TheNewsGuru

Tag: Prison

  • Photo: Ex-bank staff bags 98 years in prison for stealing N49m, $368,000

    Photo: Ex-bank staff bags 98 years in prison for stealing N49m, $368,000

    A former staff of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Oreoluwa Adesakin, has been handed a cumulative 98 years in prison by Justice Muniru Olagunju of Oyo High Court for fraud.

    Adesakin, female, was found to have committed financial fraud against her employers to the tune of N49,320,652.32 and an additional $368,203.00 belonging to the bank, which she converted to personal use.

    The convict was prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 14-count charges bordering on stealing, forgery, and fraudulent accounting.

    One of the charges read: “That you Oreoluwa Adesakin sometime between the months of May 2013 and November 2013, at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division, whilst being a staff of First Bank PLC stole the sum of N25,974,116.13 from First Bank PLC MoneyGram Payment Naira Account, the property of First bank PLC.”

    She pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which necessitated her trial.

    Prosecution counsel, Usman Murtala, presented every vital document and witnesses which nailed the convict.

    The judge noted the EFCC amassed a pool of incontrovertible evidence against the convict and did a diligent investigation and prosecution.

    He pronounced Adesakin guilty of all the charges, sentencing her to seven years in prison without an option of fine on each of the 14 counts, which will run concurrently.

    Apart from the jail term, the convict is also to restitute the First Bank, through the EFCC, all the money she stole.

    According to EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the convict was arraigned April 4, 2014, by the EFCC following a conclusion of investigations against her which arose from a petition from her former employer, dated December 18, 2013.

    The bank alleged in the petition that Adesakin, as its Money Transfer Operator, saddled with the responsibility of effecting payments through Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram platforms, fraudulently manipulated accounting and withdrew N49,320,652.32 and another $368,203.00 for herself, which the bank only uncovered while reviewing its internal account.

    The EFCC was also able to establish that the convict used part of the proceeds of her crime to acquire landed properties in different parts of Oyo State.

  • APC lawmaker sent to prison for alleged kidnapping, armed robbery

    APC lawmaker sent to prison for alleged kidnapping, armed robbery

    A member of the Benue State House of Assembly, representing Katsina-Ala State Constituency, Hon. Jonathan Agbidye, has been ordered remanded in prison for alleged kidnapping, armed robbery and criminal conspiracy.

    Justice Isaac Ajim handed down the order on Friday.

    Ajim, of the Makurdi Chief Magistrate Court, remanded Agbidye, of the All Progressives Congress, alongside one other, Denen Zuamo, of Katsina-Ala town, for the alleged offences.

    The police prosecutor, Fidelis Ogbobe, told the court that on May 22, 2018, a Toyota Hilux van with registration number SWA-215-FM and other valuables belonging to Apin Public Health Initiatives was snatched at gunpoint along Katsina-Ala-Tordonga Road in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state to an unknown destination.

    Ogbobe said during police investigation, the duo was arrested with the said vehicle, with registration number: MKD-992-AD, in Makurdi.

    The prosecutor said a further investigation by the police revealed that Agbidye, Zuamo and others now at large allegedly belong to a gang of armed robbers and terrorists headed by the notorious and wanted kingpin, Terwase Akwaza, alias Ghana, who snatched, robbed and abducted the staff of Apin Public Health Initiatives.

    He said the accused persons committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2) A and B and section 6(b) of the Robbery and Fire Arms (Special Provisions) Act, 2004, and Hostage, Kidnapping, Secret Cult and Similar Activities Law of Benue State, 2017.

    The pleas of the accused were not takenas the court had no jurisdiction to hear the matter.

    The prosecuting counsel told the court that investigation into the matter was still on.

    Ogbobe asked the court for another date to enable the police to complete their investigation.

    Counsel to the accused persons, Terhemen Oscar Aorabe, did not oppose the application for adjournment.

    Aorabe told the court he will formally file and apply for the bail of his clients on another date.

    The trial Magistrate adjourned the case to October 12, 2020 for further mention

  • I’ll send you back to prison when I become president, Fayose tells Obasanjo

    I’ll send you back to prison when I become president, Fayose tells Obasanjo

    Immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose has vowed to send the former president Olusegun Obasanjo back to prison for all his alleged grievous infractions committed against Nigeria if he becomes president.

    Fayose said he will ensure Obasanjo accounts for all the alleged financial impropriety and other manifestations of corrupt practices perpetrated during his eight-year tenure as Nigeria’s president and face the full wrath of law.

    The former governor spoke on a monitored programme “Plus Politics”, a programme on PlusTV Africa on Tuesday.

    The former governor and Obasanjo had been launching vitriolic and scathing remarks against one another over the latter’s comments on Senator Buruji Kashamu’s death.

    Obasanjo, in a letter of condolence address to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, alleged that Kashamu used instruments of law and politics to evade justice but couldn’t avoid death.

    But, Fayose, in his condolence message described the ex-president’s statement as regrettable, saying “Nigerians are watching for your end too”.

    Countering Fayose’s outburst, Obasanjo stated that people can mourn him the way they like after his death, urging Nigerians upbraiding him over his remark to learn from Kashamu’s lives and live well.

    However, Fayose, in his reaction, said the former president should be prosecuted for the derisive insults towards the late Kashamu.

    “Let me tell to you, Obasanjo has made hate speech and should be brought to book by this government. I pray one day I will become president of this country by God’s grace. Obasanjo will go back to prison. I’m telling you the truth because there are so many things Obasanjo must be questioned about.

    “Obasanjo is not a saint when he came out of prison his farm at Ota was in shambles. But, today, it is back to life. Where did the money for resuscitating the once ailing farm come from? It was from the government.

    “For the library, all governors at that time contributed 10 million naira each to support Obasanjo by force. The third term is still fresh in our memory. So, baba should stop telling us he is a saint. Shagari was not good enough. He imposed him on Nigerians. He brought Yar’ dua and Jonathan. Nobody is good to Obasanjo except himself.

    “Whatever you say about Kashamu. He has paid his own dues, spent his time. No court convicted him and he left and departed the world. Everybody will have an end. Let wait and see how Obasanjo will end,” he added.

  • Ronaldinho court date set over alleged Paraguay fake passport entry

    Ronaldinho court date set over alleged Paraguay fake passport entry

    A Judge in Paraguay set a date for Brazilian football star Ronaldinho to appear in court over allegations he used a fake passport to enter the country, local media reported Monday.

    The 2002 World Cup winner and his brother Roberto de Assis must appear before a court on Aug. 24, Paraguay’s ABC Color and Brazil’s G1 news outlets reported, citing Assis’ lawyer Sergio Queiroz.

    Judge Gustavo Amarilla will decide whether to follow a request from Paraguayan prosecutors to release the brothers on parole, which would close the case.

    They would then be allowed to return to Brazil, but would still have to pay fines totaling 200,000 dollars.

    Ronaldinho and Assis were arrested over accusations they entered Paraguay in March using fake documents.

    They spent around a month in jail, with the former Barcelona and AC Milan player spending his 40th birthday incarcerated before his lawyer secured his release on bail of 1.6 million dollars.

    Since then, Ronaldinho and Assis have been staying in a hotel in Paraguay’s capital Asuncion.

  • Ex-LGA boss bags 31 years in prison for N97 million fraud

    Ex-LGA boss bags 31 years in prison for N97 million fraud

    Justice N. I . Afolabi of a Federal High Court in Gombe State has sentenced Samuel Bulus Adamu, a former Chairman of Shongom Local Government Area of Gombe State to 31 years in prison.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Justice Afolabi, in the judgment passed on Thursday, found Adamu guilty of all the seven- count charges leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The former council boss was arraigned on March 9, 2015 on a seven- count charge bordering on fraud, cheating and money laundering to the tune of N97,640, 000.00.

    When the charges were read to him, he pleaded “not guilty” to them, thus prompting the EFCC to prosecute him for more than five years.

    During the trial, prosecution counsels, A. M. Labaran and A. Y Muntaka called four witnesses and tendered several exhibits in order to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

    Justice Afolabi convicted and sentenced Adamu to five years imprisonment on counts 1, 2 and 4 without an option of fine.

    On count 3, the court sentenced him to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine and on counts 5, 6 and 7, the court sentenced him to 3 years imprisonment each without an option of fine.

    The sentence is to commence from July 10, 2020, and run concurrently.

    Justice Afolabi also ordered the convict to pay the sum of N31,640,000 to the coffers of Shongom Local Govt through the registry of the court under the supervision of the EFCC.

    Adamu’s journey to prison began when TICAN Engineering Enterprises petitioned the Gombe zonal office of the EFCC on May, 9, 2011 on allegations bordering on fraud, cheating and money laundering to the tune of N97, 640, 000 by way of inflation of contracts for rural electrification of Keffi; Kwara; Gangamari; Daja; Gurwa; Gundale; Bebbulo, Kuka, and Damjigiri areas of Shongom Local Govt., from N66, 000, 000 which was initially approved by the Tender board of Gombe state to N97.6million.

    The EFCC investigated the case and established that Adamu committed the offence, hence his prosecution and conviction.

  • Why we left Orji Kalu’s seat, position vacant till he returned from prison – Lawan

    Why we left Orji Kalu’s seat, position vacant till he returned from prison – Lawan

    President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday explained why the Senate refused to yield to pressure to declare Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s seat and position vacant during the period of his incarceration.

    Lawan told leaders of thought from Abia State that what Senate did by preserving Kalu’s seat and his position was not extra-ordinary but the right and just thing to do.

    The delegation of the leaders of thought were at the National Assembly in Abuja to appreciate the Senate and its leadership for showing their concerns for Kalu during his incarceration.

    Kalu was the Senate Chief Whip when a court in Lagos sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment in December 2019 for fraud committed while he was Abia State Governor between 1999 and 2007.

    Kalu spent six months in the Correctional Facility before he eventually regained his freedom and returned to the Senate following the Supreme Court’s judgement which nullified his conviction on grounds of lack of jurisdiction by the trial judge.

    Lawan told his guests that “there was no way anybody could convince us in the Senate that somebody should take the Abia North Seat because it wasn’t vacant.

    “He (Kalu) was on several appeals and until he exhausted all the opportunities available to him, that seat remained his seat.

    “Similarly the position of the Chief Whip, we didn’t even appoint an acting Chief Whip. The Deputy Chief Whip continued to play that role until he was released.

    “We came under pressure, of course. But we thought the right thing to do was to keep that seat, that position until he was able to get his judgement.

    “It would have been premature, unjust and unfair to declare his seat vacant or his position to be given away because he was in that situation.

    “So we didn’t do anything extra-ordinary really. We did what was right, what was just, what was necessary.”

    Looking at the bi-partisan composition of the group, the Senate President commended the leaders for the unity and understanding among them and their followers.

    “It has been a long time, I have not seen or heard the kind of unity, understanding and desire to move a state forward in a bi-partisan way.

    “Our people need us to give them leadership. They need us to give them good governance. They want to have better life and particularly in Abia state, you have a lot of business people. They would like to see their businesses grow and do well.

    “Once the leaders are united, it makes it much easier for the followership to remain united and supportive so that reaching the promise land can be quite easy,” Lawan said.

    The leader of the delegation, Senator Chris Adighije said the visit was to appreciate the Senate and its leadership for their concerns for the former Governor.

    “We want to thank the Senate. It’s something that the entire Abia State and Indeed the South East appreciate very much,” Ndighije said.

  • Going to prison is honour for politicians – Gbajabiamila

    Going to prison is honour for politicians – Gbajabiamila

    House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila has stated jail experience for any politician is a “badge of honour”.

     

    The Speaker, who was represented by Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, spoke when he led Principal Officers of the House on a visit to Senate Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu, who was recently released from the Nigeria Correctional Centre in Kuje, Abuja.

     

    Wase said the leadership of the House was in Kalu’s home to sympathize with him over his incarceration.

     

    The Deputy Speaker urged the former Abia State governor to take his experience as a life’s lesson and put everything before God.

     

    He said: “We are here to sympathize with you on what happened and your incarceration. As a politician, I want you to take it as one of those things.

     

    “First, we congratulate you and urge you to put everything before God and believe it is part of destiny.

     

    “My Leader, the late Chief Solomon Lar, told me not to fear, as a politician, to go to prison. He told me that going to prison is a badge of honour.

     

    “If you are a good politician, you should be willing to taste prison experience because it will come to you in very many dimensions.

    “That happened to us sometime in the past when we were being chased and humiliated, and he asked us to be resolute and face the issues as they were.

     

    “He reminded us of how he was sentenced to over 90 to 150 years in prison. He told us that as leaders, there is always a judgment that could be passed.

     

    “As our leader, we want you to appreciate what God has done for you; use it for the positive development of our country’s judicial system; use it in the interest of humanity.”

     

     

  • Orji Kalu still in prison as his co-convict gets warrant of release

    Orji Kalu still in prison as his co-convict gets warrant of release

    A warrant for the release former Director Finance and Account at the Abia Government House, Ude Udeogu, who was convicted alongside former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, has been issued.

    According to reports, the Supreme Court issued the warrant for release of Udeogu from Kuje prison, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    It was learnt he may be released any moment from now by the Correctional Service.

    But Kalu’s fate remains uncertain without a warrant of release for him.

    Recall the Nigeria Correctional Service has said it has not released Kalu, from the Kuje custodial facility because no warrant for his release from the Supreme Court has been received.

    The NCoS spokesman, Chuks Njoku, said this in reaction to reports that Kalu had been released from custody where he had been held for five months.

    Reports had indicated that the senator was released on Friday shortly after the Supreme Court voided his December conviction in a multi-billion naira corruption trial.

    The lawmaker was said to have moved to his residence in Asokoro, Abuja after he was discharged from custody by the NCoS.

    But the NCoS spokesman, Chuks Njoku, told newsmen yesterday that the service had not received the court judgment and the warrant for Kalu’s release from the custodial centre.

  • Just in: Why Orji Kalu remains in prison despite Supreme Court’s ruling

    Just in: Why Orji Kalu remains in prison despite Supreme Court’s ruling

    A former Governor of Abia State, Mr. Orji Uzor Kalu has remained in Kuje Prison because the judgement of the Supreme Court does not affect him.

    The Apex Court, it was learnt, did not issue any order for Kalu’s release because he did not file any application for such.

    The judgement only covers the Appellant, Mr. Ude Jones Udeogu, who challenged the propriety of a Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Mohammed Idris to try him.

    The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Correctional Service Mr. Jaafar Ahmed, has also refused to release Kalu because there was no any order from the Supreme Court.

    It was learnt Kalu may have to approach the Court of Appeal, where he has a pending matter, to ask for his release following the dismissal of the judgement of the Federal High Court, Lagos by the Supreme Court.

    According to a copy of the judgement, the Supreme Court clearly stated that the judgement relates only to the Appellant.

  • 120 inmates infected with coronavirus in 4 prisons

    One hundred and twenty inmates in Turkey have tested positive for the coronavirus so far in four prisons, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said on Tuesday in Ankara.

    The minister added none of the infected was in critical condition.

    “All [inmates] are receiving treatment in hospital. There is no inmate in an intensive care unit; all are in a good state of health,” Gul told a televised news conference.

    The minister would not disclose the locations of the prisons.

    On April 13, Gul reported 17 coronavirus cases in Turkish prisons and said three of them had died of the disease.

    There were no confirmed cases in closed prisons at the time, he said.

    Turkey earlier this month started releasing around 90,000 inmates as part of a mass amnesty in a bit to reduce overcrowding and stop the spread of the epidemic in prisons.

    The amnesty has been criticised for excluding opposition politicians, journalists, academics, civil servants and lawyers accused of terrorism-related charges.

    The nationwide death toll from Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, climbed by 95 to 2,900, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Monday.

    The minister said that the number of positive cases rising to more than 112,000.