JUDICIARY
Man Bags Double Life Imprisonment for Defiling Neighbour’s Daughter
An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Lagos on Monday sentenced a man, Joseph Ekanem, to double life imprisonment for defiling his neighbour’s 13-year-old daughter.
Delivering judgment, the trial judge, Justice Abiola Soladoye, held that the prosecution had proved all the ingredients of the charges filed against Ekanem, beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced him accordingly.
Soladoye said the evidence adduced before the court was sufficient proof that the convict committed the crime, not withstanding his denial.
The judge held that Ekanem was guilty of the two-count charge of sexual assault by penetration and defilement, contrary to Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
Soladoye who described Ekanem as a “sexual terrorist, who ravishes children,” ordered that the convict’s name should be registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.
She said: “The defendant is a bare faced liar, who has shown to be a pathological liar, is a disloyal, egoistic and a terrible person, whose perversion is unacceptable.
“His actions are beastly, he should be locked away for life, as his conduct is utterly disgraceful. He is found guilty of the two charges and hereby sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the charges.”
Reviewing the case further, the judge said the convict was a neighbour to the survivor, and attacked her while she was bathing in a shared bathroom.
Soladoye narrated that the survivor screamed when she was attacked by the convict, and he tried to cover her mouth, when her neighbour heard her screaming.
The judge said that other neighbours gathered and started beating him in the bathroom until the father of the survivor arrived and had him arrested by the police.
“He pushed her out of the bathroom when he was found out.
“The survivor confirmed that it was not the first time,” Soladoye added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that earlier during the trial, the State Counsel, Mrs Olufunke Adegoke, presented two witnesses, while the convict testified as a sole witness.
Adegoke said the convict committed the offences on Feb. 6, 2021 on Oke-Awo Street, Bariga, Lagos.
The prosecutor also submitted that the convict had sexual intercourse with the survivor and physically assaulted her by touching her breasts. (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)