JUDICIARY
Enugu Tribunal: PDP Closes Defense, Calls Three Witnesses
…Enugu Governorship Election Tribunal
From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu
The People Democratic Party (PDP) Enugu yesterday closed their defense with three witnesses at the governorship election tribunal sitting in Enugu.
The Party had on Wednesday presented Festus Uzo including DSS official and yesterday concluded with the third subpoena witness, Mr Victor Ude, a legal practitioner, to testify against Mr Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party (LP).
Ude tendered Mbah’s NYSC letters of redeployment, deferment, reinstatement letter to continue his NYSC programme after completing his part two in Law school, approval letter for Mbah to continue his service, final clearance letter after completing his NYSC programme, among others.
Tendering the letters, the LP lead counsel objected to the admissibility of the document, saying he would give him reasons in their final address.
The Governorship Election Petition 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.
During cross examination, the witness said that there was a letter from the NYSC that said Mbah should be reinstated.
Read Also: As Chijioke Edeoga, LP Await Ruling of Enugu Guber Election Tribunal
The witness said that he wrote the letters to the NYSC and got reply as well.
Ude said he was not aware of the Inspector General of Police (I-G) reply on the investigation of the NYSC on March 2023.
The lead counsel of the LP, Mr Adegboyega Awomolo, said that there was no evidence of delivery and acknowledgment of the letters from NYSC.
“As a Lawyer, you know importance of delivery and acknowledgment of official letters to government departments,” he said.
Awomolo said that by the witness letter, Mbah was to conclude his NYSC Sept. 16, 2003 as he was in the office of the governor of Enugu State as the Chief of Staff in August 2003.
He said that in 2007, the EFCC charged the subpoenaed witness with Mbah for money laundering at the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Tendering the charge with case file number FH/C/09/07, the respondents’ counsels, Mr Bode Ola, counsel to Gov. Peter Mbah, the PDP counsel, Mr Anthony Ani. and Humphrey Okoli, the INEC objected to the admissibility of the document and said they would articulate their reasons in their final addresses.
The Tribunal admitted the document as an evidence.
The Chairman of the three-member Tribunal, Justice M.K Akano adjourned the sitting until 16 August for adoption of final written addresses.
JUDICIARY
Court Shifts Judgment in Suit Seeking Ganduje’s Sack Until Sept. 23
A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, shifted the judgment in a suit seeking the removal of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Sept. 23.The matter, which was earlier fixed for today, was not on the cause list.NAN gathered that the parties in the suit had earlier been reached by the court registrar for a new date because the judgement was not ready.
“We have already called the parties on phone to inform them of the development. A new date is next week, September 23,” a reliable source said.Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on July 5, fixed today (Sept. 18) for the judgment.Justice Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the plaintiff, Benjamin Davou; and lawyers to the defence adopted their processes and made their submission for and against the case.The plaintiff; the North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, had filed the suit to queried the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as the Chairman of the APC when he is not from the North Central geo-political zone.In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, the plaintiff listed Ganduje, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.The plaintiff wants the court to, among others, restrain Ganduje from further parading himself as the chairman of the APC.It also prays the court to issue an order directing INEC not to accord recognition to all actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries and nominations, since Ganduje became APC Chairman on August 3, 2023.The plaintiff is contending among others, that Ganduje is occupying the office of the APC chairman illegally, not being from a state in the North Central geo-political zone.It argued that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC breached the party’s constitution when it appointed Ganduje, from Kano State in the North West geo- political zone to replace Sen. Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North Central geo-political zone.It also argued that Ganduje’s appointment to replace Abdullahi was contrary to Article 31.5(1) f of the APC constitution and ultra vires the powers of the NEC of the party, among other reliefs.(NAN)JUDICIARY
Poultry Farm Manager Faces N160,000 Fraud Charge
A 30-year-old poultry farm manager, Stephen Nwachi, on Thursday, appeared before an Okitipupa Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ondo State, over alleged N160,000 fraud.The defendant, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge bordering on felony and advance fee fraud.The police prosecutor, ASP Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on June 24, at 04.
00 p. m. at a poultry farm opposite Zomelo hotel on Okitipupa-Aye Road in Okitipupa.Orogbemi said that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N160,000 from one Morenike Orukotan, under the pretext of supplying some crates of eggs to her but failed to do so.The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 419 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap.37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.The Chief Magistrate, Mr Philip Akinlosetu, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum.He ordered that the surety should reside within the jurisdiction of the court.Akinlosetu also held that the surety should show evidence of two years tax payment to the state government.He adjourned the case until Sept. 17 for further hearing. (NAN)JUDICIARY
Court Remands Man, 44, for Allegedly Defiling 9-year-old Girl
A Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Lagos, on Wednesday remanded a 44-year-old man, Sunday Lukas in custody, for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl.The Chief Magistrate, Mr Patrick Adekomaiya, ordered that Lukas be remanded at the Awarjigoh Correctional Centre, Badagry, after he pleaded not guilty to a count charge of assault.
He ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to the office of the Director for Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice. Adekomaiya, however, adjourned the case until Oct. 28 for ruling on the bail application filed by Lukas and for DPP’s legal advice.Earlier, the police prosecutor, Ayodele Adeosun, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 28, at 12.20 p.m., at No. 4, Aribena Site, Ijanikin area of Lagos.He said that Lukas indecently assaulted the nine-year-old girl by inserting his fingers in her private part.The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 135 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)
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