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Tag: Jail

  • LG Autonomy: Many corrupt chairmen ‘ll go to jail, says Oba of Lagos

    LG Autonomy: Many corrupt chairmen ‘ll go to jail, says Oba of Lagos

    The Oba of Lagos, Riliwan Aremu Akiolu has said that many Local Government Chairmen would be jailed for embezzling council funds following the Supreme Court judgment which granted financial autonomy to Local Governments.

    He however urged Council Chairmen not to see the autonomy as an unhindered avenue or opportunity to embezzle public funds.

    Oba Akiolu gave the advice in a chat with newsmen while reacting to the judgment in his Palace at lga-Iduganran on Lagos lsland.

    Oba Akiolu said full autonomy granted to Local Government areas must make them more accountable to the people; adding that failure to spend Local Government funds judiciously will see many council chairmen jailed for corruption.

    ”Majority of the council chairmen have to be careful. If care is not taken, the prison yard will be full of them if they see it as an avenue to make money. It is now time for Nigerians to vote for good people as Local Government Chairmen,” he said.

    Oba Akiolu also used the medium to call on Nigerians to be patient with the President Bola Tinubu -led administration in its quest to reposition the country to greater heights.

    Make unbiased suggestions and constructive criticism of your leaders, don’t pull them down with negative statements.

    Oba Akiolu expressed optimism that Nigeria will overcome all the challenges confronting her and come out stronger.

    ”I always tell Public office holders to understand that every position is temporary, hence all leaders must strive hard to be accountable to the people ”

    Speaking earlier on 60 years remembrance of a former Oba of Lagos, late Oba Musediku Adeniji- Adele the second, Oba Akiolu urged the children of the late monarch to uphold the legacies of uprightness, fear of God and genuine love for mankind that their father left behind.

    Among diginatries who graced the occasion were the Deputy Governor of Lagos, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat , Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Kayode Roberts and White Cap Chiefs of Lagos led by the Opeoluwa of Lagos.

  • Woman wrongly convicted freed after 43 years in jail

    Woman wrongly convicted freed after 43 years in jail

    A 63-year-old Missouri woman, Sandra “Sandy” Hemme, who was imprisoned for more than 40 years for murder, has had her conviction overturned after spending 43 years in prison for a murder she did not commit.

    According to the Foreign news outlet, The Guardian, on Sunday, Hemme was convicted in 1985 based on her incriminating statements, made while she was a psychiatric patient.

    However, a judge has now ruled that there is “clear and convincing” evidence that she was innocent of the crime.

    Hemme, now 63, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1980 murder of a library worker, Patricia Jeschke, in St Joseph, Missouri, after Hemme made statements to the police incriminating herself while she was a psychiatric patient.

    Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman on Friday ruled that “evidence directly” ties the murder of Jeschke to a local police officer who later went to prison for another crime and has since died.

    The judge said that Hemme who has spent the last 43 years behind bars, must be freed within 30 days unless prosecutors decide to re-try her.

    The judge’s decision followed a January hearing where Hemme’s legal team presented evidence linking the murder to Michael Holman, a former local police officer who has since passed away
    Hemme’s conviction was the longest-known wrongful conviction of a woman in US history.

    Her legal team, with the Innocence Project, argued that authorities ignored Hemme’s contradictory statements and failed to disclose evidence that would have helped her defence.

    Her attorneys in a statement said, “We are grateful to the Court for acknowledging the grave injustice Ms Hemme has endured for more than four decades.”

    Hemme initially pleaded guilty to capital murder to avoid the death penalty, but her conviction was later overturned on appeal.

    She was retried in 1985, with the only evidence against her being her contradictory and factually impossible “confession” made while she was a psychiatric patient.

    In a 147-page petition, her attorneys seeking her exoneration argued that authorities had ignored these inconsistencies.

  • Don’t jail me, let me go home – Convict begs judge

    Don’t jail me, let me go home – Convict begs judge

    A Federal High Court Lagos on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a 30-year-old man, Omonile Akinbaye, to a term of 12 months in the correctional service for drug trafficking.

    After the conviction, Akinbaye incoherently told the court, “No send me to jail, allow me to go to my house.”

    The defendant was arraigned before Justice Friday Ogazi on a one-count charge of unlawful dealing in hemp.

    Akinbaye who had no legal representation, pleaded guilty to the charge.

    Following his plea, the Prosecutor, Mrs Juliana Negedu, called a witness, Mr Benjamin Nketah, an operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), to give evidence.

    The witness told the court that he works as a central exhibit keeper with the Lagos command of the NDLEA where the defendant was brought before him on Oct. 18, 2023, with the seized narcotics.

    He told the court that requisite analysis was conducted on the substance, which tested positive to cannabis sativa also known as hemp, weighing 341g.

    The prosecutor also tendered several documents before the court such as a drug analysis form, request for scientific aid form, and a packing of substance form.

    Other documents tendered included a bulk of the narcotics, drug analysis report and statement of the defendant.

    She urged the court to proceed and convict the defendant based on the evidence adduced.

    The court convicted the defendant as charged.

    Before the sentence, the court asked the convict if he had any reason why the court should not send him to jail.

    In response, the convict who had been making “uncoordinated” statements in court said: “No send me to that place; allow me to go to my house.”

    The convict also told the court that he owned a vehicle which he personally drives, but that he also traded on “smoke” as a support.

    He said: “I get motor wey be my own, but I dey sell smoke also. If this one no work, then that one go work,” he said

    Meanwhile, some lawyers in court raised concerns about the sanity of the convict stressing that he could be paranoid and unaware.

    On its part, the court asked the prosecution, whether she thought the convict was a proper case for rehabilitation rather than prosecution.

    In response, the prosecutor informed the court that cases were referred for rehabilitation where the volume of narcotics was not above 100g.

    She noted that the instant case dealt with 341g of cannabis which was far above the threshold.

    In his verdict, the court sentenced the convict to 12 months at the correctional centre with an option of N250,000 fine.

    The court warned the convict never to engage in any deal on weed, adding that if he was brought back to the court, he risked a jail term of seven years.

    The court ordered that he be transferred to the correctional centre pending his fulfilment of fine option.

    The convict, according to the charge, committed the offence on Oct. 13, 2023 at the Isolo area of Lagos.

    “He dealt in 341g of cannabis sativa, restricted narcotics similar to cocaine and heroin, without lawful authority.”

    The offence, the prosecutor said, contravened the provisions of Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30 Law of the Federation, 2004.

  • Native doctor jailed for killing neighbour’s cow

    Native doctor jailed for killing neighbour’s cow

    An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, sentenced a 45-year-old native doctor, Micheal Oyewole, to 12 months imprisonment for killing his neighbour’s cow.

    The convict, who resides at Araromi Alakaloko Olomore area in Abeokuta, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, theft and willfully and unlawfully killing of a cow.

    However, Magistrate  O.O. Odumosu held that the prosecution, had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty of the offence.

    She sentenced  Oyewole, to 12 calender months imprisonment with an option of fine of N10,000 for the stealing and six months for willing and unlawfully killing the cow.

    The magistrate ordered that the convict can only exercise the option of payments of fine, only if he pays N400,000 to the complainant, being the cost of the cow he killed.

    She added that the sentence should run concurrently.

    Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel,  ASP Olakunle Shonibare told the court that the convict committed the offence on June 3, at about 11:00pm at Alakoloko Unique Estate Olomore area in Abeokuta.

    Shonibare, said  that the convict conspired with others at large and stole a cow valued N400,000 property of one Mr Hakeem Ominrinde.

    He said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 516, 383 and 450 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun 2006.

  • 20-year-old fuel attendant jailed for embezzling money from POS

    20-year-old fuel attendant jailed for embezzling money from POS

    A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a 20-year-old fuel attendant, Henry Dung to six months imprisonment for stealing N521,000.

    Magistrate Shawomi Bokkos, summarily sentenced Dung after he pleaded guilty.

    Bokkos, however, gave the convict an option to pay a N20,000 fine and also ordered him to pay N370,000 as compensation to the complainant.

    The magistrate said the punishment would serve as a deterrent to other would-be offenders.

    Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Ibrahim Gokwat told the court that the case was reported on Aug.28, at the Area Command Police Station Jos by Mr Eric Iheoma, the complainant.

    The prosecutor said the convict was manipulating the POS to make extra money for himself until the company employed an auditor.

    Adding that on further search the sum of N143,730 was found on the convict also a phone, shoe, sandal, and some clothing which he claimed he used the money to buy.

    The offence, according to the prosecutor, is punishable under the provisions of the Plateau state Penal Code Law.

  • Man, 40, jailed for 5 months for exhibiting sex act with bird

    Man, 40, jailed for 5 months for exhibiting sex act with bird

    A man who admitted masturbating to ‘animal porn’ while holding a baby seagull has been jailed for 24 weeks.

    David Lee captured the baby seagull and took it down a back alley in Sunderland before pulling his trousers down and masturbating with the bird between his legs.

    The 40-year-old was later tracked down to a nearby takeaway, where he initially claimed to have been helping the baby gull by looking up a vet on his phone.

    Police subsequently discovered Lee had been watching ‘animal porn’ during the incident, that was caught on a local resident’s CCTV camera.

    Magistrates at South Tyneside Magistrate’s Court handed the 40-year-old an immediate 24-week jail term and banned him from keeping animals for 10 years.

    Lee, of Roker Avenue, Sunderland, previously admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the herring gull during the incident at around 1am near Gladstone Street in Sunderland.

    The incident saw Lee, who was described as a heavy drinker with unstable personality disorder, put his phone on a box in the alleyway before engaging in a sex act with the seagull and then kicking the baby bird away.

  • Justice well served: 57yr old lady to rot in jail for 29yrs for raping 8yr old boy

    Justice well served: 57yr old lady to rot in jail for 29yrs for raping 8yr old boy

    A 57-year -old woman, Desderia Mbwelwa, has been sentenced to twenty-nine years imprisonment for raping an eight years old boy.

    The Tanzanian court found the 57yr old woman guilty last Friday who not only raped the boy, but allegedly gave him a sexually transmitted disease.

    According to reports, the lady found the boy herding cattle in one of the villages in southern district of Iringa. After discovering he was alone, she sexually assaulted him under a tree.

    Five witnesses including a doctor who examined the boy, confirmed that the boy sustained injuries and contracted sexual infections due to contamination in his genital area.

    Mbwelwa’s lawyer, Frank Mwela, said they will appeal the judgement arguing that the lady has not been tested to confirm if she has sexua infections.

  • My ministers scared of going to jail after losing election – Jonathan

    My ministers scared of going to jail after losing election – Jonathan

    Former president, Goodluck Jonathan has revealed that members of his cabinet were scared of going to jail after the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, won the election in 2015.

    Jonathan stated this while speaking in an interview aired by Arise TV on Monday.

    He said some of his cabinet members even thought he would run away but he stayed in the country.

    “In my own time, especially in the 2015 elections, my ministers, my senior officers, people who worked with me; there was this fear that having lost the election, what would be our fate?

    “Would the new government just throw all of us into jail without giving a fair hearing? Because the government is next to the court and can decide to do anything,” Jonathan said.

  • Court sentence painter for stealing four Bibles, 124 church forms

    Court sentence painter for stealing four Bibles, 124 church forms

    A Grade I Area Court sitting in Kabusa, Abuja, has sentenced a 30-year-old painter, Zakaraya Usman to two months imprisonment for stealing four bibles, 124 church membership forms.

    The Judge, Malam Abubakar Sadiq, sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

    Sadiq, however, gave him the option to pay a fine of N10,000 or serve the jail term.

    “Based on your admission to committing the crime, you are hereby, convicted as charged.

    “You are also hereby sentenced to two months imprisonment, or pay a fine of N10,000,’’ the judge ruled.

    Sadiq also advised the convict not to repeat the act and warned that the court would not be lenient on him if he commits such a crime again.

    Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr O. S. Osho told the court that the matter was reported at the Durumi Police Station by Mr David Usman, the Chief Security Officer of Living Faith Church, Durumi I branch.

    Osho said that the convict trespassed into the church premises and stole three mini bibles, one big bible, 14 Caprisonne drinks, two bottles of water, 18 testimonial certificates, and 124 church membership forms.

    Other items, he said, are security jackets, two shirts, two jackets, two handkerchiefs, two bags and some cash.

    The prosecutor said that during the police investigation, all the items were recovered from him.

    The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 288 of the Penal Code.

     

  • Prophet to serve 21yrs jail term for raping his daughter in Akwa Ibom

    Prophet to serve 21yrs jail term for raping his daughter in Akwa Ibom

    The Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Okoita, Ibiono Ibom local government, has sentenced a Prophet, Anwana Peter Essien, to 21 years in prison for allegedly raping his 10 year-old step daughter.

    The 37 year-old prophet was said to have raped his Junior Secondary School one step daughter on August 9, 2019.

    He reportedly had carnal knowledge of the victim when she stayed in his house at Itiam Street, Uyo, during the holiday.

    The convict, an indigene of Afaha Ise in Ibiono Ibom, had confessed during his evidence that a demon ‘pushed’ him in the midnight to forcefully undress the victim and have intercourse with her.

    Essien said, “I know the victim of this case. She is my wife’s daughter. In the month of August, 2019, she came to my house at Itiam Street, Uyo. I gave her food and she ate then after eating, I told her to remove her clothes but she refused.

    “I forced her and removed her clothes. I was the one that used my hand and removed my penis and forcefully inserted into her vagina and had carnal knowledge of her. When I was having sex with her, I did not use any condom”.

    In his judgement, Presiding Judge, Justice Okon Okon held that the confession was, “direct, positive and unequivocal that the randy stepfather had sexual intercourse with his step daughter.

    “The parameters established for the proof of rape, have all been satisfied by the evidence of the prosecution witnesses, including the victim and the medical doctor who examined her, fortified by the confessional statement voluntarily made by the accused person himself.

    “It is most despicable and depressing, that the supposed man of God overpowered and defiled an innocent child of about ten years who is incidentally, his own step daughter.

    “The defendant lacks any claim of moral rectitude having thrown over board, the limits of his liberties by shamelessly stripping and polluting the dignity, chastity and sanctity of his step daughter’s body and totally disregarding her under age status”.

    Justice Okon found Anwana Essien guilty as charged and accordingly convicted him, adding that the 21 years imprisonment is with effect from when the convict was taken into custody in the Custodial Centre, Uyo.

    The convict however begged the court to release him, as he has a son that has nobody to take care of him.