JUDICIARY
Enugu Tribunal: INEC Closes Defence Without Witness
…Enugu Election Tribunal
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday closed its case against Mr Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party (LP) without calling any witness at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu.
The tribunal is hearing the petition filed by Mr Chijioke Edeoga of the LP against the election of Gov.
Peter Mbah of the PDP.Edeoga is praying the tribunal to disqualify Mbah over alleged NYSC certificate forgery and manipulation of election results.
When the matter came up for hearing, the INEC counsel, Mr Humphrey Okoli told the tribunal that after thorough review of their case, they decided not to put in any witness.
“Today, the first respondent is mandatory to open their defence, I wish to inform the court that after thorough review of the case, we have decided not to put in any witness,” he said.
Opening his case as was ordered by the court, the counsel to Gov. Peter Mbah of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Onyechi Ikpeazu, called on the first defence witness, Uzo Amaechina, a medical doctor residing in Enugu to testify.
Read Also: As Chijioke Edeoga, LP Await Ruling of Enugu Guber Election Tribunal
Responding to the LP counsel, Mr Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, the witness said that the election was conducted according to the provision of the law and the electoral guidelines.
Answering questions from Mr S. T Hon, (SAN), the witness said that he did not tender what he used for the preparation of his report for the court to verify because the petitioners witnesses had already tendered them while testifying.
He added that there was no over voting in Akpofu, Isienu, Amagunze and Umuokwu polling units.
He said he was aware that Mbah engaged in NYSC programme in 2002.
The PDP subpoena witness, Mr Yahaya Muhammed, Deputy Director, State Security Service, Abuja through the counsel to PDP tendered an investigation report to the court on the alleged certificate forgery by Gov Mbah.
Awomolo objected to the admissibility of the document, saying that they would address the point of law in their final address.
During cross examination, Awomolo said that the witness did not have a letter authorising him by the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) to come and give evidence in the Tribunal as the subpoena was addressed to the witness personally and not as an institution.
He said that there was no stamp of Director General of the State Security Service on the report, adding that the report was not written on the letter head of the institution as it did not carry the authority of the SSS.
He added that his report, which was marked exhibit 63, had no attachment of all the documents in the report, saying that the report was his personal report.
Responding to the counsel, the witness said that in their findings, they discovered that Mbah served in NYSC for six months and went to Law school and later completed the service.
According to him, Mbah wrote an application for leave to go for Law school through the Lagos State NYSC office.
“The correspondence has a reference number and the letter was replied permitting him to go to Law school and he replied through the same means as a corps member,” he said.
The Chairman of the three-member Tribunal, Justice M.K Akano adjourned the matter until July 20 for continuation of defence. (NAN)
A 31-year-old woman, Opeyemi Bakare, on Tuesday appeared before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing an iPhone valued at N500,000.
Bakare, of undisclosed address, was charged with two counts of conspiracy and stealing .
The prosecutor, Insp Iyabo Oladoyin, told the court that the defendant and others at large conspired and committed the offences on May 2 at 3.
30 p. m. in the Dugbe area of Ibadan.According to Oladoyin, the defendant stole an iPhone 12 valued at N505,000, belonging to the complainant, Mr Oluseyi Oba.
The prosecutor said the phone was stolen in Dugbe Market and was tracked to the defendant.
She said the offences contravened Sections 390 (9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Magistrate, Mrs T.G. Daodu, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of one million naira with two sureties in like sum.
Daodu thereafter adjourned the case until July 8 for hearing. (NAN)
A 31-year-old woman, Opeyemi Bakare, on Tuesday appeared before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing an iPhone valued at N500,000.
Bakare, of undisclosed address, was charged with two counts of conspiracy and stealing .
The prosecutor, Insp Iyabo Oladoyin, told the court that the defendant and others at large conspired and committed the offences on May 2 at 3.30 p.m. in the Dugbe area of Ibadan.
According to Oladoyin, the defendant stole an iPhone 12 valued at N505,000, belonging to the complainant, Mr Oluseyi Oba.
The prosecutor said the phone was stolen in Dugbe Market and was tracked to the defendant.
She said the offences contravened Sections 390 (9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Magistrate, Mrs T.G. Daodu, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of one million naira with two sureties in like sum.
Daodu thereafter adjourned the case until July 8 for hearing. (NAN)
A 40 – year old prostitute, Adeosun Adepeju was on Tuesday arraigned before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stabbing her colleague in the stomach during work period.
Adepeju of undisclosed address was standing trial on a count charge bordering on assault.
She pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Prosecuting Counsel, Cpl.
Helen Ojo told the court that Adepeju on May 21, at about 12:30 a.m., at Ring road area, Ibadan, stabbed her colleague, Stella Mago with scissors in her stomach.Ojo said that the stabbing caused the complainant bodily harm.
She added that the offence contravened Section 335 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.
The Magistrate, Mrs M. M. Olagbenro admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N300, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Olagbenro adjourned the matter until May 30, for hearing. (NAN)
The seventh prosecution witness, Mr John Adetola, told an Ikeja High Court that he did not document the alleged $400,000 he handed to the former Central Bank Governor (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Adetola, an executive assistant to the former CBN governor, said this on Monday while being cross-examined by Emefiele’s lead counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), in the ongoing trial of Emefiele.
Emefiele is standing trial on a 19-count charge bordering on receiving gratification and corrupt demands.
Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Omoile, is facing a three-count charge bordering on unlawful acceptance of gifts by agents.
Adetola, also admitted that he did not present any WhatsApp chat or telephone conversation to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), informing Emefiele about collecting the $400,000 on his behalf.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adetola had, in his evidence-in-chief testified that he delivered $400,000 to Emefiele.
However, under cross-examination, Adetola admitted that he did not keep any record of the alleged $400,000 receipt.
He narrated that in 2018, Mr Eric Odoh sent him a WhatsApp message instructing him to collect the sum from one John Ayoh and hand it over to Emefiele when he arrived in Lagos.
“I went to John Ayoh’s house at Lekki; he gave me an envelope. I came back to the office and gave it to the former CBN governor,” the witness said.
The witness also told the court that in his extrajudicial statement, made while in EFCC custody, he did not mention any WhatsApp or telephone conversation with Emefiele regarding the $400,000.
Adetola denied any agreement with the EFCC to testify against Emefiele in exchange for immunity from prosecution.
He added that the EFCC confronted him with WhatsApp printouts related to the alleged money.
While being cross-examined by Mr Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN), counsel to the second defendant, the witness confirmed he had no dealings with the second defendant in relation to his testimony.
During re-examination by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness was asked why he did not document the $400,000 he allegedly collected on Emefiele’s behalf.
“I didn’t see any need for it,” he replied.
Justice Rahman Oshodi thereafter discharged the witness and adjourned the case until May 27 for continuation of trial. (NAN)
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