News

Administration of Criminal Justice: CLEEN FOUNDATION Set Up Observatory, Monitoring Group In Edo

Published

1 year ago

June 21, 2023

Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

Against the back drop of challenges affecting the full implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), a civil society organisation, CLEEN FOUNDATION, on Wednesday established and launched a CSO observatory group aimed at monitoring the full implementation of the Act in Edo State.

The independent group set up is also expected to monitor the progress and challenges in the implementation of the ACJA , the state ACJL and the “compliance rate of the criminal justice actors to the unique provisions of the ACJA/state ACJL.”

In his opening remarks, Executive Director, CLEEN FOUNDATION, Mr. Gad Peter, said the group was set up as an advocacy for the full implementation of the laws which, according to him “is a critical step towards promoting transparency, accountability and rule of law in the state and country as a whole.”

Mr. Peter, represented by Mrs. Blessing Abiri, Programme Officer, CLEEN FOUNDATION, added that the group which composed of diverse range of stakeholders including civil society organizations, human rights groups, legal experts, and other relevant stakeholders, would also serve as “a platform for knowledge sharing and continuous learning on the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law in Edo state.”

He said: “We’ve been over time monitoring the implementation, and from the data we have from our past programmes similar to this, we discovered there is need to scale up the project, and this why we are in Edo State.

“We all know if the criminal justice system is not functioning well, there will be a problem.”

According to him, “… It will lay the foundation for more interaction and collaborative relationship amongst stakeholders in monitoring the implementation of the Criminal Justice Reform process in Edo state and ultimately improve the Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria.

“With the launch of the CSO Observatory group, members will be capacitated on key thematic areas that would support it to deliver on their mandate.”

In his good will message, Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Daniel Okungbowa, described the coming of ACJA as a fresh air to the judiciary, adding that the Act made possible the innovative electronic taking of statement in police station.

The Chief Judge represented by Hon. Justice M.E. Itsueli, while commending CLEEN FOUNDATION for taking the bold step, urged stakeholders to work as a chain that cannot be easily broken.

He expressed the state judiciary readiness to partner with the stakeholders for the success of the group.

Also in his goodwill message, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Dankwara, represented by Officer in Charge Legal Department, CSP Peter Ugwemba, while commending the Foundation, said the introduction of ACJA has speared the police of litigation against human rights violation, adding that the police in Edo is complying by the Act.

On her part, Adesuwa Ehimuan, Chairman, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Edo State, urged the media to be more involved in enlightenment of the public on the act and also expose those perpetrating violence against women and children.

She also urged stakeholders to always involve the media in gender base violence GBV cases with a view to bringing such to the public notice, so it serves as a deterrent to others.

News

Edo Guber: APC Youth Leader Threatens N200M Suit Against Ighodalo’s Spokesperson Over Allege Defamation

Published

27 mins ago

August 23, 2024

Editor

The Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Leader, Comrade Tony Adun popularly known as Kabaka has threatened to institute a N200 million suit against Darlington Okpebholo, the Spokesperson to Asue Ighodalo, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September gubernatorial election in the state.

In a letter by Barrister Douglas Ogbankwa, counsel to Kabaka, said he has been instructed by his client upon being briefed to commence a legal proceeding in court against the lead Spokesperson of Asue Ighodalo/PDP campaign organization for the Edo 2024 Gubernatorial Elections, Darlington Okpebholo.

He alleged that in a live broadcast on Channels TV programme-Political Paradigm, Okpebholo was said to made very damaging comments about the person and reputation of Comrade Tony Kabaka.

In the letter made available to newsmen Kabaka also demanded an immediate retraction and compensation.

The letter reads, ”That in your interview on the programme-Political Paradigm on Channels Television on the 20th of August, 2024, with Terry Ikumi, you made a very damaging statement about the character and person of Comrade Tony Kabaka , when you in a very damaging way about his character, you stated inter alia as follows:

“If an Honourable member could come to Nigerian National Television and a station that is being viewed by the whole world that Tony Kabaka who is a known tout and a very notorious one at that , who boasts on videos and everywhere that he is touting gun and everywhere that he is and he does all the kind of criminality in Edo State that he is a Youth of APC in Edo State he has continued to boasts that he is the head of the tigers and lions in Edo State if a Honourable Member could come to national tv and say Tony kabaka, a man that has been known for violence in time you cannot even remember way back in the early 2000s from one Government to another, a celebrated one at that who lives and feeds and become whatever he has become today through violence , through criminalities of all sort, I wonder what kind of Honourable we are having now” (sic) .

“That your statement about our client has brought him to odium and opprobrium in the eyes of right thinking members of the public as our client has received several calls from all over the world inquiring about the false and gross misrepresentation of facts about our client’s persons, which said defamation has lowered our client’s reputation and esteem in the eyes of right thinking members of the public and same has caused our client huge psychology trauma.

“That our client is a businessman whose businesses spans from hospitality, real estate, oil and gas and transportation and the Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State from your party destroyed our client’s hotel that employed over a hundred staff at that time.

“That your comment against our client is uncharitable , uncouth , demeaning of his person, reputation and family name and unacceptable for which our client hereby demand that you retract same within the next 48 hours as same is online on YouTube , Facebook , WhatsApp, Instagram and other Social Media Platforms and for which we demand the sum of N200,000,000:00 from you and your principal Asue Ighodalo, the PDP Candidate for the Edo State 2024 Governorship election .

“Failure of which we have the firm instructions of our client to proceed against you and your principal Asue Ighodalo through the legal means which would include but is not limited to filling a suit against you and your principal in a court of competent jurisdiction, following the principle of Agency as it is the law that “qui facit per alium facit per se”-he who does something through another , does it himself”.

News

BREAKING: Supreme Court Affirms Diri As Bayelsa Governor

Published

1 hour ago

August 23, 2024

Editor

The Supreme Court has affirmed the re-election of Senator Duoye Diri as the Governor of Bayelsa State after dismissing the appeal of Timipre Sylva, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the November 11, 2023 off-cycle election.

A five-member panel of the Apex Court headed by Justice Lawal Garba, on Friday affirmed the Court of Appeal decision of July 15 which deemed Sylva’s appeal as an abuse of Court process for filing two notices of appeal.

Citing a section of the 1999 Constitution, the Apex Court panel held that the APC Governorship candidate has only one right to appeal the judgment of the Tribunal and not multiple appeals. The Court therefore faulted the APC Governorship candidate who filed two notices of appeal to the Appellate Court.

In a unanimous judgment the appeal dismissed by the Supreme Court for lacking merit.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared that governor Duoye Diri of the PDP garnered a total of 175,196 votes to defeat his closest rival, Timipre Sylva of the APC who polled 110,108 votes.

News

JUST IN: 11 Injured As BRT Bus, Truck Fall On Lagos Roads

Published

2 hours ago

August 23, 2024

Editor

A fully loaded high-capacity bus (BRT) has overturned on its side within the dedicated Bus Rapid Transit lane along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway near Iyana-Ipaja.

The accident, which occurred earlier on Friday, resulted in 10 casualties.

Lagos State Traffic Management Authority disclosed this in a Friday post on X, noting that it occurred around 7.45 am.

LASTMA is the agency charged with managing traffic in Lagos State and enforcing its Traffic laws.

It read, “A fully loaded high-capacity bus fell on its side inside the dedicated lane (BRT lane) with a record of 10 casualties (Victims), which they were taken care of.”

Emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scene to provide medical assistance and transport the victims to nearby healthcare facilities.

Further details on the cause of the accident and the condition of the victims are yet to be disclosed, The PUNCH reports.

Authorities are urging motorists to exercise caution as they navigate the area.

Meanwhile, the agency also reported that another loaded truck fell at Durbar Junction on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, completely blocking the road inward to Alakija.

The accident has caused significant traffic disruption, with authorities diverting vehicles through the service lane from Orile heading towards Durbar.

Motorists are advised to follow the diversion and exercise patience as efforts are underway to clear the obstruction and restore normal traffic flow

This post read, “[7:22 AM] #LagBadgryExp #DurbarJunction #AccidentReport There is a fallen loaded truck at Durbar junction inward Alakija that took 100% of the road.

“Traffic has been diverted through the service lane from Orile heading towards Durbar.

“Effort is ongoing to evacuate it from the road and our men are firmly in position to monitor the situation.

“Transloading of contents in the fallen truck is currently ongoing. We apologize for the inconvenience. LASTMAcares!”

Also, there was a road crash involving two vehicles that occurred opposite Northwest, heading inward Ajah.

LASTMA attributed the accident to over-speeding, resulting in one injured victim.