JUDICIARY
Man to Spend 2 Years in Correctional Centre for Drug Trafficking
A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced to two years imprisonment one Philip Okani, arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Ikeja in possession of 3.10kg of Cannabis Sativa.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arraigned the convict before Justice Akintayo Aluko on a one-count charge of drug trafficking, to which he pleaded guilty.
Following his plea, the prosecutor, Mr Augustine Nwagu, reviewed the facts of the case before the court, and tendered exhbits in support of the case .
Nwagu, then urged the court to convict the defendant based on his plea and the evidence tendered by prosecution.
The trial judge, following the plea for leniency by the counsel to the defendant, Mr Dennis Wari, convicted and sentenced Okani to two years in jail.
Aluko, however, granted the convict the option of N300,000 fine and one week community service.
The judge ordered Okani to spend two hours for four days of the week cleaning the Eti-Osa Local Government Secretariat.
The court also directed the convict to produce a reliable guarantor to stand surety for him for the period of his community service.
The prosecution held that the convict committed the offence on Oct. 12, at the departure hall terminal two, of the Murtala Mohammed Internal Airport.
The prosecution said that Okani concealed 3.10kg of cannabis sativa which was recovered from him during the outward clearance of passengers on a Qatar Airline flight to Oman through Doha .
The offence, the prosecution said, contravened the provisions of the NDLEA Act, Cap 30, Law of the Federation 2004. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Court Shifts Judgment in Suit Seeking Ganduje’s Sack Until Sept. 23
A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, shifted the judgment in a suit seeking the removal of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Sept. 23.The matter, which was earlier fixed for today, was not on the cause list.NAN gathered that the parties in the suit had earlier been reached by the court registrar for a new date because the judgement was not ready.
“We have already called the parties on phone to inform them of the development. A new date is next week, September 23,” a reliable source said.Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on July 5, fixed today (Sept. 18) for the judgment.Justice Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the plaintiff, Benjamin Davou; and lawyers to the defence adopted their processes and made their submission for and against the case.The plaintiff; the North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, had filed the suit to queried the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as the Chairman of the APC when he is not from the North Central geo-political zone.In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, the plaintiff listed Ganduje, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.The plaintiff wants the court to, among others, restrain Ganduje from further parading himself as the chairman of the APC.It also prays the court to issue an order directing INEC not to accord recognition to all actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries and nominations, since Ganduje became APC Chairman on August 3, 2023.The plaintiff is contending among others, that Ganduje is occupying the office of the APC chairman illegally, not being from a state in the North Central geo-political zone.It argued that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC breached the party’s constitution when it appointed Ganduje, from Kano State in the North West geo- political zone to replace Sen. Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North Central geo-political zone.It also argued that Ganduje’s appointment to replace Abdullahi was contrary to Article 31.5(1) f of the APC constitution and ultra vires the powers of the NEC of the party, among other reliefs.(NAN)JUDICIARY
Poultry Farm Manager Faces N160,000 Fraud Charge
A 30-year-old poultry farm manager, Stephen Nwachi, on Thursday, appeared before an Okitipupa Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ondo State, over alleged N160,000 fraud.The defendant, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge bordering on felony and advance fee fraud.The police prosecutor, ASP Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on June 24, at 04.
00 p. m. at a poultry farm opposite Zomelo hotel on Okitipupa-Aye Road in Okitipupa.Orogbemi said that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N160,000 from one Morenike Orukotan, under the pretext of supplying some crates of eggs to her but failed to do so.The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 419 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap.37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.The Chief Magistrate, Mr Philip Akinlosetu, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum.He ordered that the surety should reside within the jurisdiction of the court.Akinlosetu also held that the surety should show evidence of two years tax payment to the state government.He adjourned the case until Sept. 17 for further hearing. (NAN)JUDICIARY
Court Remands Man, 44, for Allegedly Defiling 9-year-old Girl
A Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Lagos, on Wednesday remanded a 44-year-old man, Sunday Lukas in custody, for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl.The Chief Magistrate, Mr Patrick Adekomaiya, ordered that Lukas be remanded at the Awarjigoh Correctional Centre, Badagry, after he pleaded not guilty to a count charge of assault.
He ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to the office of the Director for Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice. Adekomaiya, however, adjourned the case until Oct. 28 for ruling on the bail application filed by Lukas and for DPP’s legal advice.Earlier, the police prosecutor, Ayodele Adeosun, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 28, at 12.20 p.m., at No. 4, Aribena Site, Ijanikin area of Lagos.He said that Lukas indecently assaulted the nine-year-old girl by inserting his fingers in her private part.The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 135 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)