them when the Port Harcourt appeal was yet to be decided.

    Sen. Ahmed Makarfi and Sen. Ben Obi had obtained leave of the special panel to appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court that legitimised Sheriff as Acting National Chairman of the party.

  • He removed my womb to stop me from having more children, aggrieved wife tells court

    He removed my womb to stop me from having more children, aggrieved wife tells court

    …he also impregnated my sister twice

    A 55-year-old trader, Mrs Saidat Abu, on Thursday told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos that her husband was a flirt who impregnated her junior sister on two occasions.

    She said this while responding to a suit filed by her husband, Momodu, alleging threat to his life by his wife.

    Saidat, who alleged that her husband did not only commit adultery but incest, said:

    “My husband was having an affair with my sister, he impregnated her and aborted the pregnancy on two occasions.

    “I decided not to fight him in order to save my marriage.”

    The mother of two also described her husband as a wicked and callous man.

    “My husband took me to the hospital and connived with the doctor to remove my womb so that I will not be pregnant again.

    “After destroying my womb, he is now telling me that he wants to marry another woman so that he can have a son that will inherit his property.

    “He also told me he wants to sell our house so that he can settle our daughters and rent an apartment for me before he moves on with his life,” she said.

    She, however, begged the court not to grant her husband’s request, saying she was still in love with him.

    “Who will marry me now after my husband has destroyed my womb? Please do not grant his request, ” she said.

    Her husband, a 60-year-old businessman, had approached the court to end his 33-year-old marriage over his wife’s alleged fetish act.

    “My wife is fetish; I came back from work one day and discovered a portion in my compound was cemented.

    “I was curious to know what was buried in the ground, so I called my people and we dug the ground and saw a charm buried there.

    “My wife wanted to kill me so that she can inherit my property,” he said.

    The petitioner presented as evidence pictures of the buried charm.

    Momodu also said that his wife does not cook or wash his clothes.

    “My wife cannot do any house chore; I am married but living like a single man, I can no longer tolerate her,” he said.

    He further accused his wife of inscribing “This house is not for sale ” on the wall of his house without his consent.

    The petitioner urged the court to terminate the marriage, saying he was fed up.

    The court’s president, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, after listening to the couple, adjourned the case till Feb. 7 for further hearing.

  • Money laundering: Court fixes March 6 for Orji Kalu’s trial

    Money laundering: Court fixes March 6 for Orji Kalu’s trial

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday fixed March 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 for trial of former Abia governor Orji Uzor Kalu charged with money laundering.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on October 31, preferred a 34-count money laundering against Kalu and his former commissioner for finance, Ude Udeogo.

    However, both accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, the Presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, stood down the suit till 1 p.m for trial to allow a decongestion of the court room.

    Meanwhile, when the case was called the prosecution was unavailable, and after waiting for a length of time, the court was compelled to adjourn the case to a further date.

    After adjournment, the Prosecutor, Mr. Adeniyi Adebisi, walked in and craved the court’s indulgence for his delay as he was attending to other matters.

    After series of submissions, the court ruled that further trial is fixed for March 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

    In the instant charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offence between August 2001 and October 2005.

    Kalu was alleged to have utilised his company to retain in the account of a First Inland Bank, now FCMB, the sum of N200m.

    The sum is alleged to have formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia State Government.

    In one of the counts, his company (Slok Nig Ltd) and one Emeka Abone, who is said to be at large, were also alleged to have retained in the company’s account the sum of N200 million, on behalf of the first accused.

    They were alleged to have utilised Manny Bank, now Fidelity Bank Plc, Spring Bank Plc, the defunct Standard Trust Bank and Fin Land Bank, now First City Monument Bank.

    In counts one to 10, the accused were alleged to have retained about N2.5bn in different accounts, which funds were said to belong to the Abia state government.

    Cumulatively, in all the counts, the accused were alleged to have diverted over N3.2bn from the Abia state government’s treasury during Kalu’s tenure as governor.

    The offence is said to have contravened the provisions of sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005.

    It is also said to have contravened the provisions of the Money Laundering Act of 1995 as amended by the amendment Act No. 9 of 2002, and Section 477 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 1990.

     

    NAN

  • BREAKING: Court grants Justice Ademola, wife N100m bail

    BREAKING: Court grants Justice Ademola, wife N100m bail

    One of the judges arrested by operatives of the State Security Service on October 8 on allegations of corruption, Justice Ademola and his wife, Omobowale who is Head of Service of Lagos State, has been granted bail by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja on Tuesday in self-recognisance.

    The duo were granted bail in respect to their trial on charges bordering on receiving of gratification, among others.

    Justice Jude Okeke granted bail to the duo on Tuesday,shortly after they were arraigned ‎by the Federal Government.

    The judge granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N50m each, totalling N100m for the two of them.

    But since the bail was granted in self-recognisance, the two defendants were not required to produce sureties to guarantee release.

    The lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Segun Jegede, did not oppose the bail applications but urged the court to impose terms and conditions that would make the defendants to attend their trial.

    In granting the bail on Tuesday, the trial judge said the choice of the prosecution not to oppose the bail applications implied that it admitted all the averments deposed to by the defendants in support of their applications.

    The judge however, as requested by the prosecution, ordered the defendants to deposit their passports and other travel documents with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court throughout the period their trial would last.

    Justice Okeke granted the bail on Tuesday shortly after the couple were arraigned on 11 counts including, being in possession of firearms without valid licence, conspiracy to receive gratification and receiving gratification of N30m from Joe Agi and Associates, between March 11 and March 26, 2015.

    Shortly after the arraignment, Justice Ademola’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), ‎and another lawyer representing the wife of the judge, informed the court that they had filed their applications for bail.

  • Court adjourns Justice Ngwuta’s trial

    Court adjourns Justice Ngwuta’s trial

    The criminal trial of Justice Sylvester Ngwuta by the Federal High Court, Abuja was on Wednesday stalled on allegation of untimely service of `trial processes’ on the defence team.

    Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), the defence lead counsel had filed an oral motion seeking adjournment in order to avail him of documentary evidence brought against Ngwuta.

    The presiding judge, Justice John Tsoho held that the new Administration of Criminal Justice Act allowed five adjournments on instances of parties.

    He also said Section 396 of the Act gave wider room for persons charged for criminal offence to be availed the allowance to prepare for trial.

    “This opportunity also extends to the psychological and emotion disposition of the defendant.

    “However, no defendant that is worth his or her salt would allow criminal charges to hang around him or her. This application has merit and it is upheld.

    “The defence team is obliged time to use this period to study the charges, evidence and all other document related to the case.”

    Tsoho added: “the trial is adjourned to run between Jan.18 and Jan. 23’’.

    Agabi had said that the prosecution team served him with the complete process few days ago, adding that he required time to under study the document.

    Mr Philips Adeogun, the prosecuting counsel, opposed the application, as according to him, the defence’s team was served all relevant processes required to kick start the trial.

    “It was based on the assurance that we had satisfied our obligations that we brought our witnesses to court.

    “Indeed, we are taken aback that the defendant counsel would move this retrogressive motion. We pray the court to dismiss it.

    “After all the Administration of Criminal Justice Act compels accelerated hearing of criminal matters such as this,’’ he said.

    Recall that Ngwuta was on Nov. 21, 2016 arraigned before the court on a 16-count charge including alleged money laundering and judicial misconduct.

    Ngwuta, a suspended Justice of the Supreme Court, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

    Recall also that Ngwuta, his colleague, Justice Inyang Okoro, and five other federal judges had been suspended on allegations of fraud.

    The Department of State Services raided their homes on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 and allegedly discovered large sums of money.

    In the charge sheet, the prosecution stated that Ngwuta illegally retained N35, 358, 000.00, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

    The prosecution also accused the judge of illegally retaining in his possession 319,596.00 dollars and 25, 915 pounds among others.

  • I went on sex strike to punish my stubborn wife – Man tells court

    I went on sex strike to punish my stubborn wife – Man tells court

    A sex-starved housewife, Sherifat Asimiyu, on Friday approached an Ibadan Customary Court sitting in Agodi to dissolve her 10-year-old marriage with Mr Saheed Asimiyu.

    Sherifat told the court that apart from starving her of sex, Saheed was also in the habit of beating and biting her whenever they have domestic quarrels.

    The complainant said she could no longer cope without sex, as her husband had not slept with her in the last six months.

    She said: “There is no doubt about his ability to provide food, money and other material things for me and the two children of the union but I am not satisfied with all these without sex.

    “He abandoned me deliberately, I cannot take it anymore because I am still young and I see no reason for his action.

    “To make the issue worst, he was in the habit of beating and biting me whenever we have misunderstanding over minor issues.”

    The husband, who is a motor spare parts dealer, admitted that he had starved his wife of sex, as he was on “sex strike” in the last one month, to punish the woman for her bad character.

    According to him, his action is to punish the complainant and make her to turn a new leaf.

    The husband told the court that he had warned her several times to stop associating with bad friends, but had ignored him.

    Saheed also told the court that he would not prevent his wife from getting the divorce she asked for, “if that is what will make her satisfied”.

    Chief Mukaila Balogun, the president of the court upheld the prayer of the woman and approved the dissolution of the marriage.

    The judge ordered the defendant to be paying N6,000 to Sherifat as monthly allowance for the upkeep of their two children.

     

  • BREAKING: Court orders Shiites leader El-Zakzaky’s release

    BREAKING: Court orders Shiites leader El-Zakzaky’s release

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Department of State Services to release the leader of the outlawed Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, within 45 days.

    In his judgment, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, ordered the Federal Government to provide an accommodation for El-Zakzaky, his wife and family members within Kaduna State or any part of the northern region.

    Recall that some members on of the sect had on Thursday barricaded ‎the National Assembly’s entrance protesting the continued detention of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

    The court declared the continuous detention of El-Zakzaky since December 14, 2015 as unlawful and illegal since the issue of protective custody was unknown to law or the National Security Agencies Act establishing the DSS.

    The court further awarded the cost of 25 million Naira as general damages to be paid to Ibrahim El-Zakzaky who must be released unconditionally to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) within 45 days.

    The IGP is also ordered to convey El-Zakzaky and his wife to the accommodation provided by the government.

    The court also awarded 25m damages to Mrs Zakzaky, making a cumulative of 50 million Naira as general damages.

    Recall that some members on of the sect had on Thursday barricaded ‎the National Assembly’s entrance protesting the continued detention of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

  • BREAKING: Court denies Nnamdi Kanu bail

    The leader of the indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu was on Thursday denied bail by an Abuja Federal High Court.

    The Justice Binta Nyako-led court held that the offences Kanu and others were standing trial for were not entirely bailable.

    She said the charge of treasonable felony they are facing attracts a life sentence.

    She consequently denied all accused persons bail on the grounds that their case was sensitive to national security.

    Also, the trial judge while reacting to an argument of Kanu’s legal team regarding a recent statement made by President Muhammadu Buhari, where he claimed Kanu was guilty of the offence he is standing trial for said, “The president has freedom of speech; he can express his opinion on any matter.”

    Recall that Kanu, alongside Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, were re-arraigned by the Federal Government on 11 count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony and publication of defamatory matter.

    Justice Nyako recently took over the trial of Kanu following the withdrawal of the former trial judge, Justice John Tsoho over allegation of bias levelled against him by the defence team of the pro-Biafra agitator.

    Following his re-arraignment before justice Nyako of the same court, the incarcerated IPOB leader through his legal team, had filed an application for bail on November 8.

    Against the backdrop of the application, the new trial judge had fixed Thursday (today), for consideration of the application.