Why Court Sent NURTW Chieftain Koko Zaria To Prison

 By Ayodele Ifasakin 

A Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday remanded a chieftain of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Ganiyu Oyedepo (aka Kokozaria), in prison custody for assaulting an actor, Alhaji Ade Adele (aka Baba Lawori).

Oyedepo was remanded following his arraignment on alleged offences of conspiracy, assault occasioning harm, and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.

Chief Magistrate B. Sonuga remanded Oyedepo, after he pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him by the operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID).

The prosecutor, Morufu Animashaun, a legal officer in the legal department of FCIID, Alagbon, in a charge marked B/40/2024, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on June 5, 2024, at Idimu, by conspiring with some of his ‘boys’ to assault Adele.

He said in the course of the assault, Oyedepo’s boys, injured Adele in the head with a bottle.

He told the court that the offences committed by the defendant, contravened sections 411; 173 and 168 (l)(d) of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State and punishable under section 168 (2) of the same laws.

The charges are “That you Ganiyu Oyedepo on or about the June 25, 2024 at Idimu, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, Lagos conspired to commit Felony wit: Assault Occasioning Harm and committed an Offence contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State

That you Oyedepo on the said date unlawfully procured one of your boys (now at large) who unlawfully broke bottle and inflicted injuries on the head of one Alhaji Ade Adele and committed an Offence contrary to Section 173 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.

“That you Oyedepo conducted yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace when you threatened and procured one of your boys (now at large) to break bottle on the head of Adele and committed an Offence contrary to Section 168 (l)(d) of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015 and punishable under Section 168 (2) of thé same Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos state 2015.”

Oyedepo denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His lawyers, S. Bello with S. O. Ajetomobi, moved for bail application, saying the charge against their client is a bailable one.

Why Court Sent NURTW Chieftain Koko Zaria To Prison 

They urged the court to grant him bail in the most liberal terms.

Chief Magistrate Sonuga after hearing counsels’ submissions granted Oyedepo bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.

The sureties, according to the Chief Magistrate, must be of unquestionable character, with evidence of means of livelihood and must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction.

The Chief Magistrate also ordered the sureties to present to court evidence of three years tax, and have their addresses verified.

Chief Magistrate Sonuga, while adjourning the matter to October 29, for mention, however, remanded the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) custody, pending the perfection of the bail terms.

Online

Court Sentences two persons to Prison over IE Transformer Vandalism

By Ayodele Awosika:

The Lagos State Magistrate Court in Ejigbo has handed down sentences to two individuals for vandalizing transformers belonging to Ikeja Electric Plc.

Abubakar Alido received a one-year sentence for vandalizing a 500KVA transformer on Michael Aladesuyi Street, Egbeda, under the Omo Osho 11KV Feeder, while Ishola Olatunji was sentenced to six months for attempting to vandalize a transformer on Karimu Laka Street, Egbeda, under the Orelope 11KV Feeder. Alido was apprehended by a security guard and handed over to the police. The incident occurred when Alido was found tampering with the transformer cables.

 Court Sentences two persons to Prison over IE Transformer Vandalism

Upon investigation, the police arraigned Alido at the Magistrate Court 1, Ejigbo, on June 14, 2024. He was charged with wilful damage of transformer cables, contrary to Section 339 and punishable under Section 350 of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015. Alido pleaded guilty when the charges were read to him. The case was adjourned to July 2, 2024, for sentencing.

On the adjourned date, the prosecutor summarized the facts, and Alido admitted them as true. His statement to the police was tendered and admitted as Exhibit A. Consequently, the court sentenced him to one-year imprisonment, effective from his arraignment date. The court highlighted the importance of this sentence as a deterrent to other vandals, given the rising incidence of such crimes in the area.

In a similar case, Ishola Olatunji was caught by members of the Karimu Laka community attempting to vandalize a 500KVA transformer. The community members, vigilant and proactive, handed Olatunji over to the police. Following an investigation, the police arraigned Olatunji at the Magistrate Court 1, Ejigbo, on March 11, 2024. He was charged with the attempted theft of transformer cables, punishable under Section 287 of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015.

Olatunji initially pleaded not guilty and was granted bail, with an order for remand at the Kiri-Kiri Correctional Facility pending the perfection of his bail conditions. However, he later opted to change his plea to guilty. During the hearing, the prosecutor summarized the case facts, which Olatunji admitted to. His statement to the police was also tendered and accepted as Exhibit A. The court then sentenced him to six-month imprisonment, counting from his arraignment date.

Speaking on the judgments, the Business Manager of Akowonjo Business Unit, Engr. Abayomi Bolorunde expressed satisfaction and hope that these sentences would serve as a strong deterrent to other potential vandals. He reiterated Ikeja Electric's commitment to curtailing the vandalism of its assets, emphasizing the significant damage such activities cause to the company's operations and the inconvenience they bring to customers. He urged communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities, as vandals continue to devise new methods to disrupt electricity supply and plunge customers into darkness.

Ikeja Electric's spokesman and Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Kingsley Okotie commended the joint efforts of both the Security and Legal teams at Ikeja Electric, as well as other external stakeholders and thanked them for their dedication while ensuring that the cases were pursued to a logical conclusion. He lamented the adverse impact of vandalism on Ikeja Electric's business and assured that the company would continually leverage its relationships with the police and other community stakeholders to get the vandals out of business.

He reiterated that proactive measures taken by Ikeja Electric and the collaboration with local communities highlight the ongoing battle against infrastructure vandalism, ensuring that perpetrators face the full wrath of the law while safeguarding essential services for the public.

BREAKING: Police officer who killed Lagos lawyer Bolanle Raheem to die by hanging– Court

 AgegePulse Magazine

BREAKING: Police officer who killed Lagos lawyer Bolanle Raheem to die by hanging– Court

The judge Ibironke Harrison on Monday found the police officer guilty of murder of Bolanle Raheem.

The Lagos State High Court has sentenced Drambi Vandi, who fatally shot Bolanle Raheem, a Lagos based lawyer, to death by hanging.

The judge Ibironke Harrison on Monday found the police officer guilty of murder.

“The court found the defendant guilty on one count of murder. You will be hanged by the neck till you are dead,”

Court Affirms LASG Powers To Regulate Real Estate Transactions | AgegePulse Magazine ... As Stakeholders in Real Estate Sector Are Enjoined to Register With LASRERA

A Federal High Court in Lagos has affirmed the powers of the Lagos State Government to regulate the practice of real estate transactions within the State.

A statement signed by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), noted that the judgment delivered on March 22, 2021, by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, struck out the originating motion filed by the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) and the Nigeria Institute of Estate Surveyors And Valuers (NIESV) to challenge the authority of the State government to regulate the sector.

LASRERA Logo

According to him, the applicants - ESVARBON and NIESV - had filed the suit against the Lagos State Government and the State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), who were listed as first and second respondents respectively, claiming that they are the ‘sole body’ created by Law in Nigeria to determine persons who are to become Estate Surveyors and Valuers.

His words: “The first applicant claimed that by virtue of Section 2 of the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria Act Cap E13 LFN 2007 and Section 1 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, it was unconstitutional for Lagos State Government to create an entity known as the Lagos State Estate Agency Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) that compels registration of all Estate Surveyors and Valuers practising in the State”.

“The applicants had also argued that under Section 4 (6) – (9) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) or any other Section or Schedule of the same Constitution, the Lagos State House of Assembly lacked the legislative power to enact a bill to regulate the practice of estate surveying and valuation”, he added. 

The Commissioner also averred that, consequently, the applicants sought an order of the court restraining the respondents whether by themselves, agents, servants and/or privies from implementing, enforcing, in any way or manner whatsoever and howsoever giving effect or further effect to the directives of compulsory registration with Lagos State Government.

Onigbanjo said Justice Aneke struck out the originating motion for lacking in merit and upheld the powers of the Lagos State Government to establish a Regulatory Agency for Estate Agents trading in Lagos State.

By the ruling, the Lagos State Government called on all practitioners to abide by the Lagos State Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) Law and register with the Agency in line with the determination of the Government to protect the general public and ensure genuine persons and organisations possess the required platform to practice their trade.

Court Jails Popular Lagos Pastor, Israel Genesis, For Two Year Over Fraud | AgegePulse Magazine

Sahara Reporters

Ogundipe, who has been on trial since 2011, was charged with seven counts of obtaining by stealing, inducing delivery of money by false pretences, unlawful conversion of property and forgery.

A Lagos State High Court has sentenced popular prophet and Shepherd-in-charge of Celestial Church of Christ Global Genesis Parish, Israel Oladele Ogundipe aka Israel Genesis, to two years imprisonment for defrauding a United Kingdom-based woman, Mrs Olaide Williams-Oni.

Ogundipe, who has been on trial since 2011, was charged with seven counts of obtaining by stealing, inducing delivery of money by false pretences, unlawful conversion of property and forgery.

Israel Oladele Ogundipe

In her testimony, Williams-Oni had told the court that she met the prophet in 2002 during her visit to Nigeria when she was taken to his church for prayers by her step-sister.

Justice Akinlade, in a judgment that lasted for about four hours, sentenced the defendant, Prophet Oladele, to a year imprisonment on count two and four.

The presiding judge, Justice Olabisi Akinlade found the clergyman guilty of two of the seven charges brought against him and dismissed the remaining five over lack of evidence.

Akinlade ordered that he should pay the complainant the sum of N11m, which he illegally obtained from her.

“Both sentences are to run concurrently and the defendant is to restitute the complainant the sum of N2.5mi in respect of count two (stealing) and N8.5million in respect of count 4 (unlawful conversion of property not delivered),” the judge said.

Following the judgment, Rotimi Odutola, lead prosecuting counsel for Lagos State, thanked the court for the ruling.

According to the prosecution, Ogundipe committed the offence between August 30, 2002 and 2005.

During that period, he is alleged to have fraudulently obtained N14m and £12,000 in various tranches from the complainant.

Be

CHILD MURDER: Lagos Magistrate Court sends Mother for Psychiatric Evaluation

AgegePulse Magazine

Lagos State Magistrate Court, Igbosere, Lagos Island, on Wednesday, directed that a 22-year old mother, Olufunmilola Adisa, accused of killing her 21-month old daughter, Oluwanifemi, by drowning her in a bucket of water be sent to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Psychiatric department for evaluation.

Delivering her ruling on the alleged murder case, the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Dora Ojo, granted the application of the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD) representing the defendant, saying that based on section 217 (3) of Lagos State Administration of the Criminal of Justice Law of 2015, the defendant should be sent and remanded at the Teaching Hospital for the necessary psychiatric test in order to determine her state of mental health.

Speaking on the case, the Director, OPD, Dr. Babajide Martins said that the Office, acting in line with its statutory responsibility of providing free legal service for the indigent and vulnerable, took up the case to represent the accused and requested a psychiatric evaluation of the defendant in view of her alleged crime.

He said, "based on the recent ruling and the granting of our application, the Agency will ensure that she commences treatment as an out-patient at the hospital pending further arraignment before the Law Court."

According to him, “Although, the case has been adjourned to the 26th of June, 2020 for the outcome of the Psychiatric examination to be conducted on the defendant, the OPD would do everything within the legal framework to defend the accused in line with the mandate of the Agency”.

The Director, therefore, urged members of the public not to cast judgement on anyone until the person is convicted by the Court, stressing that the Office is still operating within the directive of the State government that rights of the vulnerable are well taken care of, irrespective of their socio-economic background or crime committed.

Recall that the defendant was, on the 11th of May, 2020, arrested after being alleged to have killed her 21 month-old daughter, Oluwanifemi by drowning her in a bucket of water at their residence in Gowon Estate, Alimosho Local Government Area of the State.

Lagos Court Officials Under Detention After Extorting Motorist Over Face Mask

AgegePulse Magazine

Lagos Mobile Court



By Monsuru Olowoopejo

It was end of the road for five court officials who were arrested by Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit deployed to Lagos and Ogun States for parading themselves as officers of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency (Task Force) to allegedly extort motorists and residents over the use of face mask in the state.


Among the five court officials, who were led by one Henry Akintanmi popularly called Spider and deployed to Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile) Court, includes three policemen that were primarily assigned to ensure the safety of lives and property of the five mobile courts and magistrates in the state.


Before the IGP special team led by Police former Public Relation officer in Lagos, CSP Ngozi Braide, arrested the Lagos Mobile Court officials on Thursday, it was learned that the State Government had been inundated with complaints of extortions on Lagos roads by the officials who were said to have allegedly established an illegal Taskforce unit under the Lagos Mobile Court to extort residents in the state.

Henry Taiwo Akintomide

Theguild gathered that the officials often embark on enforcement of traffic law before President Muhammadu Buhari imposed a lockdown on Lagos to contain spread of coronavirus and allegedly arrest several motorists and commercial motorcycle operators popularly called Okada riders and tricycle operators and extort them with the assurance that they were the authentic taskforce responsible for environmental enforcement in the state.


It was learned that the officials, in order to ensure the operations achieve the targeted aim, adopted Taskforce enforcement style and painted their vehicles with a bold inscription of Taskforce on it and move in convoy to arrest and extort motorists that were not familiar with Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency (Task Force).

Though the operation had been ongoing without the State Government been able to pinpoint the perpetrators inspite of complain from residents Akintanmi, a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) former officer, and his gang, earlier in the week, stormed Lagos roads and apprehended residents for moving within the state without using a face mask.


It was learned that Akintanmi and four others hide under the pronouncement by the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, that the use of face mask would be enforced in the state.

Ms Clara, one of the victims extorted for not using a face mask in Lagos, informed the IGP monitoring team, claiming that the officials who extorted her were from Lagos Task Force and appealed for an investigation.

The Guild gathered that after Clara’s complaint, the law enforcement officers accompanied her to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency (Task Force) headquarters in Oshodi to identify the perpetrators.

On arrival, the Chairman of Lagos Taskforce, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, denied the involvement of his officers and disclosed that since the advent of the dreaded hoodlums, One Million Boys, his personnel had been deployed to different locations to prevent any possible attack on residents.


Egbeyemi said: “We have been manning the entry points of the state during this lockdown. We have not been engaging in any enforcement in Lagos state.

 And some of the places you can find my men now are Agege, Ikorodu, Oshodi, Alakuko, Lekki-Ikoyi, and Berger end of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. I know that my officers were never involved in any enforcement.”

After leaving the Lagos Taskforce office, our correspondent learned that Clara and members of the IGP team discovered the vehicle that apprehended her within the premises of Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile) Court where the perpetrators were picked by the team.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, in an interview with our correspondent, said that he was not aware of the arrest made by the Braide-led team in the state.


In an interview with TheGuild, the Public Affairs Officer (PAO), Ministry of Justice, Kayode Oyekanmi, assured our correspondent that he would get back to him after confirmation.

BREAKING: Court Suspends Oshiomole As APC Chairman

AgegePulse Magazine

A Federal Capital Territory High Court has granted an order of interim injunction stopping Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from parading himself as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Danlami Senchi who granted the injunction on Wednesday said that political parties must be bound by their constitution and having been suspended by his ward, Comrade Oshiomhole is restrained from functioning as the National Chairman of the party pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The judge fixed hearing for April 7 and 8, 2020.

Protesters have been demanding the removal of Comrade Oshiomhole for failing in his duties of providing quality leadership for the party, a call the APC leader dismissed, tagging the group “a non-existing” one

Imposition Of Fine By LASTMA Is Illegal- Court

AgegePulse Magazine

The appeal court held that imposition of penalties by the LASTMA ultra vires its power, especially where no platform was established to observe the principles of natural justice.

The court declared this while ruling on the appeal filed by LASTMA over judgment delivered by the Federal High Court on September 16, 2011, in the suit no FHC/L/CS/653/2011 wherein it was held that it breached the right of the respondent in the suit.
 
LASTMA had appealed the judgment delivered by Justice Okon Abang wherein the court declared that the unlawful assault and illegal arrest, seizure and continuous detention of applicant’s Pick-up van with registration number BE 736 KSF by the respondent on March 18, 2011 was a breach of the applicant’s fundamental right to human dignity as guaranteed by Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution.

The applicant, Mr. Jonathan Odutola had filed the suit against LASTMA over the alleged unlawful detention of his Pick up Van, and the court awarded N500.000 as damages against it (LASTMA ) and ordered issuance of public apology.

Delivering the lead judgment by Justice Jamilu Yammama Tukur which was adopted by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill and Justice Abimbola Osarugue Obaseki-Adejumo, the court held that “by the provisions of section 1 (1) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the constitution is supreme and its provisions are binding on all authorities and persons in Nigeria.

“Therefore, if any law is inconsistent with any provisions of the constitution, the constitution shall prevail and other law shall to the extent of that inconsistency be void.” The court cited Nosdra v.Exxonnmobil (2018) LPELR -44210 (CA), pp 5-9 para E-C.

Also, the court held that the imposition of a fine by the appellant, it (LASTMA) acted in a judicial capacity which they are not imbued with under the constitution.

“The appellant constituted itself into a court with judicial or quasi-judicial powers, when ìn fact the law that created it did not donate such jurisdiction to it.

By doing so, the appellant became a judge in its own cause, the complainant as well the judge, contrary to the maxim ‘nemo judex in causa sua’. The court will not allow any authority to act ultra vires its power under the constitution.

“There is, therefore, a lacuna in that law creating the appellant. In view of the fact that the main crux of the respondent’s grievance bothers on the imposition of fine/penalty on it, I hold that there is no merit in this appeal whatsoever. I find the appeal as lacking in merit as same is hereby dismissed,” the court held.

Lagos Reporters

BREAKING: Innoson Motors moves to take over GTBank

AgegePulse Magazine

Innoson Nigeria Limited has moved to take over Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) following a ruling by the Supreme Court over the bank’s N8.7 billion indebtedness to the company.

Chairman of the company, Innocent Chukwuma, instituted the move through the Writ of FiFa.

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday dismissed GTB’s appeal and affirmed the concurrent judgement of both the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court, Ibadan, which ordered GTB to pay N2.4 billion to Innoson with a 22% interest per annum.

Spokesman of Innoson Motors, Cornel Osigwe, in a statement on Friday said the “Judgment debt of N2.4B has an accrued interest as at today of about N6,717,909,849.96 which results to about N8.8 Billion.

“Based on the Supreme Court’s decision of 27th February 2019 the counsel to Innoson, Prof McCarthy Mbadugha ESQ, had approached the Federal High Court, Awka Division for leave to enforce the judgment having obtained Certificates of Judgment from the Ibadan Division of the Federal High Court.

“Having obtained the requisite leave, the Federal High Court issued the necessary process for levying execution – the Writ of Fifa.”


 Veracity Desk

Alleged N400m fraud: Why Buhari wants to jail me, Metuh tells court

Gormer National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday, narrated before the Federal High Court in Abuja why President Muhammadu Buhari wants to jail him. 

Testifying as the 15th Defence Witness, DW-15, the erstwhile PDP spokesman, said his trial was a calculated attempt by All Progressives Congress, APC-led government to silence him from criticising President Buhari’s dictatorial tendencies.

He told the court that top APC members had prior to the time the EFCC arrested and subsequently charged him for fraud, tried to dissuade him from attacking President Buhari in the media.

Metuh told the court that some of the APC members met him on several occasions in Dubai, Switzerland and Paris to discuss possible roles they could play to strengthen the PDP to wrestle power from President Buhari.

He said the top APC members, who he did not disclose their identities, equally complained of President Buhari’s governance style, saying they had lost confidence in his administration.

Metuh said after he refused to soft-pedal on his criticisms, he started receiving warnings to be cautious of possible attack.

He said: “The then National Chairman of the APC, Oyegun, publicly warned me that the APC was not happy with me and is not taking my criticisms lightly. “Also, when President Buhari wants to engage in undemocratic practice,  I will resist such by taking pressmen to houses

Vang

Court remands five for stealing 120 yam tubers

The President of the Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan, Mrs Imoleayo Akinrodoye, on Tuesday, remanded five suspects for alleged theft of 120 tubers of yam.

The accused – Biodun Ayodele (20), Michael Adebayo (19), Lukman Ahmed (22), Arisekola Ridwan (20), and Kayode Suleiman (45) – were granted bail, but failed to meet the conditions for their release.

The accused were consequently remanded in custody.

Akinrodoye had admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N150,000 with one reliable surety each in like sum.

The court president adjourned the case till October 17 for continuation of hearing.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the police prosecutor, Sergeant Ayodele Ayeni, had earlier informed the court that the five suspects were arraigned on three counts bordering on conspiracy, unlawful breaking in and stealing.

Ayeni said Ayodele, Adebayo, Ahmed, Arisekola and Suleiman committed the crime on September 22 around 5am in the Bere area of Ibadan.

According to the prosecutor, the first, second, third and fourth accused broke into shops where tubers of yams meant for sale were kept and stole 120 pieces, which they sold to the fifth accused.

He further said the yam tubers, valued at N40,000,  belonged to Kazeem Oladeni and Jamiu Salami, traders at the Oja-Oba Market in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Punch

Rescued suicidal youth disappears with Good Samaritan’s goods, money

42 

5'

Samson Folarin

A school dropout, Owolabi Ogunwande, who reportedly attempted to kill himself twice, has been declared wanted after allegedly absconding with a tricycle and money belonging to a trader in the Surulere area of Lagos State.

The Oyan, Osun State indigene, who came to Lagos on March 5, 2018, had reportedly tried hanging himself with a rope he found on a bridge at CMS, Lagos Island, on June 28.

READ ALSO: Falana wants soldiers to stop wearing uniform outside barracks

He was, however, rescued by a security operative at the Toll Gate, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

After he was handed over to the police at the Maroko division, he allegedly attempted to commit suicide again in the cell before he was arraigned at the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court.

At the court, the 27-year-old reportedly said life had no meaning to him again and he was frustrated.

PUNCH Metro learnt that an octogenarian, who read his story, was moved with pity and offered to help him.

A source said some officials of a government agency assisted in securing Ogunwande’s release from court.

The source said, “When he was charged to court, the agency was approached by an 85-year-old woman, who said she was interested in helping him. The woman said she believed he probably had mental issues.

“Meanwhile, a non-governmental organisation, which also showed interest in his case, assisted in taking him to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, where he was committed to a mental ward for two weeks. The NGO paid about N80,000 per week to check his mental state.

“After he was certified fit, the court released him and the elderly woman, who had offered to help him, took him to her house in Ikoyi. The woman put him in a mechanic workshop where he was an apprentice and she gave him N500 every day for transport. The woman also gave him a good room and fed him twice a day. 

However, after a week, Ogunwande started complaining that the woman was making him suffer. One night, he ran away from the woman’s house.”

PUNCH Metro gathered that a government worker took him to a church where he was welcome.

Some of the church members reportedly donated cash and clothing materials to the 27-year-old after he spoke to them.

The woman who took him to the church and asked not to be identified, told our correspondent that a day after Ogunwande arrived in the church, he approached a trader in the neighbourhood and offered to assist her with her wares.

“As of this time, the NGO that paid for his medical bills at LUTH was still giving him N1,500 per day for his upkeep. The NGO had also offered to take him in that Sunday since he was no longer comfortable with the elderly woman.

“On Saturday, while he claimed to be running an errand for the trader around the church, he disappeared with the woman’s tricycle, goods and money,” she said.

The trader, Mrs Abiola Osidele, who had a warehouse in Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere, said she could not believe that Ogunwande absconded with her goods.

She said, “I have a warehouse in the area where I sell and distribute soft drinks to customers. He met me on Thursday and said he could drive my tricycle and assist to distribute the drinks

WEMPCO workers protest non-payment of sal

Young Boys sell stolen laptop for N2,000 in Lagos

Deji Lambo

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two teenagers for allegedly breaking into a shop on Jakande Estate, in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State, and stealing a laptop.

The police also arrested two others – 27-year-old Adejagun Babatunde and 20-year-old Lawal Wasiu – for allegedly receiving the stolen laptop from the teenage burglars.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, on Wednesday said the case was worrisome because minors were involved.

Imohimi said, “The command’s operatives attached to the Ejigbo Police Division on September 2, 2018, arrested two teenagers (names withheld), aged 13 and 14, who specialised in breaking into people’s shops.

“Luck ran out on them when they burgled a shop at Block 397, Jakande Estate, Ejigbo, and made away with one generator valued at N15,000; one HP laptop, valued at N90,000; one amplifier, valued at N40,000; and one CD mixer, valued at N150,000.

“The police have arrested their adult collaborators, 27-year-old Adejagun Babatunde and 20-year-old Lawal Wasiu. The two adults bought the stolen HP laptop for N2,000 only. The adult suspects will have their day in court, while the child offenders will be handed over to the gender section for appropriate action.”

One of the teenage burglars, said he took the laptop inside an opened shop, adding that he was accompanied by his friend to a complex at Ejigbo where they were paid N2,000 for the laptop.

The second teenage suspect said he was only involved in selling the laptop.

The buyer of the laptop, Babatunde, said he got to know the boys through Wasiu.

He said, “Wasiu came to me that the two children wanted to sell a laptop. They told me that they wanted to sell the laptop because they were hungry, adding that the laptop belonged to their brother, who was no longer a deejay.”

Wasiu said, “The two boys said they were hungry and that I should give them money. I told them that I did not have money and I directed them to Babatunde.”

In a related development, operatives attached to the Ejigbo Police Station arrested one Ikechukwu Kalu for allegedly stealing a pumping machine on Egbe Road

The CP said the suspect would equally be charged to court.

I’ll poison my husband if court doesn’t separate us – Wife

Olufemi Atoyebi, Ibadan

A mother of three, Ronke Olanrewaju, has threatened to poison her husband if a customary court fails to grant her request for divorce.

The aggrieved wife had approached the Oja-Oba Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking divorce from her husband, who she described as abusive and violent.

Ronke told the court that her husband, Sunday Olanrewaju, beat her up anytime he saw her with male customers, adding that each time the police were brought in, he would boast that he was a prominent politician.

She said, “My lord, he also beat up my mother like a baby. Separate us now, or else, I will poison him. Each time I discuss business with male customers, he would beat me and say they were my lovers.”

However, the husband, Sunday, begged the court to sustain the marriage, saying his wife was like a mother to him.

The President of the court, Chief Henry Agbaje, fixed September 18, 2018, for ruling.

He said although the case required urgency because of the woman’s threat, it was also important to give room for reconciliation.

Copyright PUNCH.

3 Remanded in Prison for Stealing Ikeja Electric cables

Three suspected vandals, Kabiru Musa, 20; Abubakar Mohammed Umar, 25 and Rayyali Ibrahim 23, have been remanded in Kirikiri Prisons Lagos for damaging and stealing armored cables from a transformer belonging to Ikeja Electric Plc, at NEPA Coop Estate in Ijede, Ikorodu.

The trio were arraigned at Agbowa Magistrate Court in Ikorodu following their attempt to cart away with cables they had severed from the transformer. They pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge when they appeared before His Honour Magistrate A. O Ogbe on Thursday, July 26, 2018. 

According to the charge sheet, the trio did conspire among themselves “to commit felony to willful damage and stealing and thereby committed an offense punishable under the section 411 of the criminal law, laws of the Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.

The charge further stated that they “willfully and unlawfully interfered with Ikeja Electric Distribution Company’s Electric Transformer thereby disconnecting its Step-Down cable and Upriser Cable with intent to steal and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 340 of the criminal law, laws of the Lagos State of Nigeria 2015. “On the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District the suspects did steal 24 meter of electric transformer armored cable value Sixty Five Thousand Naira (N65,000) property of Ikeja Electric Distribution Company and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 280(2)(a) of the criminal law, laws of the Lagos State of Nigeria 2015,” the charge read.

Magistrate A. O Ogbe adjourned the case till next month for hearing while the three suspects have been moved to Kirikiri Prison for failure to meet the bail conditions. In his reaction, Head of Corporate Communications for Ikeja Electric, Felix Ofulue, confirmed that vandalism, theft of electricity materials and energy theft through meter bypass and illegal connections, remain a major challenge facing the company.

According to him, these illegal activities further sabotages the company’s efforts to provide excellent service delivery as customers will be affected by the extended power outage resulting from these unpleasant activities. He commended the security agencies for providing dependable support and for the role they play in protecting IE infrastructure against vandalism while he further urged the Community Development Association (CDA) chairmen and members of the public to assist the DisCo in safeguarding the electrical infrastructure in their respective communities.

BREAKING: 'Unknown gunmen abduct Dino Melaye'

Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) has been abducted by unknown gunmen.

AgegePulse Magazine

This was disclosed by Senator Ben Bruce (Bayelsa East) on his Twitter page.

“I have just been informed by Moses Melaye, @dino_melaye’s brother, that Dino has been abducted by unknown persons in a Toyota Sienna that blocked their car and overpowered them on their way to Kogi to answer to Dino’s court case. Lets be on the watch out. Will keep you updated,” Bruce tweeted. 

Melaye was arraigned yesterday before an FCT High Court in Apo, Abuja on a six-count charge bordering on attempted suicide.

Melaye was also charged with the offences of attempt to escape from lawful custody and damage of police property.

DailyTrust

Ex-Super Eagles player arraigned for battering wife

…victim suffered internal bleeding – Lagos DPP

A former player with the Super Eagles, Godwin Okpara, has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly battering his wife, Linda Oladoyinbo, at their house on Oduduwa Street, GRA, Ikeja.
Okpara played for the Super Eagles at the France 98 World Cup and African Nations Cup in 2000, among other tournaments.

Okpara and Oladoyinbo, who were based in France, where the former played for French club, PSG, had been married for over 25 years, and the union blessed with four children.
However, crisis started in the marriage in 2005 when the wife reported to the French authorities that Okpara was sleeping with their 13-year-old housemaid, Tina.

He was arrested and convicted for the crime.
While he served a 10-year prison term and was released in 2012, his wife got 15 years for child abuse.
Although Okpara was released early on the grounds of good conduct in prison, he forfeited all his property and money to the French government, who also took custody of the family’s three surviving children.
Oladoyinbo, after her release, returned to their house in Ikeja, in May 2016.

However, she was said to have met some persons in the house, which led to an argument between her and the husband.
Oladoyinbo, who wrote a petition to the police at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, alleged that 45-year-old Okpara later brought some thugs into the house and ordered them to beat her up.
The attack, according to the petition, was because Oladoyinbo questioned the partitioning and sale of the family’s landed property in Ikeja.

One of her relatives was said to have videoed the attack and also took pictures of the injuries sustained by the victim.
Okpara, in his reaction, told the police that the fight happened after he returned home and discovered that his wife had stabbed one of his visitors.

The case was referred to the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions, which issued advice on it.
The advice, dated September 2017 and signed by the Director, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Y.G. Oshoala, said the ex-international had a case to answer.

The advice said, Facts in the duplicate case file revealed that Mrs. Linda Oladoyinbo travelled to France for some time and upon her arrival, she was denied access to her matrimonial house by her husband– Godwin Okpara; and when she finally gained access after many weeks, she was only allowed into the guesthouse, while her husband’s brother and wife moved into the main house.

Further facts revealed that Mrs. Linda Oladoyinbo questioned Godwin Okpara about the joint property he sold without her knowledge and he beat her mercilessly with the participation of his brother and his wife. He equally brought thugs into the house, who beat her up with sticks upon which she suffered internal bleeding.

This is corroborated by a picture showing severe face injuries suffered by the wife and the medical report from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital indicating that she suffered serious injuries and was found bleeding from the nose and mouth as a result of the assault from the husband. The attached video record from the police clearly shows the suspect assaulting the complainant despite pleas from other observers.

The advice, which dismissed charges of forgery, stealing, malicious damage and threat to life due to lack of evidence, said the suspect should be arraigned on one count of assault occasioning harm.

The charge read, That you, Godwin Okpara, sometime in August 2016, on Oduduwa Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, unlawfully assaulted and injured one Linda Oladoyinbo, by flogging her with a stick and other weapons, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 173, Ch C.17, Vol.3 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant pleaded not guilty and elected summary trial.
His defence counsel, Malachi Odo, asked for his bail in liberal terms.
He said, “The defendant is an ex-player of the Super Eagles. He served his country honourably. We pray the court to grant him bail in liberal terms.”
The police prosecutor, Simon Imohwa, did not oppose the bail application.

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• Source: online