CRIME
Police Arraign Anambra Varsity Professor, Others for Alleged Forgery
Prof. Obiajulu Obikeze and four others were, on Tuesday, arraigned by the police before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, over allegations bordering on forgery. Obikeze, who works with the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, formerly known as Anambra State University Igbariam in Anambra, is charged alongside others on 11 counts.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the Federal Republic of Nigeria, through the Inspector-General of Police, is the complainant, Obikeze, Dr Raymond Ofor, Chief Ezue, Sir Amobi Nwafor and Okafor Bethram IK are 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
Earlier when the matter was called, the prosecuting counsel, Celestine Odo, informed that the matter was slated for arraignment and all the defendants were in court. “It is our application that the 11-count charge filed July 6, 2021, be read to them for them to take their plea,” he said.The defendants, however, pleaded non-guilty to all the charges. Odo, who prayed they court for a date for the trial, said 19 witnesses had been listed to prosecute the case. The lawyer hinted that while about five of the witnesses would be invited to testify in court, others would give their testimony in the alternative.
He, therefore, urged the court to give an order remanding the defendants in a correctional centre pending the perfection of their bail terms but Justice Ekwo declined. Ekwo said since the police had already given them an administrative bail, the defendants should continue with the bail conditions. The judge, who adjourned the matter until May 23, May 24 and May 25 for trial commencement, ordered the prosecution to submit the administrative bail terms to the court. Counsel to the defendants, Kelvin Nwofo, SAN, in an interview shortly after the sitting, said though he had a motion for bail, he expressed gratitude that the court admitted his clients to bail on the earlier one granted by the police.
NAN reports that in the charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/184/2021 dated and filed on July 6, 2021, by Odo, the defendants were alleged to have committed the offence around Jan.15, 2019, at Awa, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra. In count one, the five defendants, and others now at large, were alleged to have conspired to commit forgery offence contrary to Section 3(6) and punishable under Section 1(2) (c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17 Laws of Nigeria, 2010.While count two accused them of uttering forged documents, count three accused them of making “a forged letter to the Special Adviser to the Governor of Anambra on Chieftaincy and Towns Union Matters. The document is titled, “Submission of Awa Chieftaincy Constitution,” knowing it to be false, with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine at the Government House, Awka, Anambra State.”(NAN)
CRIME
EFCC Arraigns Estate Agent Over Alleged N70m Accommodation Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned an estate agent, Ntai Bagshaw, for allegedly defrauding accommodation seekers of N70 million.
Bagshaw appeared before an Ikeja Special Offences Court alongside his company, Terraworks Ltd.
, on a two-count charge of obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
EFCC counsel, Mrs Fadeke Giwa, urged the court to remand the defendant pending hearing and determination of his bail application.
Giwa also prayed the court for a trial date.
Justice Ismail Ijelu ordered that the defendant should be kept at the Ikoyi custodial facility.
He adjourned the case until May 13 for hearing of bail application of the defendant.
EFCC is alleging that the defendant, with intent to defraud, obtained under false pretences, money meant for payment for a detached Duplex on Renat Axis in Ogudu GRA, Lagos State.
The commission also alleged that the defendant unlawfully converted the sum to his personal use.
According to EFCC, the offences contravene Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, and Section 278(2)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2011. (NAN)
CRIME
Court Remands 3 For Alleged Burglary, Theft in Osun

An Osogbo Magistrates’ Court in Osun, on Thursday , remanded three defendants in Ilesa Correctional Facility for alleged burglary and theft of household items whose worth was yet to be disclosed.
The defendants, Adewumi Ademola ,Adedokun Isiaka and Abdullahi Hassan are being charged for conspiracy, burglary and theft.
The Magistrate, Mr O.
Odeleye , ordered that the defendants be kept behind bars due to the magnitude of the alleged offence committed.Odeleye adjourned the case until May 14, pending their formal bail application.
The Police Prosecutor,ASP Jacob Akintunde told the court that the defendants conspired among themselves to broke into the apartments of Okeyinka Adeniyi M r Olagunju Rilwan between April 24 and May 2 at Abidogun area in Osogbo .
Akintunde alleged that the trio forcefully entered the apartments and took away some household items worth thousands of naira belonging to the complainants.
He said the offence contravened sections 516 ,312,213,509,382(1) punishable under section 390 of the criminal code, Cap 34 Vol.11 ,laws of Osun, 2002.
The trio pleaded not guilty to charges
Defence counsels, Mr Najite Okobie and Mr Kehinde Adepoju ,prayed the court to grant their clients bail in the most liberal terms which was declined.(NAN)
CRIME
Man, 24, Bags 8 Months Imprisonment for Stealing Prepaid Meters

A Kaduna Magistrates’ Court on Thursday sentenced a 24-year-old man, Timothy Sunday, to eight months imprisonment for stealing two electricity prepaid meters.
Sunday, a resident of Karji area of Kaduna, was sentenced on a two-count charge of criminal trespass and theft, which he admitted.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, however, gave the convict an option of N30,000 fine, with a warning that he must desist from the life of crime.
Emmanuel also said that the electricity prepaid meters must be returned to the owners.
The Prosecuting Counsel, Insp Chidi Leo, had told the court that on May 2, Hassan Luka and Grace Stephen, of Ungwan Maigero Kaduna, reported the matter at Karji Police Station.
Leo said that the convict criminally trespassed into the complainants’ premises and stole the electricity prepaid meters, with values yet unknown.
He told the court that during police investigation and interrogation, the stolen electricity prepaid meters were recovered from the convict and that he also admitted committing the crime.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017. (NAN)