News

Alleged N950m fraud: Court orders ex-Punch worker, others be produced for arraignment

Published

11 months ago

February 26, 2024

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

An Ikeja Special Offences Court has ruled that the former staff members of Punch Newspaper Ltd., Olusegun Ogunbanjo and others, charged with N950 million fraud be produced for arraignment.

Other defendants in the suit numbered ID/21559C/2023 are Olawunmi Ogunbanjo, Vaneloo International Ltd., Valeco Global Ventures, Bagco Garba, Taofeek Ogunbanjo, Ifeanyi Odogwu, Bound Media Ltd., and Godwin Benson.

Justice Ismail Ijelu in his ruling said the court had thoroughly examined the information and proof of evidence in the case and formed the view that its jurisdiction to entertain the case was absolutely intact.

Ijelu said the applicant/defendant’s objection was unmeritorious as he failed to establish that the prosecution in the case engaged in improper use of judicial process to interfere with the efficient and effective administration of justice.

According to him, the court had been empowered to make restraining order such as interim order which has an effect of freezing the property thereby preventing the suspect from dealing with proceeds of crime by him or third part on his behalf, pending the determination of the case.

He said: “The defendant/applicant stated that the prosecution filed a charge against him at the Magistrate Court three and one at Yaba and there is an information before Justice Nicole-Clay filed before the case was brought before this court.

“In responding to this fact, the respondent stated that the criminal charge against the first defendant/applicant at the Magistrate Court had since been discontinued and this was not disputed by the first defendant/applicant.

“The defendant/applicant contention seemed to be that the fact that charges were filed at different times in different courts constitute an abuse of court process.

This might be so in civil matters, however, this contention failed to have regard to the fact that trials are yet to start in these cases.”

The judge said an abuse in criminal cases would result if after filing the same charge in different courts, the prosecution began trials in all of them simultaneously, without discontinuing one or the other.

He said it was so because the attorney general had the discretion as to which court a defendant was to be prosecuted.

According him: “The fact that he chooses to file information at the high court when a matter is pending at Magistrate court, does not amount to abuse of court process, as the charge at the magistrate court has been technically discontinued upon filing information at the high court, on similar facts against the defendant.

“The fact that the defendant/applicant filed a fundamental right action at the federal high court does not mean that a criminal action can not be proceeded.

“In fact. it can proceed simultaneously and fundamental rights action can not used to shield a person against criminal prosecution.

“The applicant’s ground that no proof of evidence or hearing notice was served on him is of no moment as the court has the power to grant interim forfeiture ex-parte even in the absence of the charge.”

The judge further said that publication was made to the member of the public Including the first defendant which was done within 14 days but the first defendant did not obey the order.

“There is nothing before the court to show compliance by the defendant.

“Rather to comply with the order of the court, he chose to challenge the jurisdiction of the court.

“This court has thoroughly examined the information and proof of evidence in this case and form the view that its jurisdiction to entertain this case is absolutely intact.

“The objection of the first defendant is hereby overruled and he and other defendants shall be produced in court to take their plea,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that theboth counsel had on Jan. 30 adopted their written addresses.

Counsel to the first defendant/applicant, Mr Charles Jiakponna, had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr Babajide Martins, in his 11-paragraph counter-affidavit had prayed the court to dismiss the preliminary objection.

He had said that the objection lacked merit.

NAN also reports that Ogunbanjo had been arraigned before a Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court on March 10, 2023, for alleged N950 million fraud.

Magistrate Adeola Olatubosun had granted him bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum, following his not guilty plea to the three-count charge of obtaining by false pretences, forgery and stealing.

Ogunbanjo is alleged to have obtained N450 million from one Mr Olusola lkuyajesin and N500 million from one Mr Durodola Balogun under false pretences of using the money to buy stationeries.

He also allegedly forged an organisation’s local purchase orders to carry out the acts, in contravention of Sections 287, 314 and 365 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The judge adjourned the case until March 14 for arraignment.

News

Total Blackout Looms As Vandals, Again, Attack Transmission Line – TCN

Published

42 minutes ago

January 30, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Thursday said its tower T195 along the Ugwuaji–Makurdi 330 kV transmission line was vandalised on Saturday.

TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, in a statement in Abuja, said that the vandalism took place at Watuolo village, Utonkon, in Ado Local Government Area of Benue.

Mbah, however, said that the vandalism was thwarted by the vigilance of the community members, who at about 3 a.m. noticed suspicious activity around the tower.

She said that the community members promptly apprehended one of the suspected vandals while the others escaped and handed him over to the police.

”TCN commends the people of Watuolo village for their swift action and vigilance.

”We equally appeal to communities hosting critical infrastructure to emulate this example and take ownership of protecting transmission installations in their vicinity.

As we continue to work with security operatives and host communities against vandalism, we appeal for more vigilance by the residents in the communities, who we believe are very critical in this fight,” she said.

(NAN)

News

Lovers jailed 3 months for adultery in FCT

Published

43 minutes ago

January 30, 2025

Naijablitznews

A Gwagwalada Magistrates’ Court, Abuja on Thursday sentenced two lovers, Mohammed Nazifi, 30, and Bilkisu Ibrahim, 25, to three months imprisonment each for adultery.

The police charged the lovers with a one-count charge of adultery by man and woman, to which they pleaded guilty.

Nazifi pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, saying he was a married man with little children to take care of.

Ibrahim also begged the court for mercy, saying she had a 3-year-old child and an aged mother, who depended on her.

The Magistrate, Olatunji Oladunmoye, had previously remanded the convicts in order for them to provide a witness that would vouch for their conduct of good character.

He finally sentenced them when they could not provide any.

Oladunmoye sentenced the lovers to 3 months imprisonment each with an option of N25,000 fine each.

The magistrate said the essence of the punishment was not to ruin or destroy the convicts but to reform them.

He added that it would also serve as a deterrent to anyone who wanted to toe the same path.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Dabo Yakubu, told the court that the complainant, Mr Dayabe Abdullahi of Chibiri village, Kuje, Abuja, reported the matter at the Area Command, Gwagwalada, Abuja on Jan. 16.

Yakubu said that the convicts conspired and had sexual intercourse, and both confessed to the crime in their statements.

He said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 387 and 388 of the Penal Code.

According to him, sections 387 and 388 refer to a man or a woman subject to customary law where extra-marital sexual intercourse is recognised as a criminal offence.

“If the man or woman has sexual intercourse with anyone other than his spouse, he/she is guilty of adultery and shall be punished with imprisonment for a term. The term may extend to two years or with fine or with both,” he said.

NAN

News

Billionaire kidnapper, Evans Re-Arraigned, Begs For Plea Bargain, clemency

Published

47 minutes ago

January 30, 2025

Naijablitznews

Billionnaire kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwamadike a.k.a Evans, on Thursday urged the Lagos High Court Ikeja, to consider his application for plea bargain, forgiveness and clemency.

He spoke through his new lawyer, Chief Emefo Otudo, immediately after he was re-arraigned over a five-count charge of alleged murder and kidnapping, by the Lagos State Government.

In the charge filed before Justice Adenike Coker, Evans and one Joseph Nkenna Emeka pleaded not guilty to alleged kidnapping and murder.

According to Evans lawyer, Chief Etudo, the substance of Evans’ application for plea bargain, is with respect to three pending criminal cases on compassionate grounds.

He has earlier been convicted in two other cases with 14 years imprisonment and life jail respectively.

His lawyer told Justice Coker that have been converted to a reasonable human being and being a criminal to a teacher charged entirely Evans name should be graciously dropped from the three pending charges.

He submitted: “That a fresh charge be discretionally filed against the first defendant upon which he will plead guilty and serve 14 years imprisonment If approved.

“That the 14 years imprisonment that may be imposed in the new charge be made to run concurrently with other sentences that might have been given in his other cases listed above.

“Our authority for bringing this application is attached as Appendix 6 and this application supersedes and overrides any previous application made by or on behalf of Mr Onwuamadike for plea bargain.

Speaking further Cheif Otudo told the court that there are five criminal cases against Evans and Lagos state has been prosecuting him for those cases and have gained conviction in two.

He said during the cause of the prosecution Evans has been incarcerated for about eight years.

“While in prison, the Federal Government offered the first defendant and other inmates a second chance and offered them opportunity to to go to school.

“The first defendant (Evans) accepted offer to be educated as they were given scholarship by Federal Government. He has now earned an NCE teaching certificate in Economics.

“He is now a teacher and no longer a criminal. Copy of his NCE certificate and the project he did are attached as appendix 1 & 2.

“Mr Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike was also given admission in the National Open University of Nigeria under the scholarship granted by the Federal Government.

“He is now in 200 level in National Open University of Nigeria offering political Science. Copy of his admission letter is attached as appendix 3. And copy of his ID Card in National Open University of Nigeria is attached as appendix
4.

“Mr Onwuamadike has also learnt technology under the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity; to wit, welding and metal fabrication and passed all tests. Copy of the test by Ministry of Labour and Productivity is attached as appendix 5.

Justice Coker told both the Prosecuting lawyer, Mr A. Y. Sule and Chief Otudo representing both parties to wait till March 20, when decision of the committee set up by the Lagos State government on Evans’ application would have been released.