JUDICIARY
Fake Abduction: Appeal Court Affirms Dethroned Traditional Ruler’s Conviction
The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division on Monday affirmed the conviction of the dethroned traditional ruler of Shangisha in Magodo, Mutiu Ogundare, for faking his own abduction.
The court, however, reduced Ogundare’s sentence to 12 years from the 15 years initially handed down on him by the lower court.
Report says that Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High in Ikeja, had on Sept.
27, 2022, sentenced the convict to 15 years imprisonment.Ogundare was charged alongside his wife, Abolanle and his brother, Opeyemi Mohammed.
They were arraigned on three counts of breach of peace and fake abduction, preferred against them by the Lagos State government.
The lower court had discharged and acquitted Ogundare’s wife, Abolanle, saying that she had no link to the crime.
The court, however, found Ogundare and Mohammed guilty as charged.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Ogundare, approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision of the lower court.
When the case was called on Monday, the lead Justice, Justice Peter Bassi, upheld the judgment of the lower court in counts one and two and upturned count three.
Other Justices of the panel were Justice Bayero and Justice Folashade Ojo, who agreed with the judgment of the lead justice.
Bassi said that Ogundare’s appeal succeeds in part and reduced his sentence to 12 years.
The court held that the appellant would serve 10 years imprisonment for count one and two years for count two.
On the third count, the court upturned the sentence of the lower court, in respect of false representation to release a kidnapped person.
The convict was first remanded on July 16, 2017, in Kirikiri correctional centre by an Ogba Magistrates’ Court, for alleged fake abduction.
The state had stated that the convicts committed the offences on July 5, 2017, along Centre for Management Development Road, Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area.
The state said that Ogundare, staged the kidnap to blackmail the state government. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Court Strikes Ex-Kogi Governor’s Bail Application
Justice Maryann Anenih o a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court on Tuesday struck out the bail application filed by former governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi.Anenih struck out the application on the grounds that it was filed when the former governor was yet to be taken into custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The application was filed on Nov. 22, while the former governor was taken into custody of the anti-graft agency on Nov. 26 and arraigned on Nov. 27.(NAN)Details later….
JUDICIARY
5 Men Face N25m Worth of Milo Products Theft Charge
Five men, on Monday appeared before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun, for allegedly stealing a truck load of Milo products worth N25 million.The defendants, Temidire Ramon, 35, Aminu Yusuf, 26; Olusola Opadare, 35; Oludayo Adeleye, 38, and Amodu Jimoh, 51, are standing tial on a two-count charge of stealing and conspiracy.
The prosecutor, Insp E. O.Adaraloye, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Oct. 13, 2020, at Agbara in Ogun.Adaraloye, said that the defendants conspired and stole a truck load of Milo products valued at N25 million, belonging to Nestle Company.He said that the offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.The Magistrate, Mr O.A Onagoruwa, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.He ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.Onagoruwa also ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to Ogun State Government.He adjourned the case until Dec.12 for hearing. (NAN)JUDICIARY
Court Grants Mother Custody of 2 Children
A Grade 1 Area Court, Kubwa has granted Maryam Muhammad custody of two children from her former husband, Bashir.
The judge, Musa Sabo ordered Bashir to pay Muhammad N175,000 for a self contained apartment in arrears following the plaintiff’s claim of already paid rent.
Sabo added that Bashir should secure a self contained apartment or pay the plaintiff N250, 000 annually for accommodation.
He said that the children would spend first and third term holidays with their father and second term holidays with their mother.
The judge said the father could pick his children up every weekend for outings within 10a.m to 6.pm from the mother and notify her before hand.
He also ordered him to pay outstanding school fees if any and pay the plaintiff arrears for the fees she claimed to pay after verifying same as she failed to prove it.
Sabo ordered Bashir to pay N40,000 from October 2023 To February 2024 and subsequently pay N45,000 monthly for the children’s upkeep..
Regarding the children’s medication, he ordered Bashir to make an arrangement based on his financial capability.
Earlier, the plaintiff approached the court for custody of her children, maintenance, Islamiyya school fees, enrollment of one of the children in a special needs school and transportation.
She also sought for Bashir to refund N770, 000 which she paid for her house rent with the children and pay for the medicals of the children.
Bashir however said his ex-wife paid the rent without his consent adding that he is a civil servant and not financially capable.
“I do not earn up to N2 million annually and I am currently paying N600,000 rent annually. My children are already under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),” he said.(NAN)