JUDICIARY
Don’t Threaten PLASIEC with Court Appeal, Counsel Tells PDP
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Plateau says it is not bothered by an appeal case threatened by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the judgment against the party by a state High Court on Sept. 29.
Counsel to PDP Edward Pwajok (SAN) had earlier threatened the state electoral body to appeal a judgment delivered by Justice Ishaku Kunda of High Court IV, Jos, against it in a case challenging the party’s exclusion from the Oct.
9 local government elections.But Chief Garba Pwul (SAN), the counsel to Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), said on Wednesday in Jos that the PDP is entitled to filing an appeal case.
“We are ready to meet them at the appellate court. We are far from being worried that PDP is appealing the judgement delivered by the High Court.
“In fact, if anything, we are delighted that they are appealing. This is because an appeal is good for the judiciary and the legal profession.
“Such appeal will confirm the soundness of the lower court’s decision and erase any doubt. An appeal will only re-enforce the victory of PLASIEC.
“That judgment, as far as the law is concerned, is sound and purely in accordance with the law.
“On Sept. 29 we got a judgment against them, in their own case against us, and yet, they are threatening to appeal. We are waiting and not afraid at all.
“PDP should know that the facts will not change at the Court of Appeal neither will the law change. What will only change is the personalities or the judicial officers.
“All the same, if at the end, the unlikely happens at the appellate court, PLASIEC will, of course, allow the elections to be conducted with the party.
But Counsel to PDP Edward Pwajok insisted that the party will appeal, describing the judgment of the state High Court as “a summersault, full of discrepancies which must be challenged at the appellate court”.(NAN)
JUDICIARY
Court Remands Landlord for Alleged Defilement of Tenant’s Daughter
A family court sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Tuesday ordered the remand of one Musibau Lamidi, 50, for alleged defilement of his tenant’s six-year-old daughter.
The Magistrate, Mrs S. A . Adesina, ordered that the landlord should be kept at the Agodi custodial facility pending advice from Oyo State Director of Public Prosecutions.
Adesina did not take the landlord’s plea.
She adjourned the case until April 25 for mention.
Reports says that Musibau, a resident of Olode, Ibadan, was charged on one-count of defilement.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Gbemisola Adedeji, told the court that the defendant, on March 13, between 8. 00 a.
m. and 4.00 p.m. defiled his tenant’s daughter.Adedeji said that Musibau had an issue with the child’s mother and asked her to pack out.
The prosecutor said that when the woman went to look for a house to rent, the defendant defiled her daughter.
She said that the offence contravened Section 34 of the Oyo State Child Right’s
Law of 2006. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
4 Friends Docked for Allegedly Threatening Cleric’s Life
Four friends were on Monday docked in a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan for allegedly threatening the life of pastor Charles Gold.
The police charged Olatunji Musibau, 44;Abiodun Folarin, 50; Kazeem Oluremi, 60 and Yusuf Sodiq, 23, with conspiracy and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Philip Amusan, told the court that the defendants allegedly committed the offence on March 8, at about 2 p.
m., at New Bodija Area in Ibadan.Amusan alleged that the defendants and others at large, threatened violence against pastor Gold, of Echo Evangelical Ministry Ibadan.
He said the offence contravened the probisions of sections 516 and 383 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Court President, Mrs Moji Aworemi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N150, 000 each and one surety each in like sum.
Aworemi held that the surety must be a blood relation to the defendants.
She adjourned the case until April 29, for mention. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
2 Teenagers in Court for Allegedly Stealing Sewing Machine
Two teenagers, Simor Aaron, 19, and Francis David, 18, were arraigned on Wednesday before a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a sewing machine and other items worth N325,000.
The defendants, both residents of High-Cost Narayi, Kaduna, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, to which they pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Insp Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on March 11, at Barnawa Kaduna.
According to Leo, the duo burgled a tailoring shop of one Gladys Peter and stole her sewing machine, six wrappers, and four clothing materials all valued at N325,000.
The prosecutor stated that the defendants were caught and handed over to the police by members of the vigilante group on patrol in the area.
Leo said that the offences contravened Sections 281 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017, which stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing and two years imprisonment for conspiracy.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties each in like sum, who must be gainfully employed.
Emmanuel adjourned the case until April 22, for hearing. (NAN)