JUDICIARY
Witness’s Absence Stalls Opening of INEC’s Case
The absence of a witness on Monday, stalled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from opening its case in the petition filed by the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi and his party.
LP and Obi are challeging the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) sitting at the Court of Appeal in Abuja had, last week adjourned till Monday for the electoral body, which is the first respondent in the petition to open its defence of the Feb.
25 presidential election, which it conducted.When the petition was called, lead counsel to the INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN told the court that, the first defendant has three days to defend the outcome of the Feb.
25 presidential election.He informed the court that the electoral body has three witnesses to present in its case and regretted that the witness slated to give evidence on Monday was not in court and asked for an adjournment until Tuesday for INEC to open its case.
Other respondents are Vice president Kashim Shettima and the APC.
He informed the court that the electoral body has three witnesses to present in its case and regretted that the witness slated to give evidence was not in court.
He asked for an adjournment for INEC to open its case in the joint petition by Obi and his party against Tinubu’s election.
The request for adjournment was not opposed by the petitioners and President Tinubu, Shettima, and the APC.
Consequently, the five-member panel of Justices of the court, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned further proceedings in the petition until Tuesday.
The petitioners ‘ counsel Livy Uzoukwu, SAN expressed sadness, however did not object to INEC ‘s application for adjournment.
Other respondents counsel, Wole Olanipakun, SAN for Tinubu and Shettima and Lateef Fagbemi, SAN for APC also did not object.
The five-member panel presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned until tomorrow for the INEC to open their case (NAN)
An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday ordered the remand of one Uzochukwu Chinecherem , 26, for allegedly defiling an eight-year-old. Chinecherem, a resident of New haven Estate, Lagos was charged with defilement. The Chief Magistrate, E. Kubeinje, who did not take the defendant’s plea, ordered that Chinecherem should be remanded in a Correctional facility in Lagos.
Kubeinje subsequently adjourned the matter until Dec. 17, pending legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. John Iberedem told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offence on Oct . 13, at New Haven Avenue, Igbehinadu, Lagos. Iberedem said that the defendant forcefully had sexual intercourse with the minor without her consent. The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The section stipulates life imprisonment for any one found guilty of defiling a minor. (NAN) A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, on Wednesday, sentenced a 31-year old man, Lawan Salisu, to three years imprisonment for sexually abusing a 10-year old boy.Salisu, of Tishama Yan Awakai Farin Bene Transformer in Nassarawa Local Government, Kano State, was convicted on a one-count charge of procurement and sexual exploitation after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Delivering judgment, Justice Simon Amobeda, held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. “The offence is punishable by not less than seven years imprisonment and a fine of N1 million.“I have tempered justice with mercy as a first time offender, according to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.“I hereby sentence the convict to three years imprisonment without option of fine. This will serve as a deterrent to others as cases like this are becoming prevalent,” he said.He urged the convict to tender an apology to the victim and his family.Earlier, Mr Hassan Nuruddeen, prosecution counsel, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Kano Command, said the defendant committed the offence at Tishama Awakai Farin Bene Transformer Kano, on June 26.Nuruddeen said that on the same date the defendant procured the minor and sexually exploited him by defilement, in an uncompleted building at Tishama.The prosecution presented four exhibits, including the confessional statement of the convict, and the victim’s testimony to the court, to prove his case.He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and was punishable under Section 26(1) of TIP ACT 2015.The defence counsel, Mr Inuwa Umar-Ibrahim, however pleaded for leniency on behalf of the convict, as a first-time offender.(NAN) A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a 38 -year-old sales representative to six months imprisonment for fleeing after eating and drinking in a restaurant.
The Magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos in his judgment, ordered the convict to pay an option of N10,000fine or spend three months in prison.
The magistrate also ordered the convict to N23,500 to the restaurant owner or another three months in prison in default.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Ibrahim Gokwat told the court that the case was reported on Aug.27, at the “A” Division Police station by one Charles Nentok, the complainant.
Gokwat said that the convict went to the restaurant, ordered food and assorted drinks worth N23,500 and took to his heels.
The prosecutor said he was later caught and taken to the police station.
The police said that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code Law.(NAN)
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