Crime

Court Convicts Skit Maker Of Drug Trafficking

Published

2 years ago

January 24, 2022

Justice Daniel Osiagor of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Monday, convicted a skit maker, Joshua Sunday, popularly known as De General, of drug trafficking.

The defendant, also a social media influencer, was dragged to court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, alongside Caleb William, a cinematographer.

Delivering judgment, Justice Osiagor held that the volume of substance was minimal and would rather convict the defendants and caution them, rather than sentence them.

The court, consequently, convicted the defendants and cautioned them to “go and sin no more”.

Both defendants, 22, were charged with three counts of trafficking Tramadol and Cannabis Sativa.

They both pleaded guilty to the charge.

After their pleas, the prosecutor, Jeremiah Aernan, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered evidence before the court, through an NDLEA exhibit keeper, Lucky Oghaifu.

Among the evidence tendered include statements of the defendants, drug analysis form, certificate of test analysis, request for scientific aid form, packaging of substance form among others.

He urged the court to be guided by the provisions of Section 356(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and convict the defendants based on their pleas as well as evidence adduced by the prosecution.

According to the charge, the defendants were said to have committed the offence on January 12, 2022.

Recall that had De General admitted to owning the drugs found in his apartment.

The prosecutor said that they were arrested around the Lekki area of Lagos for unlawfully dealing in 15 g of Cannabis and 14 g of tramadol.

He said that the offence contravenes the provision of Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

In response, the Defence Counsel, Lilian Omotunde, urged the court to consider other options besides sentencing the defendants, on the grounds that the defendants were still at their prime and could still be useful to society.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that earlier, during interrogations by the court, the defendants told the court that they had never tasted drugs.

They told the court that the substances were used as props for their comedy skit, which they were in the process of shooting, before their arrest.

Crime

Police Declare Man Wanted Over Homos*xual Act

Published

10 months ago

June 22, 2023

Editor

A 50-years old man, Edo Omusi, has been declared wanted by the police in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, for disappearing after being ‘caught’ in a same s*x act in Ogiso community.

A source close to the police in the state, told our correspondent that the suspect, and one of his male friends, whose name was not given, were sighted at an undisclosed location by some youths as they were comitting the act.

Under Nigerian Laws, any person caught in the gay act is liable to 14 years in prison and if found by the community could be killed.

The duo were said to have been deeply engrossed in the act when they were found but before the person who saw them in the , “sinful and abominable act”, went for back up, they had escaped the location.

The incident which occurred on 25/4/23 at Ogiso area of the town almost threw the community into a turmoil as irate youths welding sticks and cudgels rampaged the community in search of the duo to lynch them.

It was also learnt that worried by the trend the youths in the community had to set up a surveillance team to monitor his movements. It was on one of the surveillance trips that he was reportedly caught on the fateful day, with the unidentified male partner.

It was gathered since the community reported the incident to the police, the whereabouts of the suspect, Edo Omusi has since remained unknown by all and sundry.

Speaking on the development, a top Police official confirmed the matter and explained that the Crime Investigation Department of the command is working round the clock to arrest the suspect, having declared him a wanted person.

Crime

Man, 41, Sent To Prison For Groping Woman’s Breast

Published

1 year ago

April 14, 2023

Editor

A Badagry Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Friday, ordered the remand of a 41-year-old man, Ibrahim Lemo, for groping the breast of a woman.

The court heard that Lemo beat up his victim, Zainab Babalola, when she demanded he stopped the unlawful act

Chief Magistrate Fadahunsi Adefioye remanded Lemo after he pleaded guilty to a two count bordering on assault.

Adefioye ordered that the defendant should be remanded in Awhajigoh Correctional Centre, Badagry.

He adjourned the case until April 14 for facts and sentencing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP. Clément Okuoimose, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on April 6 at 2.30 p.m. at Badagry Roundabout shopping complex, Badagry, Lagos.

Okuoimose said Lemo without lawful excuse pressed the breast of the complainant, Zainab Babalola.

He said the defendant also hit the complainant on her left eye and caused her harm after she asked him not to touch her again.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 134 and 170 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

(NAN)

Crime

Hushpuppi’s Associate, Woodberry, Pleads Guilty, Forfeits $8m, Assets

Published

1 year ago

April 13, 2023

Editor

Olalekan Jacob Ponle, known as Mr Woodberry, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

He also agreed to forfeit $8 million in proceeds of wire fraud as well as luxury cars and watches to the foreign government.

Woodberry, a known associate of the now-imprisoned internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, recently in a plea declaration submitted at the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division on April 6, pleaded guilty to count one of the indictments, the Peoples Gazette reports.

According to his plea agreement, he is required to pay back the sum of $8 million he fraudulently received from the seven companies that he scammed.

“Defendant understands that by pleading guilty, he will subject to forfeiture to the United States all right, title, and interest that he has in any property constituting or derived from proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the offence,” stated the document containing Mr Ponle’s signed plea declaration.

Woodberry was also asked to waive his rights to the luxury cars, and designer watches he had stashed in Dubai.

The high-end automobiles include Rolls Royce Cullinan with vehicle no J9153, Lamborghini Urus (N4973) and Mercedes-Benz G-class (G68816).

Other items seized are four Rolex watches, one Patek Philippe watch, three Audemars Piguet watches, three gold and diamond-studded earrings, and six gold neck chains.

Last year, he forfeited 151.8 Bitcoin to the American government.

On June 10, 2020, Woodberry was arrested in Dubai alongside Ramon Hushpuppi Abbas, who is currently serving an 11-year sentence for a similar fraud charge.

Prior to his arrest, Woodberry was known for rocking and flaunting expensive designer wear and showing off his illicit wealth to his massive Instagram followers, the majority of whom had no idea his luxury lifestyle was funded by cybercrime.