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Court Declares Men Not Guilty Of Murder Charge After Spending 36 Years In Prison

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Three men in Baltimore, United States, who spent 36 years in prison were found innocent on Monday, November 25, of the 1983 murder of a teenage boy who was shot dead over a jacket.

Alfred Chestnut, Andrew Stewart and Ransom Watkins were serving life sentences for the shooting of DeWitt Duckett, a 14-year-old student at Harlem Park Junior High School in West Baltimore.

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Duckett was shot in the neck inside his school and had his Georgetown University jacket stolen. It was the first fatal shooting of a student in a Baltimore public school and drew widespread press attention at the time.

“These three men were convicted, as children, because of police and prosecutorial misconduct,” Baltimore state’s attorney, Marilyn Mosby, said after the three were formally exonerated by a city circuit court judge and released from prison.

“What the state, my office, did to them is wrong,” Mosby said. “They deserve so much more than an apology. We owe them real compensation — and I plan to fight for it.”

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In a statement, the state’s attorney office said “detectives targeted the three men, all 16-year-old Black boys, using coaching and coercion of other teenage witnesses to make their case.”

According to the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (MAIP), which worked to secure the release of the “Harlem Park Three,” four teenage witnesses identified Chestnut, Stewart and Watkins at their trial but later recanted their testimony.

The witnesses initially said one person committed the shooting but identified the three as the assailants under pressure from police, the MAIP said in a statement

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Chestnut was later seen wearing a Georgetown jacket but his mother produced a receipt for the jacket of the university made popular by its basketball team.

At a press conference following the release of the three, Watkins said “this should have never happened.”

“Somebody’s got to pay for this,” he said. “You can’t just leave this like this.

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“This fight is not over,” Watkins said. “You all will hear from us again.”

The exoneration of the three men followed a joint investigation by the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit, MAIP and other groups.

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Wike/Dokpesi Faceoff Deepens As AIT/Ray Power Port Harcourt Station Receives Demolition Notice

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Rivers State Government has issued Daar Communications, owners of African Independent Television/Ray Power notice to vacate the land housing it’s Port Harcourt transmission station or have it demolished within 48 hours.

The development is believed to be induced by lingering political feud between Governor Nyesom Wike and Daar Communications owner, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, but the governor has maintained AIT/Ray Power has no title to the expansive premises it occupies in the Rivers state capital city and the eviction order has no political undertone.

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The latest eviction notice was issued 20 March 2023 by the Permanent Secretary, Rivers Ministry of Works, Mrs Ebere Dennis-Emenike, “To Whom It May Concern” and titled “Proposed GRA Phase 5 Ozuoba, Port Harcourt Demolition Notice”.

It reads, “Following the imminent commencement of the above project, all structure(s) impacting on the right-of-way of the project have been earmarked for demolition including your own. Consequently, you are by this notice requested to remove such structure(s) within forty eight (48) hours to allow for speedy progress of work.”

On intervention, the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) has urged the state government to rescind the decision to demolition the transmission station of Daar Communications.

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NUJ Rivers State Council, in a statement signed by Stanley Job, Chairman and Ike Wigodo, Secretary, appealed to the state government embrace dialogue with the media organization for mutual resolution of the dispute.

READ ALSO: Two Killed, As Police Stop Protesting Voters In Rivers

NUJ statement reads, “We appeal to the Rivers State Government to review the quit notice given to Daar Communications Plc, owners of AIT and Raypower Radio Station. The Press and the Rivers State Government have come a long way as partners in progress.

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“We believe proper negotiation and peaceful resolution of the land dispute will serve the Government and people of Rivers better. Whatever the merit of the quit notice, we would not want the world to see the Press in a fight with the Rivers State in view of the long standing mutual relationship.

“NUJ will not be happy to see a Media House in Rivers State demolished over a land dispute that can be resolved peacefully and amicably”

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Buhari Redesignates State House Clinic Into Medical Clinics

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President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the re-designation of the State House Clinic back to the Medical Centre.

Permanent Secretary of State House, Tijjani Umar, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja after a pre-commissioning inspection of the new Presidential (VIP) Wing of the State House Medical Centre.

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The commissioning was done by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF.

“Now, with the improvement in the problem areas and the addition of the new VIP Wing with state-of-the-art facilities, we can no longer operate as a Clinic. It is now to operate as State House Medical Centre,” Umar said.

Umar disclosed that all is set for the President’s inauguration of the new world-class facility to add to this administration’s growing number of completed and commissioned legacy projects.

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READ ALSO: JUST IN: FG, States, LGs Share N722bn Federal Allocation

He added that the calibration, equipment testing and training of medical personnel are ongoing.

He said the presidency is determined to ensure that the Centre remains fully operational and well-maintained after the inauguration.

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In 2019, Buhari had downgrounded the facility owing to infrastructural deficit.

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Ramadan: Buhari Sends Message To Muslims As Fasting Begins

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President Muhammadu Buhari has sent greetings and best wishes to Muslims as they commence 30 days of Ramadan fasting.

Buhari urged Muslims to use the season “to project the best and finest virtues of Islam by personal conduct, and not precept.”

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In a goodwill message to mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, Buhari says “let us use this opportunity to put the best teachings of Islam into practice, such as kindness and the love of humanity.”

According to the President, “This is an occasion for deep reflection and greater fear of Allah and avoidance of all evils that harm humanity.

“Ramadan is characterised by abstention from food and drinks from dawn to dusk, which brings both the rich and poor to share the experience of hunger together, thereby strengthening the bonds between haves and have-nots.”

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Buhari explained that “as we begin these 30 days fasting season, let us not forget that Ramadan is not only about abstention from eating and drinking, but it is a reminder to refrain from all kinds of evil and transgressions that harm humanity.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Moon Sighted As Sultan Confirms Thursday First Day Of Ramadan

“I am particularly aware of the activities of traders who artificially increase the prices of their goods, including food at the beginning of every month of Ramadan. This kind of exploitation is against the spirit of the Ramadan and the spirit of Islam.”

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Buhari added that “while we are observing this important occasion in the spiritual life of Muslims, let us share food and drinks with the less fortunate, because by sharing our blessings with others, Allah will multiply our rewards for good deeds.”

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