JUDICIARY
Lagos Prison Controller Summoned for Alleged Refusal to Remand Man
An Ikeja High Court on Monday has summoned the Lagos State Controller of Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS) Alagbon in Ikoyi to throw light whether or not the Chairman of Confidence Cargo Freight Forwarder, Dada Aigbe, who was committed to a one month prison for contempt, was in custody or not.
Justice Akintunde Savage also ordered that the Deputy Sheriff of Lagos High Court, one Mr Michael Alogaga, be summoned to court to tell the court how he served court process on Aigbe.
Counsel for the claimant, the judgment creditor in the suit marked no ID/3831LMW/2016, Mr Maruf Jimoh-Akogun said the case was instituted by Oba Shakirudeen Adeshina Kuti for themselves and on behalf of the Ajamogun/Onikotun family of Ewu kingdom.
The claimant filed the suit against the Osolo of Osolo, Oba Agbabiaka Kabir Orisedeko Elemo and the Baale Mafoluku, Ajao Estate, Chief Hussam Raheem Shekoni Elemo, as the first and second defendants respectively.
Savage adjourned the case until April 25 for the controller and the Sheriff to be in court and give evidence of the whereabouts of the embattled freight forwarder.
Jimoh-Akogun, in his hearing notice dated April 22, had applied before the court to summon the controller general and the court sheriff to produce Aigbe (contemptnor) or give evidence in court whether or not he was truly in prison.
The judge had on March 11, ordered that Aigbe be committed to prison for a period of a one month until he purged himself of the contempt.
The court order was sequel to Form 48 and 49 contempt proceeding filed against Aigbe, the application which was filed and moved by Jimoh-Akogun.
The judge, in his enrolment order dated Mach 11, had said, “Mr Dada Aigbe is hereby committed to Kirikiri Maximum Prison for a period of one month or until he purges himself of the contempt of this court and files an affidavit to henceforth not disobey this court or any court order.”
In order to effect the court order, the deputy Sheriff of high court took a “Request for Police Assistance” form dated March 18 to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command and the form was received the same date.
Jimoh-Akogun, however, argued that barely a month after the court had ordered that Aigbe be remanded, he had not been taken to any correctional centre in the state.
Jimoh-Akogun argued that following the arrest of Aigbe, the convict had not been taken into Kirikiri custody.
He prayed the court to invoke Section 116 of the Evidence Act.
According to him, Aigbe had yet to purge himself of the flagrant disobedience to court order.
“I urge My Lord to extend the ruling mandating Michael Alogada, a sheriff of this court and Lagos Controller of Correctional Centre to come to this court on Thursday to give evidence whether Dada Aigbe is in prison or not,” Jimoh-Akogun said.
Counsel for the respondent judgment debtor, led by a former Lagos State Attorney-General, Mr Kazeem Adeniji (SAN), in a motion dated April 5, attached with the affidavit of extreme urgency, had prayed to court to set aside an order of the court committing Aigbe to prison for a month. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
JUDICIARY
Court Orders VDM to Remove Defamatory Posts on Falana, Son
An Ikeja High Court has ordered an online activist, Vincent Otse (alias Very Dark Man) to remove defamatory posts against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana and his son, Folarin, also called Falz.Justice Matthias Dawodu also ordered VDM to bring down the alleged defamatory video which he made on Sept.
24 against the Falanas.The court also ordered the service of originating summons against VDM through his lawyer, Mr Deji Adeyanju within 14 day. The judge said: “the defendant, his agents and privies are hereby restrained from further releasing, publishing or circulating any defamatory videos, comments about the applicant.“He is to bring down the defamatory video about the applicant which was published on Sept. 24 on all his online social media handles pending compliance with the pre-action protocol of the court.“Leave is hereby granted to the applicant to serve the pre-action bundles, originating processes and all other court processes between parties herein on the defendant by substituted means through his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju.“The applicant must file and serve the pre-action bundles, originating processes and other accompanying processes on the defendant within 14 days.”The court made the orders following an ex parte originating application made by Falana and his son against the actions of VDM where he published “unverified audio recording of a one sided narrative by cross dresser Bobrisky” alleging perversion of justice by the family.Falana had in a lawsuit numbered ID/8586GCM/2024, filed against VDM, sought the order of the court to award a sum of N500 million fine for defamation of character against him.Falana in the lawsuit, also prayed the order of the court, directing the defendant to publish an apology on all his social media handles for the defamatory words contained in the viral video. (NAN)JUDICIARY
Man Bags 7 Years Imprisonment for Raping 11-yr-old in Kano
A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, on Monday, has sentenced 33-year-old Nasiru Isa to seven years in the correctional centre for sexually exploiting an 11-year old girl.
The Presiding Hon. Justice S .M. Shu’aibu convicted Isa, who resides in Darmanawa Bayan Gidan Kallo of Tarauni Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, on a one-count charge of sexual exploitation.
Shu’aibu summarily tried and sentenced the defendant after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
He held that the Prosecution Counsel, Abdullahi Babale, proved his case beyond reasonable doubt and consequently sentenced the defendant to seven years without an option of fine.
According to him, the convict is to pay additional N1 million fine as compensation.
Earlier, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Kano State Command, alleged that the defendant committed the offence at Darmanawa Quarters,Tarauni LGA, Kano State on October 5.
Babale said that the defendant allegedly lured his neighbour’s 11-year-old daughter into his wife’s room and sexually exploited her.
“The defendant had sex with the survivor on three different occasions.
“Once in the defendant’s wife’s room and twice at an uncompleted building.
“The defendant gave the survivor bread, groundnut and N20 before sexually exploiting her,” Babale told the court.
The prosecution presented two exhibits, including the confessional statement of the defendant and the survivor’s testimony, to the court to prove his case.
Babale said that the offence contravened the provisions of section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Sec 26(1) of TIP ACT 2015. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Alleged kidnap: Ebonyi Court Adjourns Ruling on Fiat Application on Ivo LGA Chairman, 8 others Trial
A High Court in Abakaliki on Thursday fixed Oct. 17 to decide on a fiat tendered by a Lawyer, Mr Emeka Uwakwe on the trial of Mr Emmanuel Ajah, former Chairman of Ivo local government area of Ebonyi over alleged armed robbery, kidnap and murder. Ajah and eight other suspects had on Jan. 17, 2017 robbed one Mrs Pauline Osita of her N2 million, phone and other valuables.
The defendants also on Jan. 18, 2017, allegedly kidnapped one Mrs Catherine Okorie and allegedly killed her on Jan. 22 on the same year.Other eight defendants include: Chibuike Okereke, Mathew Ogbudike, Ezenwa Nwafor Okoro Ugochukwu, Kelechukwu Azubike, John Nwankwor, Chigozie Okereke and Obichi Uzoigwe.Uwakwe was authorized by the Attorney General of Ebonyi state, Ben Odoh, to prosecute the defendants trial.But the move to take over the case of the prosecutor was not granted.The Defence Counsel, C.N Mgbada, C.A. Okenu, Ifeanyi Igwe and J. N Unah argued that Uwakwe would not join in the prosecution.“The reason being that he was a member of the Defence Counsels and had been in the matter from the beginning till date.“We urge the court to reject the document on Uwakwe fiat application,” the added.The Presiding Judge, Justice Elvis Ngene, after the argument adjourned the matter until oct. 17, Nov. 21 and Nov. 28 for ruling on fiat. (NAN