IYANDA'SBLOG

The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed no fewer than 10 of its personnel for various offences ranging from murder, discreditable conduct, excessive use of power, corruption among others.

The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement added that 18 police officers were demoted while 29 others were issued warning.

It reads, “In its bid to promote discipline and core values of policing in Lagos State, the  police command has tried eighty one (81) personnel for various criminal and disciplinary offences that were committed between October 2019 and October 2020, ranging from murder, discreditable conducts, excessive use of power, corrupt practices and negligence.

“The command has dismissed and prosecuted seven, while 10 personnel were dismissed. In addition, 18 of the men were reduced in ranks and 29 were awarded #10 naira major entries and warning letters accordingly. Others were awarded extra fatigue while 16 of the men were discharged and acquitted for want of evidence.

“The personnel that were tried in the orderly room proceedings conducted at various locations in Lagos State included 45 inspectors, 29 and seven corporals. Similarly, some senior officers of the command have been queried for various disciplinary offences and the queries are being processed at the Force Headquarters Abuja for necessary action and punishments.

“It is important to state that some of the affected personnel were attached to Lagos State Police Command while others were serving at various police formations within Lagos State. The trials were instituted based on a series of complaints/allegations levelled against them.

“According to the provisions of the Police Act and Regulations, punishments are awarded according to the magnitude of offences committed by police personnel. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has deemed it necessary to inform the general public on the steps being taken by the command to sanitise its workforce in order to change the general perception that Lagos State Police Command and the entire police force, in particular, condone indiscipline and crimes.”

 

Police News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/34aqDIM

The Lagos State Police Command has warned its officers to be wary of “disgruntled elements” planning to distribute palliatives to police stations across the state.

The command disclosed this in a police wireless message dated October 21, 2020 and addressed to area commanders and divisional police officers.

The wireless signal with reference number CB:4001/LS/DOPS/VOL.40/44/ order and directives, which was signed by the COMPOL DOPS Ikeja, reads in part, “Info at compol disposal revealed that some disgruntled elements acting under the guise of being police friends are planning to distribute palliatives to police personnel and suspects in police detention facilities across the state.

“It was further indicated that the palliatives may have been laced with poison with a view to harm the personnel and suspects, cause commotion and distract the command from effectively containing planned protest.

“In this wise, Compol directs you to warn personnel of yours to be wary of such Greek gifts and avoid falling prey to the plots.

“On no account must anyone accept or allow any individual or group(s) to check or feed any suspect detained in your respective cells.

“However, if any individual/group is bent on doing so, such person(s) should be promptly arrested with the gift items/food and notify the compol immediately.”

Police News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3kyOHgb

The Lagos State Police Command has warned its officers to be wary of “disgruntled elements” planning to distribute palliatives to police stations across the state.

The command disclosed this in a police wireless message dated October 21, 2020 and addressed to area commanders and divisional police officers.

The wireless signal with reference number CB:4001/LS/DOPS/VOL.40/44/ order and directives, which was signed by the COMPOL DOPS Ikeja, reads in part, “Info at compol disposal revealed that some disgruntled elements acting under the guise of being police friends are planning to distribute palliatives to police personnel and suspects in police detention facilities across the state.

“It was further indicated that the palliatives may have been laced with poison with a view to harm the personnel and suspects, cause commotion and distract the command from effectively containing planned protest.

“In this wise, Compol directs you to warn personnel of yours to be wary of such Greek gifts and avoid falling prey to the plots.

“On no account must anyone accept or allow any individual or group(s) to check or feed any suspect detained in your respective cells.

“However, if any individual/group is bent on doing so, such person(s) should be promptly arrested with the gift items/food and notify the compol immediately.”

Police News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3kyOHgb

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana, has said that a criminal complaint lodged against him at the International Criminal Court, The Hague, Netherlands, was sponsored by persons behind the killing of peaceful protesters demanding an end to police brutality and bad governance in Nigeria.

Falana’s reaction followed the complaint lodged at the ICC by one Joseph Nwaegbu, a Senior Associate of Pathfind Attorneys on behalf of Make Nigeria Better Initiative.

Femi Falana, SAN.

The group had accused the human rights lawyer of “spreading fake news to further incite the youth in the country against the government, which led to killings and destruction of properties”.

The petition by the group, which was acknowledged by the ICC’s Head of Information and Evidence Unit, Mark P. Dillon, reads partly, “The misguided youth who acted based on Falana’s posture, character and utterances employed crude methods to illegally murder about 22 police officers during the #EndSARS protests that lasted between the periods 3rd October, 2020 till 21st October, 2020.

“We strongly believe that Mr Falana is a highly placed Nigerian citizen, senior lawyer and politician that without the timely intervention of the ICC he will get away with justice in this case.”

The group went ahead to call on the ICC Prosecutor to compel Falana upon conviction under the Rome Statute to pay the sum of $2bn as punitive damages for causing death, injury and maiming of several citizens as well as wanton destruction of public and private properties through his instigation of the #EndSARS protests.

But in his reaction on Wednesday night, Falana said that the complaint was baseless and had no element of facts in it.

He said, “One of my clients, the Socio-Economic and Rights Accountability Project, had earlier submitted a petition to the International Criminal Court against the authorities of the Nigerian Army for the brutal killing of peaceful protesters in Nigeria. Before then, a London-based human rights group had submitted a petition over the massacre of 347 Shiites in December, 2015 by the Nigerian Army.

“The suspects in both petitions believe that I instigated both petitions, hence, this obnoxious rejoinder was hurriedly crafted and dispatched to the office of the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC to divert attention from the crime against humanity allegedly committed by those, who opened fire on peaceful protesters in violation of international humanitarian law.

“But the cheap ploy will not work as the ICC does not entertain frivolous petitions that are anchored on conjecture or speculation.

“After all, the ICC is not unaware of the fact that the suspects, who committed arson and wilful damage to private and public properties in Lagos State and other places during the #EndSARS protests, have been arrested, investigated and arraigned in criminal courts.

“I am, however, surprised that the office of the Chief Prosecutor acknowledged the receipt of the groundless petition because it is the practice of the ICC to formally accept all petitions including the most absurd and obnoxious.”

News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2XIa1Yz

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana, has said that a criminal complaint lodged against him at the International Criminal Court, The Hague, Netherlands, was sponsored by persons behind the killing of peaceful protesters demanding an end to police brutality and bad governance in Nigeria.

Falana’s reaction followed the complaint lodged at the ICC by one Joseph Nwaegbu, a Senior Associate of Pathfind Attorneys on behalf of Make Nigeria Better Initiative.

Femi Falana, SAN.

The group had accused the human rights lawyer of “spreading fake news to further incite the youth in the country against the government, which led to killings and destruction of properties”.

The petition by the group, which was acknowledged by the ICC’s Head of Information and Evidence Unit, Mark P. Dillon, reads partly, “The misguided youth who acted based on Falana’s posture, character and utterances employed crude methods to illegally murder about 22 police officers during the #EndSARS protests that lasted between the periods 3rd October, 2020 till 21st October, 2020.

“We strongly believe that Mr Falana is a highly placed Nigerian citizen, senior lawyer and politician that without the timely intervention of the ICC he will get away with justice in this case.”

The group went ahead to call on the ICC Prosecutor to compel Falana upon conviction under the Rome Statute to pay the sum of $2bn as punitive damages for causing death, injury and maiming of several citizens as well as wanton destruction of public and private properties through his instigation of the #EndSARS protests.

But in his reaction on Wednesday night, Falana said that the complaint was baseless and had no element of facts in it.

He said, “One of my clients, the Socio-Economic and Rights Accountability Project, had earlier submitted a petition to the International Criminal Court against the authorities of the Nigerian Army for the brutal killing of peaceful protesters in Nigeria. Before then, a London-based human rights group had submitted a petition over the massacre of 347 Shiites in December, 2015 by the Nigerian Army.

“The suspects in both petitions believe that I instigated both petitions, hence, this obnoxious rejoinder was hurriedly crafted and dispatched to the office of the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC to divert attention from the crime against humanity allegedly committed by those, who opened fire on peaceful protesters in violation of international humanitarian law.

“But the cheap ploy will not work as the ICC does not entertain frivolous petitions that are anchored on conjecture or speculation.

“After all, the ICC is not unaware of the fact that the suspects, who committed arson and wilful damage to private and public properties in Lagos State and other places during the #EndSARS protests, have been arrested, investigated and arraigned in criminal courts.

“I am, however, surprised that the office of the Chief Prosecutor acknowledged the receipt of the groundless petition because it is the practice of the ICC to formally accept all petitions including the most absurd and obnoxious.”

News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2XIa1Yz

Chairman of the Nigerian Government Visitation Panel on the University of Lagos, Prof Hamman Tukur Saad, has expressed regret for signing the report of the panel.

In a letter on Tuesday to Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Saad said that he didn’t want to sign the report of the panel at first but went ahead to do so fearing the backlash it would generate in the public space.

The letter reads partly, “As Chairman, I didn’t want to sign the final report but I felt that would be a slap on the face of the government and it would generate so much bad publicity in the public domain, that I would rather sign on the understanding that the matter would be referred to the Shehu of Borno as the Chancellor.

“Final recommendation of the panel was that the matter should be referred back to the Chancellor, irrespective of what the panel recommended.

“As it stands now, I feel I was made a fool of and stabbed on the back by people I trusted.

“Furthermore, it will be impossible for any council to manage a university in this country if the recommendations of the panel are implemented in a Whitepaper.

“A Whitepaper based on the report submitted by the panel and neglecting the final recommendation of referring will raise many questions.”

See Also Corruption Despite N5bn Fraud Allegation, President Buhari Reinstates Ogundipe As UNILAG VC After Dissolving Governing Council 0 Comments 10 Hours Ago

Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe was on Wednesday reinstated as Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos by President Buhari.

Ogundipe was suspended in August by the Governing Council of the university during a meeting in Abuja.

The council headed by Dr Wale Babalakin at the time had accused Ogundipe of financial misappropriation among other acts of office abuse.

The Governing Council of the university was also on Tuesday dissolved by the President.

Education News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2GDrdEX

Chairman of the Nigerian Government Visitation Panel on the University of Lagos, Prof Hamman Tukur Saad, has expressed regret for signing the report of the panel.

In a letter on Tuesday to Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Saad said that he didn’t want to sign the report of the panel at first but went ahead to do so fearing the backlash it would generate in the public space.

The letter reads partly, “As Chairman, I didn’t want to sign the final report but I felt that would be a slap on the face of the government and it would generate so much bad publicity in the public domain, that I would rather sign on the understanding that the matter would be referred to the Shehu of Borno as the Chancellor.

“Final recommendation of the panel was that the matter should be referred back to the Chancellor, irrespective of what the panel recommended.

“As it stands now, I feel I was made a fool of and stabbed on the back by people I trusted.

“Furthermore, it will be impossible for any council to manage a university in this country if the recommendations of the panel are implemented in a Whitepaper.

“A Whitepaper based on the report submitted by the panel and neglecting the final recommendation of referring will raise many questions.”

See Also Corruption Despite N5bn Fraud Allegation, President Buhari Reinstates Ogundipe As UNILAG VC After Dissolving Governing Council 0 Comments 8 Hours Ago

Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe was on Wednesday reinstated as Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos by President Buhari.

Ogundipe was suspended in August by the Governing Council of the university during a meeting in Abuja.

The council headed by Dr Wale Babalakin at the time had accused Ogundipe of financial misappropriation among other acts of office abuse.

The Governing Council of the university was also on Tuesday dissolved by the President.

Education News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2GDrdEX

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Australians are being encouraged to add Aboriginal place names when sending their mail.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Ron Klain has served as an aide to Mr Biden since the 1980s on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
The Nigerian leading a battle to help rescue those like herself from a life of prostitution in Sicily.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Alexander Gabuev argues that Russia and Turkey have extended their influence with the end of fighting.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states are about to lose a major ally in the White House.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
How the rock legends defied death, hearing loss and criminal charges to make their new album.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
The global pandemic has meant changes for people celebrating this weekend's Hindu festival of lights.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Covid-19 infection rates are surging again in Russia and poor provinces are being hit the hardest

The events around the #EndSARS protest have shown that the struggle of Nigerians for democracy has not ended.

Under a democratic government, some rights and liberties are taken for granted. Under a democracy, principles such as ‘freedom of association’, ‘freedom of expression’, ‘right of protest’, and ‘freedom of the press’ are markers an non-negotiable. The #EndSARS protest has revealed how quickly the Nigerian authorities will eliminate these markers of democracy when faced with a semblance of mass protest.

The retributive actions of the Nigerian government against organisers of the #EndSARS protest have reversed our advances toward a democratic society. Freezing bank accounts of protesters, placing them on travel ban or arresting them in their homes, and in the process terrifying their family members, are things military dictators do. One could understand if old habits die hard. But it is unacceptable for us as a nation that the gains of more than twenty years of struggle against military dictatorship relapse, because the government has no answers to protesters’ questions.

It was not wrong to have participated in the #EndSARS protest. The #EndSARS protest did not begin in October 2020. The unprecedently low turnout recorded in the 2019 general election was a protest against the broken promises and level of poverty in the country, contrasted by the enthusiasm Nigerians showered on the same President in 2015. We are not better off as a people than we were in 2015. With 40.1%, about 80.6 million of our people, living in extreme poverty, we are the poverty capital of the world. The number of unemployed youth in Nigeria is larger than the population of Rwanda. And upon that is the existence of an extortionate police force that randomly kill young people. The justification for a citizen’s protest is just as self-evident.

One would expect that the government deploys economic resources to address underlying economic problems substantially. Instead, we have seen showy announcements that cannot scratch the surface of Nigeria’s monstrous poverty and unemployment problem. The government accompanied it with a clampdown on protesters to make them rue exercising their fundamental human rights. But this is not just some mistakes by the regime; it is a calculated attempt to re-write a narrower conception of democracy in Nigeria.

The terror of the state is not only visited on protesters; the state threatens the free and objective trade of journalism also. The National Broadcast Commission (NBC) fined the trio of Arise TV, Channels and AIT for reporting the stories as they were, without granting these stations fair hearing. The Commissioner of Police in Lagos has equally announced that the force will not allow any form of protest in the state. There is systematic asphyxiation of democracy ongoing here. A government should not threaten Journalists with monetary loss because the government is afraid of what they will write or say, at least not under a democracy. The Commissioner of Police has no right to withdraw the right of citizens to protest under any guise, at least that is how the court has ruled.   

It is not enough to justify the litany of abuses of democratic rights by President Buhari’s administration by the violent turn the #EndSARS protest took. Violent protest is condemnable in its entirety. But it is wondrous where the police and military that are now employed to crack down on protesters were when hoodlums ignited violence by attacking protesters. Even the government has been unable to pin violence on the head of #EndSARS protesters in its narrative. Instead, it has repeatedly said that hoodlums hijacked the protests. But hoodlums hijacked these protests because security forces did not do their jobs of providing security to peaceful and orderly protesters exercising their constitutional rights. We must continue to bear witness to the admirable sense of organisation, peacefulness and orderliness about the #EndSARS protest, and reject any attempt to cast such historic festival of democracy in a bad light.

Citizens must retain their control over their elected officials, during and after elections. That is democracy. It entails protest. If a government is irascible to protest, it should avoid one by dealing with the economy, create jobs for youth, industrialise the country, and set up infrastructures for the economy to grow. The momentous struggle of Nigerians in 1993 for an end to military dictatorship cost several lives, and it will be disgraceful that democracy is narrowed because our political class don’t have the answers.

Wole Olubanji

Writes from Abule-Egba, Lagos State

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Wole Olubanji Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2K3w9HT

Frederick Shaibu, younger brother of Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, who was kidnapped on Monday, has been freed, SaharaReporters has learnt. 

A government source in Edo confirmed the release to our correspondent on Wednesday night. 


The source disclosed that Fredrick was released after the payment of ransom.

He added that the victim has been reunited with his family and taken for treatment. 

"He has been released and reunited with his family. The deputy governor is aware of his release already.

"I can't disclose how much was paid to secure his release but I know he's fine now and has been narrating his experience in the kidnappers' den," the source said.

See Also CRIME Gunmen Kidnap Edo Deputy Governor’s Younger Brother 0 Comments 1 Day Ago

Mr Chidi Nwabuzor, spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, could not be reached for comment at the time of this report.
 
Fredrick was kidnapped on Monday while driving his children to school at Aruogba in Irhiri axis of Benin, the state capital.

The children were left in the car while the hoodlums went away with him.
 

CRIME Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3niBVnk

The Ohaneze Ndigbo has condemned the recent freezing of accounts of peaceful #ENDSARS protesters, describing it as unnecessarily vindictive.

The igbo group warned that if not properly managed, the clampdown on protesters could lead to another protest in the country.

Ohaneze Ndigbo

In a statement by the Acting Secretary-General of the group, Prince Uche Achi-Ogbaga, and media adviser to the President-General, Nnia Nwodo, Emeka Attamah, they said the protest was a legitimate weapon of complaint in a democracy.

“The right to protest any perceived negative action of government or organisation is upheld in the constitution of the country.

“In fact, President Buhari himself led many protests against former President Jonathan.

“The #EndSARS protest was peaceful and legitimate until some hoodlums were sent to disrupt and make it violent. So, freezing the accounts of the alleged leaders of the protest is high-handed, ill-advised and unnecessarily vindictive.

“Moreover, it has the capacity of triggering off another wave of protest, the end of which nobody can fathom," the statement reads partly.

Ohaneze Ndigbo demanded that the frozen accounts should be released immediately while asking the government to go after individuals sponsoring Boko Haram and other insurgent groups in the country.
See Also #EndSARS Court Grants CBN’s Request To Freeze Bank Accounts Of #EndSARS Protesters 0 Comments 4 Days Ago

#EndSARS News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2SnMwyF

Caleb Ana, Chairman of Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, has imposed a 12-hour curfew on Daudu community after days of unrest caused by allegations of missing penises.

Young men in Daudu town had complained last week about missing male reproductive organs at an alarming rate.

  Governor Samuel Ortom

They claimed some members of the community were responsible for their missing organs and have since been on rampage.

Irate youth had attacked a police station, threatening to burn it down over the development.

Ana while speaking with journalists in Makurdi on Wednesday said the curfew will be between 8:00pm to 6:00am daily until the security situation improved and calm was restored.

He said, “The reason we imposed curfew is that the youths in the Daudu community have raised alarm and accused certain persons of removing their genitals; male and female organs.

“They went ahead to burn down the properties of those they suspected and even killed a pastor of the church whom they accused of being responsible.

“We talked to them and pleaded with them to allow the law to take its course. Even the governor of the state went there himself to talk to them.

“But last Monday, the youths mobilized and went to police station in Daudu and threatened to burn it down accusing one other man whom they beat to a state of unconsciousness while accusing him of removing someone’s genital organ.

“So it became too much and it appeared they will cause more destruction if they are allowed to be moving about freely.

“That calls for the position of curfew in the community, from 8:00pm to 6:00am. It will last as long as they are ready to rest."

The LG boss added that a popular motorcycle rider had been arrested in connection with the incident.
 

News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/36e8o95

The Nigeria Police Force has dragged former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, to court for giving false information to the force.

Ohakim was arraigned before a high court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama for giving information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa that she threatened him with a gun.

Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim

The police also claimed that Ohakim claimed that he has a land for sale, adding that the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, was the owner of the said land.

“That you Ikedi Ohakim on or about the 23rd day of May, 2019 at Asokoro, did unlawfully gave false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa, that she threatened you with gun knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.

“That you Ikedi Ohakim, on or about the 23rd day of May, 2019, at Asokoro, did unlawfully gave false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa, that you have a plot of land for sale at Lagos state, knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968,” two of the charges read.

The police said Ohakim’s act was punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.

On arraignment, Ohakim’s lawyer, Ken Njemanze (SAN), applied for bail.

Ruling on the bail, the presiding judge, Justice Samira Bature, granted Ohakim bail of N10m with one surety in like sum, who resides in the Federal Capital Territory.

The judge gave a stern warning to Ohakim not to interfere or threaten any of the prosecutions’ witnesses.

The case was adjourned to January 25, 2021 for trial.

Police Politics Scandal News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2Sw7xbJ

The Nigeria Police Force has dragged former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, to court for giving false information to the force.

Ohakim was arraigned before a high court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama for giving information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa that she threatened him with a gun.

Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim

The police also claimed that Ohakim claimed that he has a land for sale, adding that the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, was the owner of the said land.

“That you Ikedi Ohakim on or about the 23rd day of May, 2019 at Asokoro, did unlawfully gave false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa, that she threatened you with gun knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.

“That you Ikedi Ohakim, on or about the 23rd day of May, 2019, at Asokoro, did unlawfully gave false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa, that you have a plot of land for sale at Lagos state, knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968,” two of the charges read.

The police said Ohakim’s act was punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.

On arraignment, Ohakim’s lawyer, Ken Njemanze (SAN), applied for bail.

Ruling on the bail, the presiding judge, Justice Samira Bature, granted Ohakim bail of N10m with one surety in like sum, who resides in the Federal Capital Territory.

The judge gave a stern warning to Ohakim not to interfere or threaten any of the prosecutions’ witnesses.

The case was adjourned to January 25, 2021 for trial.

Police Politics Scandal News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2Sw7xbJ

Lawal Olakunle, a final year student of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, has been sentenced to one year imprisonment for duping an American of $800 through Internet fraud.

Olakunle was jailed by the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, on Wednesday. 

He was dragged before Justice Emmanuel Ayoola of the Federal High Court on two counts bordering on Internet fraud and unlawful possession of N282,068.80 ($800).

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olakunke was arrested on the 14th of October 2019 at Club Secret in Osogbo following a tip off.

EFCC prosecutor, Sulaeman Bashir, informed the court that the statement of account of the final year student obtained from the United Bank for Africa showed that he collected the said amount from one Garl Li of California, USA.

Bashir added that the offense contravened the provision of section 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering Act, 2011.

The EFCC lawyer also tendered as evidence an iPhone 8plus, restituted money recovered from the student, a statement of account, and his confessional statement while in custody. 

Adebayo Adedapo, counsel to Olakunke, pleaded with the court for leniency. 

He also said his client opted for plea bargain since he realised his mistake, saying if forgiven he would not return to crime.

In his ruling, Justice Ayoola found Olakunle guilty and subsequently sentenced him to twelve months imprisonment starting from November 26, 2019.

He also ruled that his iPhone should be sold and the proceed deposited in the Treasury Single Account of the Nigerian Government.

CyberCrime Legal News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3640nlo

The strike embarked upon by lawyers at the Ondo State Ministry of Justice has stalled the ongoing trail of suspects over the murder of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Rueben Fasoranti. 

The legal practitioners had on Monday withdrawn their services over government's refusal to pay their allowances and bonuses.

Late Funke Olakunrin

Olakunrin was murdered on July 12, 2019 along Ore-Sagamu Road by some suspected herdsmen while returning to Lagos. 

The police had arrested four suspects, who were identified as Muhammed Shehu Usman, Mazaje Lawal,  Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar over the killing and subsequently charged them to court. 

During a visit to the state's High Court in Akure, the capital, many persons expressed disappointment at the stalling of their cases as a result of the lawyers strike.

Aside from Olakunrin's case, other highprofile cases were also put on hold due to the ongoing strike by the government lawyers. 

A judicial officer, who identified himself as Abiodun, said the strike action of the lawyers was already taking its toll on the activities at the court. 

He said, "We have no less than six cases here today but hearing could not hold due to the strike action of the lawyers. 

"They have to return the inmates to prison custody since the lawyers' are not around to defend or attend to their cases. 

"So, the strike is affecting the judiciary system of the state and as you can observe to that everywhere is already paralyzed due to the action." 

One of the striking lawyers, who spoke with SaharaReporters under the condition of anonymity, said the strike continues until the government addressed them. 

He explained that the state government was not willing to accede to their agitations, stressing that some lawyers had been threatened with sack if they failed to return to work. 

"Instead of calling us for negotiations by looking into our plight, the government is busy abusing and insulting us for embarking on strike as if we don't have the right to do so," he said.

However, speaking on a television program, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu described the strike embarked upon by the lawyers as unfounded and unnecessary. 

He added that he had also instructed the Head of Service in the state to look into the demands of the striking lawyers with a view to resolving the issue. 

Legal News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2XDIUP8