JUDICIARY
NBA Chairman, Magistrate Bag Three-Year Jail Term in Adamawa
A Federal High Court in Yola on Thursday, sentenced a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chairman, Binanu Esthon and Magistrate, Shehu Mustapha, to three years in prison each for fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Esthon and Mustapha with seven counts bordering on fraud committed before 2015.
Delivering judgment, Justice Bilkisu Aliyu, held that the convicts were sentenced for stealing and defrauding 502 retired staff of the Stirling Civil Engineering Nigeria limited in Adamawa in 2007 of N67 million.
She held that Mustapha stole money belonging to 502 retired workers of the debtor company.“The convicts stole from workers who retired and were not paid any benefit over years.“The second convict as a judicial officer who was in the position of authority to give the retired workers justice and reprieve, failed to do so. Rather, caused untold hardship on them.“ Mustaoha has done a great disservice to the administration of justice in general and his conduct is highly condemned,” she held.On Esthon, she said, as counsel for the complainants, he failed in his sacred duty to uphold the rule of law and ensure justice was upheld always as a lawyer.
Aliyu held that Esthon participated in causing more harm to his clients whose interest he ought to protect.She held that the three year – sentence was the maximum punishment provided for the offence of criminal conversion by Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap. C38 LFN 2004 and called for an amendment.
She ordered the EFCC to take urgent steps to recover the money for on ward payment to the retired workers.
Reacting to the judgment, EFCC counsel, Mr Ahmad Muntaka, said justice has taken its course in the trial. (NAN)
Three men, were on Tuesday, arraigned before an Ikorodu Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing an electricity transformer valued N50 million.
The defendants, Kehinde Akinkugbe, Tope Salisu, and Isiaka Amusa, whose addresses were not given, are being charged with conspiracy, stealing and malicious damage.
The defendants, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Prosecutor, ASP Aminu Isaac, told the court that Akinkugbe, Salisu and Amusa, committed the offences at about 2.
30a.m on Aug. 22, at Ajeri Street, Ijede, Ikorodu, Lagos.Isaac said that the defendants maliciously damaged an electricity transformer, belonging to the Federal Government.
The prosecutor said that the defendants were apprehended by residents of the area, who later reported the matter to the police.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 411, 287 and 339 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.B. Olagbegi-Adelabu, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million each, with two sureties in like sum.
Olagbegi-Adelabu, ordered that one of the sureties must own a landed property, and should present evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The Magistrate adjourned the case until Oct. 10 for mention.(NAN)
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Justice KudiratKekere-Ekun as the 23rd and second female Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), in acting capacity pending confirmation by the Senate.She takes over from Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who retired on Aug. 22 at the age of 70.(NAN)
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Friday, sentenced a 28-year old labourer , Naanswan Daboer to 18 months imprisonment for attempting to steal from a church premises.The Magistrate, Mr Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced Daboer after he pleaded guilty to the crime.The magistrate , however, gave the convict a fine of N100,000.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel,Ibrahim Gokwat told the court that the case was reported on July 9, at the “C” Division Police Station by Yohanna Nanjul and Musa John, the complaints. The prosecutor said that the convict trespassed in to the church premises and switched off their security lights but was caught.The offence, according to him, is punishable under the Plateau Penal Code Law. (NAN)
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