JUDICIARY
PEPC: Atiku, PDP Seek Live Broadcast of Court Proceedings

The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has approached the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) seeking an order allowing live broadcast of proceedings of his petition.
Atiku and the PDP in an application dated May 5, is specifically praying the court for an order directing the court’s registry and the parties on modalities for admission of media practitioners and their equipment into the courtroom.
The application filed by their team of lawyers led by Mr Chris Uche, SAN, is premised on the grounds that the matter before the court is a dispute over the outcome of the Presidential Election held on Feb.
25 and therefore a matter of national concern and public interest.They also contended that being a unique electoral dispute with a peculiar constitutional dimension, it was a matter of public interest where millions of Nigerians were stakeholders with a constitutional right to receive.
“An integral part of the constitutional duty of the court to hold proceedings in public is a discretion to allow public access to proceedings either physically or by electronic means.
“With the huge and tremendous technological advances and developments in Nigeria and beyond, including the current trend by this court towards embracing electronic procedures, virtual hearing and electronic filing, a departure from the rules to allow a regulated televising of the proceedings in this matter is in consonance with the maxim that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done.
“Televising court proceedings is not alien to this court, and will enhance public confidence.”
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) recalls that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), had in its communique at the end of its National Executive Committee meeting in Birnin Kebbi on March 23 made a similar call.
The NBA had urged the judiciary to allow for live broadcast of court hearings on election petitions, particularly the presidential election cases.
Also, a group, under the aegis of Leaders of Thoughts and Legal Icons, had supported the initiative.
The group had invited Nigerians to sign an appeal an online platform in support of the initiative.
Mr Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer also backed calls for live broadcast of election petition trials.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the application.
NAN reports that the tribunal began pre-hearing in the petitions challenging the outcome of the Feb. 25 presidential election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared that Sen, Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress polled 8,794,726 votes to win the election.
The commission declared that Atiku came second with 6,984,520 votes, while it announced Labour Party’s Peter Obi as the second runner-up with 6,101,533 votes.
But Atiku, Obi and some other parties rejected the results announced by INEC and had approached the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to annul Tinubu’s victory.
NAN also reports that Atiku, in his 66-page petition, is praying the tribunal to declare him winner of the poll or order a fresh election.
On his part, Obi, in his petition, is also praying the tribunal to nullify Tinubu’s election. (NAN)
CRIME
Man Bags 18 Months Imprisonment For Gambling With Employer’s N1m

An Ota Magistrates ‘Court in Ogun, on Monday, sentenced a 24-year-old Point of Sales (POS) attendant, Yusuf Olamilekan, to 18 months imprisonment for stealing N1 million belonging to his employer.
In her judgement, the Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Fadairo, sentenced the convict to 18 months imprisonment with an option of fine of N60, 000.
Fadairo said that the convict should also restitute N1 million to the complainant, Emeka and Jane Company.
She added that the Prosecution Counsel had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty of the charge preferred against him.
Olamilekan, whose address was not provided, had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing.
The Prosecutor, Insp E.O. Adaraloye, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 7, at 6 p.m., at Sango-Ota.
Adaraloye said that the defendant unlawfully withdrew N1 million from his employer’s account, Emeka and Jane Company, without consent, to play a game of chance.
He said that the now convict subsequently lost the money, adding that the offence contravened Section 383 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
IGE/DCO
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Edited by Deborah Coker
An Ota Magistrates ‘Court in Ogun, on Monday, sentenced a 24-year-old Point of Sales (POS) attendant, Yusuf Olamilekan, to 18 months imprisonment for stealing N1 million belonging to his employer.
In her judgement, the Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Fadairo, sentenced the convict to 18 months imprisonment with an option of fine of N60, 000.
Fadairo said that the convict should also restitute N1 million to the complainant, Emeka and Jane Company.
She added that the Prosecution Counsel had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty of the charge preferred against him.
Olamilekan, whose address was not provided, had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing.
The Prosecutor, Insp E.O. Adaraloye, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 7, at 6 p.m., at Sango-Ota.
Adaraloye said that the defendant unlawfully withdrew N1 million from his employer’s account, Emeka and Jane Company, without consent, to play a game of chance.
He said that the now convict subsequently lost the money, adding that the offence contravened Section 383 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Woman, 42, Docked Over Alleged Theft Of Soft Drinks Worth N7.688m

A 42-year-old woman, Bukola Solademi, was on Friday arraigned before a Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan over alleged theft of carbonated drinks and bottled water valued at N7.688 million.
Solademi, however, pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge levelled against her.
The court’s President, Mrs O.
E. Owoseni, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000, with two reliable sureties in like sum.Owoseni said that the sureties must be blood relatives, show evidence of three years tax payment to Oyo State government, present their National Identification Numbers and show evidence of ownership of landed property in Ibadan.
She, thereafter, adjourned the matter till July 4 for hearing.
The Prosecutor, Insp Ayodele Ayeni, had earlier told the court that the defendant committed the offence between March 2024 and April 2025 at Ibikunle, Ayeye area of Ibadan.
Ayeni further said that Solademi stole 12 packs of Bigi water valued at N14,750, 31; packs of big Eva water valued at N309,400, 176 and packs of Mr V water valued at N264,400.
He said that the defendant also stole 405 packs of Predator valued at N1.903,400 and 14 packs of Schewepps valued at N57,600.
The prosecutor listed other items allegedly stolen by the defendant to include: 244 packs of pet coke valued at N882,300; 20 packs of big American cola valued at N128,00012 and packs of Bigi Cola valued at N240,000.
The remaining items were one carton of Lacasera valued at N1,850,240,000; 34 cartons of Pepsi valued at N104,100; 100 cartons of Coca-cola valued at N520,000 and 243 cartons of Fearless valued at N992,300.
The other stolen drinks were: 75 cartons of Bigi Fanta valued at N240,000, 14 packs of Sosa drink valued at N4,000 and 395 packs of Bigi American cola valued at N1.422 million.
Ayeni said that the drinks belonged to one Ajoke Ayinde, a businesswoman.
According to him, the offence contravenes the provisions of section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
3 People Docked For Alleged Assault, Causing Woman To Miscarry

Three men, Wasiu Ayanyemi, Ibtahim Adeniji and Oluwabunmi Owoyemi, were on Wednesday docked in an Ikorodu Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly assaulting woman and causing her to miscarry.
The police charged Ayanyemi, 40; Adeniji, 49, and Owoyemi, 40, whose addresses were not disclosed with conspiracy to wit felony, breach of peace, and assault occasionally harm.
The three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Prosecutor, ASP Aminu Isaac, said the offence were committed on May 8, at Benson bus-stop area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Isaac said the defendants assaulted a three-month pregnanr woman, Ms Adejoke Olusoj, causing her bodily harm and miscarriage
The prosecutor said the defendants also conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace
He added the offence contravened the provisions of sections 411, 168(d), 173 and 245 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr B. A. Sonuga, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500,000 each, with two sureties in like sum.
Sonuga adjourned the case until June 16 for further mention. (NAN)