JUDICIARY
Jime Vs Ortom: INEC Closes Defence Without Witnesses
From Chris Gaga, Makurdi
Governor Samuel Ortom, (2nd respondent) will on Friday, open defence in a petition filed by Barr. Emmanuel Jime and the All Progressives Congress(APC) challenging his reelection.
This is just as the Independent National Electional Commission (INEC),(1st respondent) on Thursday entered and closed its defence in same petition.
At the resumption of hearing, INEC said it was relying it’s defence on evidence extracted from the petitioners (Emmanuel Jime, APC) and the documents they (petitioners) tendered.
Last week, the commission applied for Thursday , August 15, 2019 to open and close its case.
Lead counsel to INEC, Offiong Offiong (SAN) told the Honourable Tribunal that, “having taken a calm review of all that the petitioners have done and what we have achieved in cross examination, we think that evidence extracted from the petitioners and the documents they tendered are sufficient and we do not intend to call witnesses.
“In the event that there is any witness that we can tender documents from we will do so. That is the case of the 1st Respondent pursuant to Para 46(5) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).”
Ortom’s legal representative, Edward Ashiekaa (SAN) said the second respondent will be calling witnesses.
“If this were a civil process we would have taken the foot steps of the 1st respondent. But because election matters are sui generis, we will call witnesses,” Ashiekaa told the Honourable Tribunal and applied for another date.
In his ruling, Chairman of the Tribunal Honourable Justice Henry Olusiyi adjourned until Friday, August 16, 2019 for the 2nd respondent to open its case.
“The 2nd Resondent by consent has five days to open and close its case and the days start running from tomorrow,” Justice Olusiyi held.
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)