JUDICIARY
REOPENED – Court Fixes Nov. 10 to Hear Nnamdi Kanu’s Application, Challenging Competence of FG’s Charge
A Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed Nov. 10 for hearing the application of leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, challenging the competency of the charge preferred against him by the Federal Government
Justice Binta Nyako, on Thursday, fixed the date after counsel to Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, informed that he had a notice of preliminary objection challenging the fresh seven-count charge filed against his client.
Earlier, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Abubakar, told the court that an amended seven counts had already been filed and he prayed the court for the charges to be read to Kanu to take his plea.
Following the complaint by the legal team, the judge ordered that three people, of Kanu’s choice, be allowed to visit him every Thursday at the DSS facility.
Although journalists were not allowed into the courtroom by the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), Ejiofor briefed the media shortly after the proceedings.
He said a notice of preliminary objection filed to challenge the amended charge would be taken by the court on Nov. 10.
NAN reports that the applicaion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/3832015 dated Oct. 18 and filed Oct. 20 by Ejiofor, sought for two orders of the court.
“AN ORDER striking out/quashing and or dismissing the seven-count amended charge, specifically, counts 1 to 7 preferred against the defendant/applicant (Kanu) in the amended charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, for the reason that the counts, as constituted, are incompetent and thus, deprives the Honourable Court of jurisdiction to entertain the same.
“AN ORDER of the Honourable Court discharging and acquitting the defendant/applicant of all the counts in the seven-count amended charge preferred against the defendant/applicant, upon the same being struck out/quashed and/or dismissed,” it reads.
The application was filed on 31 grounds, among which were “that no allegation was made in any of the counts of the amended charge that the alleged sundry acts of the defendant/Aapplicant were physically carried out by him, within the geographical space or territorial boundaries of Nigeria; that the only element requisite to constitute and found liability for incitement is the actual words allegedly uttered by the defendant/applicant.”
There was pandemonium earlier at the main entrance of the building as lawyers clashed with the DSS personnel over the refusal to allow them access into the court premises.
Litigants and other visitors who were at the court for other businesses were also barred from coming into the court premises.(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)