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Tag: Fine

  • Yuletide: Traffic offenders to pay N100,000 fine – FRSC

    The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, plans are underway to compel traffic offenders to pay one hundred thousand Naira as penalty for a traffic offence.

    Oyeyemi said this in an interview on the sideline of the Technical Working Group on Nigeria Road Safety Strategy on Wednesday in Abuja.

    “You cannot arrest somebody for using a phone while driving and he pays four thousand Naira as penalty. And almost immediately he goes back to commit same offence.

    “Fines are supposed to serve as deterrent, which is why I said that I am in support of what the National Assembly is doing presently amending the Act of the FRSC to make the fines go up.

    “I was not the one that initiated it, it is the National Assembly that initiated it and I am in support and I will make sure that before the middle of next year this is pass into law.

    “I believe that by the time traffic offenders’ start paying between fifty to one hundred thousand Naira for a single traffic offence, they will not want to commit such offence again,” said.

    The FRSC boss reiterated that penalties for traffic offences were to serve as deterrent adding that the present regime of fines and penalties do not serve as deterrent, hence the need to increase the fines.

    “Look at Lagos, the minimum fine is fifty thousand naira and people are complying. I am not a revenue-generating agency but again we must ensure that those fines serve as deterrent for people not to do it again

    “When an offender pays fifty thousand or one hundred thousand Naira fine, he or she will think twice before committing the offence again.

    “What is the essence of a person disobeying traffic light and pays four thousand Naira only. In fact, some of them insult us saying ‘ is it not four thousand?’.

    “They will go to our office and use the POS to pay and walk away and you will see them entering their cars and using the phone again,” he said.

    Oyeyemi explained that aside fines, the FRSC also take traffic offenders to health facilities and court of law.

    He stressed that court usually gives its own penalty, “but the court is always liberal a bit; we appreciate them.”

    He said also that the corps was proposing community services as a punishment for traffic offenders.

    “This punishment is also in the amendment now; when you are convicted, in your suit and tie you will go for community services.

    “People think that the fines are high but they seem not to understand what we have been stressing; fines are to serve as deterrent.

    “If you don’t want to pay the fine, then don’t commit the offence,” Oyeyemi said.

     

     

    NAN

  • N20m fine: DPR to sanction erring depot owners selling above ex-depot price

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday said that 80 political parties submitted applications for registration ahead of the 2019 elections.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Tuesday at the Fourth Situation Room Stakeholders Forum on Elections, organised by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Abuja.

    There are currently 67 political parties already registered.

    Yakubu, who was represented by Dr AdeKunle Ogunmola, a National Commissioner at INEC, said that the commission was also being asked to register independent candidates for the elections.

    “As it is today, 80 more groups are seeking registration as political parties.

    “We will continue to register them until the time scheduled by the Electoral Act for us to stop.

    “The issue of Independent candidacy is still there too.

    “Right now, we are thinking of how to design our ballot papers to take care of all the registered political parties.

    “So far, the hardest was the Anambra election, where 37 political parties fielded candidates,’’ the chairman said.

    Yakubu said the commission was determined to ensure that the 2019 elections were free, fair and credible.

  • Court rejects suit compelling MTN to pay N1.04trn fine to FG

    Court rejects suit compelling MTN to pay N1.04trn fine to FG

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday rejected a suit seeking to compel MTN Nigeria Communications Limited to pay into the federation account N1.04trillion, being the fine that was imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    Delivering the judgement, Justice Babatunde Quadri also refused to issue an order of mandamus to compel NCC to perform its statutory obligation under section 45(1) (a) (b) and (c) of the Nigeria Communications Act, by revoking MTN’s operation licence, pending when it paid the fine.

    The judgment was on a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/448/2016, filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Raphael Igbokwe and Emmanuel Njoku, who said the sued for themselves and on behalf of “Nigerians Against Exploitation By Telecommunications Operators.”

    The plaintiffs had, among others, queried the powers of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Minister of Communications Technology to reduce the N1.04trillion fine imposed on MTN to N780billion.

    Defendants in the suit were the NCC, MTN, the AGF and the Minister of Communication Technology.

    Justice Quadri upheld preliminary objections filed by the defendants against the suit, to the effect that the suit was statute barred.

    He upheld their contention that 30 days had elapsed before the plaintiffs approached the court to challenge the fine they said was reduced since 2015.

    The judge said the plaintiffs did not fulfil necessary condition precedent to the filling of such suit, and that they failed to exhaust all other remedies that were provided in sections 86, 87 and 88 of the NCC Act and Order 34 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules.

    He said the plaintiffs ought to have applied for statement of reason from the NCC, request for a review of the decision of the commission within 30 days, and specify reasons why they wanted MTN to be compelled to pay the fine in full.

    Justice Quadri said it was only after the conditions were met that the plaintiffs could apply to court for a judicial review of the decision.

    The plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Okere Kingdom, prayed the court to, among other things, determine the following questions:

    “Whether or not the Hon. Minister of Justice/Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Communications Technology have powers to amend, alter, adjust or vary any provisions of a delegated legislation or any other law validly made by the National Assembly, or any rules, regulations and orders validly made by any delegated legislature pursuant to an Act of the National Assembly.

    “Whether or not the National Assembly of Nigeria or any arm of the National Assembly has the constitutional powers to constitute an investigative panel and to summon any government official, to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the alteration, variation and reduction of the fine lawfully imposed on MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd by the NCC, which fine was imposed pursuant to delegated powers conferred on the NCC by an Act of the National Assembly.

    “Whether or not MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd has breached section 146(1) and (2) of the NCC Act and sections 19(1) and 20 (1) and (2) of the NCC (Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations) 2011, by intentionally and willfully failing to disconnect and register all unregistered subscribers on its network as stipulated in the Act.”

    Igbokwe stated, in an affidavit, that the House of Representatives had by a motion moved by Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson captioned ‘need to investigate the payment made by MTN on the fine levied by the NCC’, constituted a committee to investigate issues, circumstances and motives behind “the huge reduction of the N1.04trillion fine imposed on MTN.

    He stated that controversy surrounding the reduction of the fine was a matter of public interest for which Nigerians deserved to know, adding that both Malami and Shittu refused to appear before the House of Representatives investigative committee, “thereby denying Nigerians opportunity to know the said circumstances and rationale leading to the reduction of the fine”.

     

  • Tax fraud: Messi escapes jail term, as court rules he pays €252,000 fine instead

    Lionel Messi and his father saw their suspended prison sentences for tax fraud reduced to fines by a Barcelona court on Friday.

    The pair had been convicted of hiding image rights royalties in offshore accounts and had been given suspended jail terms of 21 and 15 months.

    Messi will pay 252,000 euros ($287,000) and his father 180,000 euros.

    Messi will not spend any time in jail after the Barcelona court agreed that his 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud could be replaced with a fine of around €252,000.

    Messi’s father Jorge, whose original sentence was reduced to 15 months upon appeal, has also seen his punishment exchanged for a fine of around €180,000.

    Prosecutors first said last month that they were not opposed to the Barca star being fined €400 per day for the duration of the sentence, an option also put forward by the player’s defence team.

    A judge has now accepted that proposition put forward by prosecutors by making what should be the final decision in a case which has been ongoing for a number of years.

    Messi and his father were both found guilty of three counts of tax fraud totalling €4.7 million last year. In addition to their sentences, they were ordered to pay fines of €2m and €1.5m respectively.

    AFP

  • MTN lands in fresh trouble, fined $8.5m

    MTN lands in fresh trouble, fined $8.5m

    Rwanda’s telecom industry regulator has fined MTN Rwanda, a division of South Africa’s MTN Group, 7 billion francs (8.5 million dollars) for running its IT services outside the country in breach of its licence.

    The regulator said in a ruling posted on its website in Kigali that MTN Rwanda was hosting its IT services hub in Uganda, which it had prohibited. “They are punished for relocating their IT services outside Rwanda, and this was deliberate,’’ Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority Spokesman Anthony Kulamba said.

    MTN Group said it had also received a notification about the fine. “MTN has been engaging with the regulator on this matter over the past four months.

    “MTN Rwanda is currently studying the official notification and will continue to engage with the regulator on this matter,” it said in a statement. In 2016, the company, which operates in 20 countries, set aside 600 million dollars to pay a fine imposed by the Nigerian government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for not disconnecting unregistered SIM cards.

    It paid N30 billion (95.24 million dollars) of the amount in March. Other telecoms companies operating in Rwanda are Tigo, a unit of Millicom and Airtel Rwanda, a unit of India’s Bharti Airtel.

  • Court slams N50,000 fine on El-Rufai for breaching lawyer’s right to life

    Kaduna State High Court 9 presided by Hon. Justice Esther Lolo on Monday asked Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state to pay N50,000 as fine to one Barrister Gloria Mabeiam Ballason in suit nos KDH/KAD/164/17 between her and the governor.

    The court also restrained the governor from arresting, prosecuting and jailing the young lawyer for expressing her published opinion in a Nigerian newspaper.

    The case which was first mentioned on 1st March, 2017 was filed by the Applicant’s Lagos- based lawyers, Messrs Matthew Burkaa & Co.

    Ballason had an array of prominent lawyers numbering 36. They include tough Human Rights Lawyer, Festus Okoye Esq, the Chairman Nigeria Bar Association, (NBA), Kaduna Branch, Ndasule Sherrif Esq, B.L. Aliyu Esq, Reuben James Esq ( Former 3rd national Vice President of the NBA), Mark Jacob ( Former Attorney General of Kaduna State), Timothy Kambai Esq, Mike Nwakanma Esq, Sule Shuaibu Esq, James Kanyip Esq, M.T. Mohammed Esq , Bavo Nyan Esq et al.

    According to her lawyers, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State had threatened to arrest and prosecute Gloria for her civic activities including an opinion article she wrote on November 28th, 2016 in her column in the Blueprint Newspaper.

    The threat, the court was told, was issued on 17th January, 2017 by the governor at the Kaduna State Government House when the President of the Nigerian Bar, A.B. Mahmud SAN and his team including the Applicant paid an official visit to the Governor.

    In her ruling, Justice Lolo found that contrary to the governor’s denial, that indeed a threat had been issued, “which would put any reasonable person who understands the authority of a governor in fear.”

    The Court found that there was a likelihood of a breach of Right to life under section 33 of the constituting of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. She also affirmed that there has been an infringement of the dignity of the Applicant under section 34 of the 1999 constitution.

    She also ruled that there was a breach to the right of freedom of expression of the applicant and the Press under section 39 of the 199 constitution. The Court found that the article was also not injurious and ordered the governor not to arrest the applicant on the basis of same.

  • Reps propose N100, 000 fine for National flag abuse

    Reps propose N100, 000 fine for National flag abuse

    A Bill for a law to provide N100, 000 fine for people who distort the country’s national flag passed second reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday.

    Sponsor of the bill, Rep. Sam Onuigbo (Abia-PDP), in the debate, said the bill sought to amend Flag and Coat of Arms Act 2004 and would make further provisions to preserve the country’s national heritage.

    He said there had been surreptitious effort to change the national flag as many public and private offices constructed the Coat-of Arms on it.

    Onuigbo said that the offices even included official photographs of governors, ministers, and even national assembly members in the designs.

    According to him, it is important to declare that any addition, subtraction or superimposition outside the version designed by Pa Michael Akinkunmi in 1959 is not the Nigerian flag.

    He explained that the bill aimed to amend Section 7 of the principal Act by inserting new paragraphs to provide for stiffer penalties for offenders.

    According to the lawmaker, Section 10 of the principal Act is amended by removing the fine of N100 and replacing same with the sum of N100, 000.

    ‘‘Also any person who flies or exhibits the national flag which is deconstructed, thereby creating an impression of using the national flag, where actually the flag is deconstructed shall be guilty of an offence against the Act.

    ‘‘Similarly, any person who uses the national coat and inserts same into the national flag thereby creating an illegal form of our national flag shall be guilty of an offence against this act,’’ Onuigbo said.

    In his contribution, Rep. Nicholas Ossai (Delta-PDP), condemned the violation of the Act on the national flag by government and corporate organisations.

    Ossai, who described the distortion of the flag as disrespect for the nation, said that violating the Act was an infringement on what the national flag set to achieve.

    Also, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers-PDP) said that there was need to raise the consciousness toward protecting the country’s national pride.

    He advocated stiffer penalty for offenders, saying “it is criminal and the offenders should be adequately punished’’.

  • JUST IN: Ekiti Assembly slams N1m fine on ex-gov, Kayode Fayemi

    JUST IN: Ekiti Assembly slams N1m fine on ex-gov, Kayode Fayemi

    The Ekiti State House of Assembly on Tuesday imposed a N1m fine on the immediate past governor of the state and current Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    The Assembly slammed the Minister with the fine for failing to honour the three summons served on him.

    The decision to fine Fayemi was taken by the lawmakers at their plenary on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

     

    Details Later…

  • MTN pays N80bn of N330bn fine — FG

    MTN pays N80bn of N330bn fine — FG

    The Federal Government says MTN had paid N80 billion of the N330 billion fine imposed on it for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards.

    Speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja, the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said that the company paid the sum for the first year.

    It will be recalled that MTN was initially fined 5.2 billion dollars (N1.04 trillion) for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards but was later reduced to N330 billion.

    “For the first year, they paid N80 billion, after paying the initial N50 billion, and they will have to pay for three years until they will complete the N330 billion.

    “MTN does not have a choice, when the law was made, it said for every unregistered SIM card in use, the fine is N200, 000, the law never anticipated that one company will be in violation to the tune of millions of lines.

    “It was inconceivable, so when the thing was added 200,000 times 5.2 million lines, it came to a trillion plus.

    “When it happened, the MTN did four things; one they accepted that they were in default, two, they apologised for that and three they committed themselves never to allow such a thing to happen and number four, they asked for remission.

    “Government had to look at a number of factors because if they have to pay this amount; they will pack up.

    “We also knew that we invited the international community to come and invest and anything that will be done which will shake the confidence of international investors in Nigerian economy, we must avoid it.

    “Consequently, we must not throw away the baby with the bath water, if they had packed up and left, let us assume all their staff are not more than 5, 000, it means all of those 5,000 will lose their jobs.

    “Also those who made investment, who bought shares will lose their shares and the Nigeria banking sector would go into crisis,’’ he said.

    The minister said that even in the court system, if one was fined and could not pay for one reason or the other, the person would ask for reconsideration either by way of appeal or bringing a motion.

  • BREAKING: Yaya Toure banned, fined £54,000 for drink-driving

    Ivory Coast midfielder, Yaya Toure, has been banned from driving for 18 months and fined £54,000 ($68,500, 64,600 euros) for drink-driving. The player personally disclosed this on his Facebook wall on Tuesday.

    Recall that the four-time African player of the Year and a member of the Ivory Coast side that won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, is a Muslim.

    His post on facebook reads: “Over the last two weeks there has been some confusion as to why I was charged with drink driving, as it is well known that I am a Muslim and do not drink.

    Toure was stopped last month while driving in east London and found to be over the limit.

    “I have always refused alcohol. Anyone who knows me or follows football will have seen me refuse champagne for Man of the Match performances because of my commitment to my religion.”

    Toure, who retired from international football in September, said the court had also accepted he had not intentionally drunk alcohol but had nevertheless punished him according to the law.

    “The matter has now been resolved in court on Monday,” wrote Toure, who only recently returned to first team action with Manchester City after a stand-off with manager Pep Guardiola caused by his agent.

    “As I was above the permitted limit when tested on the night, I decided not to challenge the charge.

    “However, it was important to me that I told the court that I had not intentionally consumed alcohol. The judge in his sentencing remarks accepted that I had not been intentionally drinking.

    “Drink driving is a serious crime and even though I was not intentionally consuming alcohol I accept the ban and fine and I would like to apologise for this situation.”