JUDICIARY
Court Orders Final Forfeiture of Diezani’s $40m Jewellery

From Mark Mayah
Lagos
Justice I.N. Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos , on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, ordered the final forfeiture of some jewellery and a customized gold Iphone valued at $40m belonging to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to the Federal Government.
The Judge had, on July 5, 2019, granted the interim forfeiture of the properties, following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Justice Oweibo had also directed interested parties to show cause why the properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.
However, Nnamdi Awa-Kalu, counsel to the respondent, Alison-Madueke, had filed a motion on notice setting aside the order of the court granting the interim forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government.
Awa-Kalu, in the application, also claimed that his client was a successful businesswoman in the oil and gas sector, who had acquired the properties through legitimate means as well as gifts.
However, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, argued that the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime as the respondent failed to show how they were acquired.
Oyedepo also submitted that “ it is an unlawful activity for a public officer to receive gifts as a result of what was done or not done.”
Oyedepo, therefore, urged the court to discountenance the application of the respondent and forfeit the properties to the Federal Government.
In his ruling, Justice Oweibo held that the issues raised by the EFCC were more apt and that “it is only logical that the court dismisses the respondent’s application. “
Justice Oweibo also held that the respondent failed to show cause why the properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government and consequently granted the EFCC’s application.
CRIME
3 Docked for Allegedly Breaking into Bank, Stealing Laptops

Three men, Olufemi Faleti, 59, Ayoade Adewale 41 and Idowu Yusuf, 41, on Friday, were brought before an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court Ibadan charged with breaking into a bank and stealing laptops.
The defendants,whose addresses were not provided, were charged with conspiracy, house breaking and stealing, to which they pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Insp Elisha Tellang told the court that the defendants allegedly committed the offences on March 24, at 7:30 p.
m, at First Bank, Asogo, Oyo.He alleged that the defendants broke into the bank and stole two laptops worth N800, 000.
Tellang said the offences contravened Sections 516, 413 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The Magistrate, Mrs Moyosore Atanda granted each defendant bail in the sum of N300,000 and with two sureties each in like sum.
She adjourned the case until Sept. 8, for hearing. (NAN)
CRIME
Ex-convict Bags 2 years Imprisonment for Stealing Speaker, Mobile Phone

An Ota Magistrate’s Court in Ogun, on Friday, sentenced a 21-year-old ex-convict, Habeeb Jimoh, to two years imprisonment for stealing a Zealot speaker, Infinix mobile phone and other goods worth N595,000.
In her judgment, the Magistrate, Mrs O.
O.
Fadairo, sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment without an option of fine.Fadairo said that the prosecution counsel had proven beyond reasonable doubt that he was guilty of the charge preferred against him.
The convict, of no fixed address, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. E. O. Adaraloye, told the court that the convict committed the offence on May 28, at about 3.
00 a.m. at Singer area, Ewupe in Sango-Ota.Adaraloye said that the security guard identified him after stealing a Zealot speaker, an Infinix phone and other items, worth N595,000, after which he fled.
According to him, the offence contravenes Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006. (NAN)
CRIME
Man Bangs 7 years Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a 24-year-old man, Emmanuel Chekwube, to seven years imprisonment for drug trafficking.
Justice Lewis Allagoa sentenced the convict after he had pleaded guilty to the four-count charge of drug trafficking.
Allagoa, however, gave the convict an option of five million naira fine.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had arraigned Chekwube on charges of conspiracy, illegal storage of restricted drug, unlawful use of premises to store banned narcotics and unlawful deal in narcotics.
He had pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, the Prosecutor, Ms M.
I. Erondu, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several exhibits before the court, such as: a statement of the defendant, a drug analysis form and packaging of substance form.Also tendered were: remnant of the narcotics, request for scientific aid form and transparent pouch, among others.
The prosecutor then urged the court to convict the defendant based on his plea as well as the evidences adduced.
Consequently, the judge convicted the defendant as charged.
Before the sentence, the defence had prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy, saying that as his client was a first time offender and that he would turn a new leaf.
Delivering his verdict afterwards, Allagoa sentenced Chekwube to seven years imprisonment on each count, which, he said, would run concurrently.
He, however, gave the convict an option of five million naira fine.
In the charge, the convict was said to have committed the offences on May 7 at Amukoko, Ijora area of Lagos.
He was said to have used the premises to engage in illegal storage of 56.2 kg Tramadol Hydrochloride, 1.2 kg Nitrazepam and 72g of Swinol
All the substances are said to have been listed in the NDLEA schedule as banned narcotics, thus contravening the provisions of Sections 12 and 14(b) of NDLEA Act, 2004. (NAN)