Metro

Appeal Court Upholds Ex-banker’s Seven Years Jail Term

Published

3 months ago

May 8, 2025

An Appeal Court sitting in Enugu has upheld the conviction and seven years prison sentence of one Onyekachi Nwosu, a former employee of Guaranty Trust Bank, over a N50 million loan fraud.

Nwosu was prosecuted by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a nine-count charge bordering on forgery and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N50 million and was convicted and sentenced by Justice R. O. Dugbo Oghoghorie of Federal High Court sitting at Independence Layout, Enugu on January 14, 2021.

The convict, who was an account officer of one Anyaso Chinedu, owner of Floxy Aluminum Odiofele Products Limited, used a forged document titled ‘An Application to Mortgage, Consent to Mortgage and Tripartite Legal Mortgage’ to deceive GTB into believing that one Mrs Adebimpe Foluke pledged her property as collateral for the said loan to Floxy Aluminium Odiofele Products Limited.

Investigations revealed that he benefited N40 million from the fraudulent act by directly withdrawing it from the account of Floxy Aluminium Odiofele Products Limited.

In the course of his trial, prosecution counsel, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Mainforce Adaka Ekwu, called four witnesses and tendered 16 exhibits which were admitted in evidence as ‘Exhibit EFCC 1-16’.

At the end of the trial, Justice Oghoghorie held that the EFCC proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted and sentenced Nwosu accordingly.

Dissatisfied with the judgement, the convict approached the Appeal Court, praying it to set aside the judgement of the trial court.

The prosecution counsel prayed the court to uphold the judgment of the High Court and dismiss the appeal on the grounds that “the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.”

The Court of Appeal set aside the convictions from the trial court on counts one to eight but upheld the verdict on Count 9.

In a unanimous judgement of a three-member panel of the Appeal Court, delivered by Justice Zainab Babe Abubakar, the Court of Appeal held that “the evidence of the First Prosecution Witness, PW1, corroborated the confession of the appellant that he collected N40 million from the loan sum of N50 million granted to the third respondent (Floxy Aluminum Odiofele Products Limited).

“The appellant has admitted that he collected N40 million from the loan sum, which has proved the last ingredient of the offence against the appellant.

“Consequently, the conviction of the appellant on this Count 9 of the charge by the trial court was in order, in my humble view.”

Metro

Our Children Wrote A Letter Disowning Me After My Husband Accused Me Of Dating Another Man —Wife

Published

7 hours ago

August 10, 2025

Editor

…She also wears ankle chain, nose ring, did TikTok with same man — Husband

Grade A Customary Court, Court 2, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has dissolved the wedlock between a couple, Basirat and Adebisi and granted custody of their children to the latter.

Basirat dragged her husband, Adebisi, to court, claiming lack of love and care, constant fight, domestic violence, and irreconcilable differences.

She told the court in her testimony that it was glaring that her husband never loved her because he was fond of complaining about everything she did.

The plaintiff explained further that the defendant always berated her for wearing an ankle chain and using a nose ring, adding that he would end up fighting her.

Basirat also told the court that Adebisi tutored their children to write her a letter disowning her as their mother.

The plaintiff, in addition to a divorce, also pleaded for their children’s custody.

According to her, if their children remained with her husband, he would turn them against her.

Adebisi, in his response, said all the claims Basirat brought before the court were lies except that of lack of love.

The defendant explained that the plaintiff always dressed like a slut while she also lived an extravagant lifestyle.

He added that his wife was promiscuous and that she was dating a man who always picked and dropped her at home.

He stated further that she did a TikTok with her lover and also took pictures with him putting on his cap.

According to him, he was the one cooking their children’s food, taking care of them and washing their clothes.

The defendant agreed to divorce but entreated the court not to grant the plaintiff custody of their children.

Adebisi explained that Basirat became unemployed after she ruined the business he set up for her.

He lamented that she walked out of their marriage, leaving behind all their children, with the youngest being five years old.

Basirat, in her testimony, said, “I started living with my husband shortly after we met.

“We did not carry out any marital rites neither did he pay my bride price.

“It was obvious from the outset of our marriage that it was devoid of love.

“My husband never saw anything good in all that I did. He would complain and later fight me.

“He detested seeing me use an ankle chain and nose ring and would berate me.

“My husband tutored our children to write me a letter saying they are disowning me.

“My lord, I pray the court to end our relationship.

“I further entreat the court to grant me custody of our children.

“If they stay with my husband, he would poison their mind against me.”

Adebisi, while responding to the claims, said: “The only truth in all that she said is that our marriage lacks love, and this is as a result of her indecent lifestyle.

“My wife dresses like a slut.

“She wears a chain on her ankle and puts a ring on her nose.

“I told her she would influence our children negatively with her dressing, but she refused to change, which always led to us fighting.

“She also lived an extravagant lifestyle, which she found hard to maintain.

“My wife is promiscuous; she dated a man who used to pick her from our house and drop her afterwards.

“She did a TikTok video with this man and also took pictures with him wearing his cap.

“She once lied that she was going for prayers, but was picked by that same man.

“She never loved our children and hardly gave them the needed attention.

“She left all our children, even the youngest who was then five years old and walked out of our wedlock.

“I prepare our children’s food and wash their clothes.

“She is presently not gainfully employed because she ruined the business I set up for her.

“I rented a shop for her and ensured goods were supplied to the shop on regular basis.

“I also provided her with a POS machine and gave her a meaningful amount as capital to run it.

“Unfortunately, all my efforts went down the drain.

“My lord, I agree to divorce, but I plead that our children’s custody be granted me because my wife is indifferent to their welfare.”

The president of the court, Mrs O.E Owoseni while giving her judgment stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved but that they were merely cohabiting as no customary marriage held between them and no bride price was paid.

Speaking on their children’s custody, she pointed to the fact that the defendant abandoned them at their tender age with the youngest being five years old.

She added that she acknowledged that she dresses indecently wearing an ankle chain and a nose ring which was not a good example to their children.

Owoseni further stated that the pictures she took with another man who was believed to be her lover and were tendered and accepted by the court as exhibits portrayed her as a woman of questionable character.

She, in addition, made reference to the letter written by their children disowning her.

Owoseni finally emphasized on the fact that she presently has no source of livelihood to sustain both herself and their children.

According to Owoseni, these were enough proofs to show that the plaintiff was unfit to have their children in her custody.

Ruling, Owoseni granted the defendant custody of all their children, while she grant the plaintiff reasonable access to them.
(TRIBUNE)

Metro

I No Longer Love My Husband, I Want Divorce —Wife

Published

7 hours ago

August 10, 2025

Editor

Neither do I love her —Husband

An upper Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has dissolved a seven-year –old marriage between a woman, Ramatu Ahmed and her husband, Yahaya Salihu, on the grounds of lack of love.

The judge, Mohammmed Wakili dissolved their marriage according to Islamic laws, following Ramatu’s prayer for divorce.

Wakilli also ordered Ramatu to observe “Iddah”, which is a observation period of three months after the judgment before contracting another marriage.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the mother of two had earlier told the court that she and her husband had been experiencing crises in their marriage for almost six years and has grown tired of the situation.

“The situation has not changed despite our family members’ intervention.”

She added that when her father died, Yahaya went to pay his condolence in her family house, but that he refused to greet her mother.

“I can never love Yahaya, again. I want the court to grant my wish”, ‘she said.

In his response, Yahaya stated that he no longer loves Ramatu and consented to divorce.

Metro

Court Grants Divorce To Woman Abandoned For 8 Yrs

Published

7 hours ago

August 10, 2025

Editor

A Jos Central Area Court, sitting in Kasuwan Nama, Jos, has granted a woman, Simaiga Bulus, divorce on grounds that her husband of 22 years, Biko, abandoned her for eight years.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), delivering judgment,, the presiding judge, Ghazali, held that the court had no choice but to dissolve the union.

“Both parties are no longer husband and wife. They are free to go their separate way,” they held.

In her petition, Bulus said: “My husband travelled to visits his kith and kin at Lamazak in Adamawa eight years ago and has not returned since then.

“He has not called me since then. He left me with the full responsibility of taking care of our three children.

“We got married 22 years ago I the traditional way,” she said.

The respondent was not in court.