JUDICIARY
PEPC Admits Documents Tendered by Obi in Defence of his Petition
The Presidential Election Petition Court, (PEPC), has admitted in evidence, documents tendered by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi in defence of his petition against President Bola Tinubu.
The documents which were tendered on Tuesday in Abuja through the petitioners first witness, Mr Lawrence Nwakaeti, included a United States District Court judgment.
The judgment reportedly allegedly indicted Tinubu and ordered his forfeiture of 460,000 dollars in a drug related offence.
Nwakaeti who was led in evidence by Mr Jibrin Okutepa, SAN told the court that he was a registered voter and that he voted at a polling unit in his hometown in Anambra on Feb.
25.Counsel to the respondents raised objections to the admission of the document in evidence but reserved their arguments to their objections until the final address stage.
Under cross examination by counsel to Tinubu, Mr Wole Olanipekun, SAN, the witness admitted that the judgment was not registered in Nigeria.
Nwakaeti also admitted that there was no certificate from any Consular in Nigeria or America in support of the judgment but that the judgement was obtained and certified by the person in whose custody it was.
The witness told the court that he had been to the United States and also that he had read the judgment in its entirety adding that he would be surprised if no mention was made of 460,000 dollars forfeiture in it.
While also cross examining the witness, counsel to the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, sought to know if the document had the certification of any police officer in the United States.
“Do you have a certificate given under the hand of a police officer in the United States where the alleged conviction took place.
“Are you aware of a formal clearance report dated Feb. 4, 2003 issued under the legal attache’ of the United States embassy in respect of the alleged indictment and forfeiture?”
The witness told the court that he had no certificate from the police and that he was not aware of any such report.
The witness further told the court that he did not have the charges against Tinubu because there were no charges since the indictment was from a civil forfeiture proceeding.
Since Nwakaeti was the petitioner’s only witness for the day, the Chairman of the Court, Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned further hearing in the petition until Wednesday. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Kano High Court Affirms Ganduje’s Suspension
A Kano State High Court has restrained the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, from parading himself as a member of the party.
Justice Usman Malam Na’abba, on Wednesday, made the order, following an exparte motion filed by Dr Ibrahim Sa’ad on behalf of two APC executive members of Ganduje ward, Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area.
The plaintiffs are the party’s Assistant Secretary, Laminu Sani, and its Legal Adviser, Haladu Gwanjo.
The duo are among the nine ward executive members who suspended Ganduje from the party at the ward level, two days ago.
The respondents in the case include, All Progressives Congress (APC), APC National Working Committee (NWC), APC Kano State Working Committee (KSWC), and Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Granting the motion, Na’abba made an order restraining Ganduje from parading himself as APC National Chairman.
The court further made an order directing Ganduje to henceforth, desist from presiding over all affairs of the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
The court directed the respondents to henceforth maintain status quo ante belum as from April 15, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit on April, 30.
Justice Na’abba also granted the plaintiff’s prayer which ordered the APC SWC, from interfering with the legally and validly considered decision of executives of Ganduje ward, essentially on action endorsed by two thirds majority of the executives as provided by the party constitution.
“An order is hereby granted directing all parties in the suit APC (1st), APC National Working Committee (2nd), Kano State Working Committee APC (3rd), Dr. Abdullah Umar Ganduje (4th), to maintain status quo ante belum as of 15th April, 2024.
“The order thereby restraining the 1st respondent (APC) from recognizing the 4th respondent (Ganduje) as member of APC and prohibiting the 4th respondent (Ganduje) from presiding over any affairs of the NWC and restraining the state Working Committee from interfering with the legal and valid decision of the ward executives of Ganduje ward.
“That the 4th respondent (Ganduje) is prohibited from parading himself as member of APC or doing any act that may portray him or seem to be a member of APC, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit”.
It will be recalled that nine members of the Ganduje ward proclaimed the suspension of the National Chairman of APC over the allegation of corruption slammed on him by the Kano state government.
The nine APC executives said they were prompted to act following a petition written by one Ja’afaru Adamu, a member of APC from Ganduje’s polling unit.
In the petition, Adamu made allegations of corruption charges against the former governor just as he urged the ward leaders to investigate the matter to redeem the dented image of the party against the backdrop of President Bola Tinubu’s fight against corruption.
Following the failure of the Ward Chairman and Secretary to act on the petition, nine members of the executives, led by the legal adviser, acted and took the decision that led to the suspension Ganduje. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Businessman Jailed 1 Year for Stealing Car Gearbox
A Jos Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, sentenced a 28-year-old businessman, Peter Sunday to one year imprisonment for stealing motor parts valued at N200,000.
The Magistrate, Mr Shawomi Bokkos, summarily sentenced Sunday after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos, however, gave the convict an option to pay N30,000 and a compensation of N100,000 to the complainant.
The magistrate held that the punishment would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Labaran Ahmed, told the court that the case was reported on March 19, at the “B” Police station Bukuru by one Stephen Dung, the complainant.
The prosecutor alleged that the convict had trespassed into a mechanic workshop and stole the gearbox.
He told the court that the convict was however, apprehended at the point of his wanting to sell the stolen item.
The offence, according to him, is punishable under the Plateau state Penal Code Law. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Security Guard Jailed 3 Months for Stealing 25 Litres of Diesel
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday sentenced a 29-year-old security guard, Harow Mali to three months imprisonment for stealing 25 litres of diesel.
The Judge, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily sentenced Mali after he pleaded guilty.
Bokkos, however, gave the convict an option to pay N10,000 fine.
The judge said the punishment would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Labaran Ahmed told the court that the case was reported on March 20, at the “A” Police station Jos by one Yab Sunday, the complainant.
The prosecutor said the convict was caught with the 25 litres of diesel by the Police.
The offence, according to him, is punishable under the Plateau state Penal Code Law. (NAN)