Metro
Edo Court Sentences Three To Death By Hanging For Kidnapping, Robbery, Murder

…. Another To Life Imprisonment
An Edo High Court sitting in Benin and presided over by Justice Irele-Ifijeh has sentenced three persons to death by hanging for armed robbery, kidnapping and murder of one Ephraim Akhere.
The convicts, whose names were given as Solomon Abuede, James Monday and Kelvin Edward were sentenced to death for armed robbery, kidnapping and the murder of Ephraim Akhere in Ihumudumun quarters in Ekpoma, the headquarters of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State
Justice Ifijeh, also sentenced one Oviasogie Sunday, alias Alhaji of Kano to life imprisonment for receiving an Infinity Jeep with registration number EFR 218 FB, property of the late Ephraim which was stolen after the murder.
The convicts were among the six persons arraigned before Justice Irele-Ifijeh in suit number: HEK/25c/24 on a six-count charge of armed robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy and receipt of stolen property.
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The court, however, discharged two other accused, David Williams and Monday Ozomo, for lack of evidence linking them to the armed robbery and kidnapping.
In her judgment, Justice Ifijeh ruled that the kidnappers rode on a motorcycle, armed with dangerous weapons, kidnapped their victims and asked Ephraim, the driver and Sandra to move to the back seat and lower their heads while Solomon took over the driver’s seat.
The Judge averred that the convicts thereafter drove to the bank while two of them stayed with their victims inside the car.
She added that the other went to the bank with Ephraim’s ATM card to withdraw money from his account.
READ ALSO: Man Jailed 27 Years For Stealing N2.3m In Ekiti
She posited that after the withdrawal, the convicts were said to have driven to an uncompleted building where one of them named Solomon Abuede threw Ephraim into a well after giving him rat poison to swallow, while the girl was given the option of jumping into the well or eating the rat poison.
The judge, further said that Solomon who provided the rat poison later spared the girl’s life but raped her instead.
The judge further added that James Monday who was said to have provided the gun used for the operation and Monday Ozomo took the Infinity Jeep and two other stolen vehicles to Kano where Oviasogie paid N420,000 for the Infinity Jeep out of the agreed N500,000
In a 91-page judgement, Justice Irele-Ifijeh held that the confessional statements of Solomon Abuede, James Monday and Kelvin Edward that they participated in the armed robbery were corroborated by the evidence of one Sandra, a prosecution witness who was in the same vehicle and kidnapped along with the late Ephraim.
The judge, who said the offences were committed on June 13, 2014, averred that the conviction of the three persons was in line with Section 3 of the Kidnapping Prohibition Amendment Law of Edo State 2013 and the Armed Robbery and Firearms Act.
Metro
My Husband Left Me Stark Naked After He Beat, Starved Me, Woman Tells Court
Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has heard the divorce suit brought before it by a woman, Deborah, against her husband, Olugbenga, whom she accused of irresponsibility and battery.
Deborah stated that Olugbenga placed no worth on her as his wife.
She said that her husband neglected her welfare and that of their only child and left them to suffer.
The defendant always sought every opportunity to beat her, she alleged.
According to the plaintiff, the defendant was in the habit of tearing off her clothes and leaving her stark naked any time they fought.
READ ALSO:My Husband Lives A Wretched Life, Drinks, Gambles, Woman Tells Court
Deborah thus prayed the court to dissolve their union.
She further pleaded for their child’s custody but entreated the court to mandate her husband to be responsible for his upkeep, giving feeding, education and healthcare priority.
Deborah, in her evidence, said: “I started living with my husband shortly after we met. We did carry out the marital rites but he did not pay my bride price.
“My husband started displaying acts of irresponsibility immediately we started living together.
“He refused to carry out his duty as breadwinner and left me to starve.
READ ALSO:Why I Charged My Husband Money For Sex —Woman
“Issues in the home became worse when we had our child.
“He neglected both our child and me, and passed the bulk of his responsibility to me.
“He never ceased to beat me.
“He always found faults in all that I did and would beat me blue and black.
“He did not stop at this; he would also tear my clothes to shreds, thus leaving me stark naked.
READ ALSO:My Ex-husband Has Refused To Give Me, Our Unborn Child, Money For Upkeep, Woman Tells Court
“I walked out of our marriage when I could no longer put up with his maltreatment of me.
“He has since refused that I have rest of mind. He is insisting on collecting our three-year-old child from me.
“My lord, I pray that our union be dissolved and our child’s custody granted me.
“I further entreat the court to order my husband to be responsible for our child’s upkeep, giving feeding, education and medical care a priority.
The court president, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, adjourned the case.
Metro
My Ex-husband Hijacked My Car, Afflicted Me With Illness —Wife
…We jointly purchased the car before our divorce —Husband
A woman, Anike, has dragged her ex-husband, Karounwi, before Grade A Customary Court, Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, praying that he release her personally owned and registered vehicle to her through the court.
Anike told the court that during the subsistence of their marriage, she hinted her ex-husband in 2019 about her desire to get a car to aid her business.
She said that her ex-husband informed her about a car that his client wanted to sell.
According to Anike, she gave Karounwi N300,000 to help purchase and register the car in her name.
The plaintiff added that she left home after she took ill, and it was revealed that the defendant was responsible for her ill health.
She further stated that she returned home to pack her belongings after her recovery, and to her surprise, her car was no longer in the house.
Anike explained that now that she and Karounwi were divorced, she wanted to retrieve her car from him.
The plaintiff further pleaded for custody of the youngest of their four children, whom she said had been with the defendant since the plaintiff left home.
The plaintiff, in addition, demanded the sum of N100,000 monthly from the defendant for feeding, medical care, and accommodation of herself and their child.
Anike, in addition, requested an order restraining Karounwi from unlawfully intruding into her privacy, calling her on the telephone, coming personally, or sending anybody to her residential apartment or her workplace, tarnishing her image or threatening her life.
READ ALSO:My Husband Deserted Me For 5 Yrs —Wife
The plaintiff placed the sum of N100,000 against the defendant as the cost of litigation and miscellaneous in the case.
Karounwi agreed that Anike had custody of their youngest child but disagreed on the other claims.
He explained that the vehicle was sold to him by his client, adding that he and his ex-wife jointly contributed towards its purchase.
According to him, Anike gave him N200,000, which he used as a deposit and added that he paid an additional N100,000 two weeks after the initial deposit, and that the car was thereafter handed over to him.
Karounwi stated that he bought the car in his name.
Speaking on their child’s custody, the defendant said he agreed that the plaintiff had custody of him because he was in the habit of running away from home anytime he chastised him.
Anike, in her testimony, said, “My ex-husband and I had a customary marriage which was later dissolved by the court.
“In 2019, during the subsistence of our marriage, I told my ex-husband about my desire to purchase a car to aid my business.
“My ex-husband informed me about a car his client wanted to sell.
“I gave him N300,000, which he used to purchase the car and he registered it in my name. I started driving the car, but had to park it when I took ill in 2021.
READ ALSO:My Wife Started Bringing Home Her Lovers After She Sent Me, My First Wife Packing —Husband
“I left home after it was revealed that my husband was responsible for my ill health. I returned home after I recovered from my illness to pack my belongings, and I noticed that my car was no longer in the house.
“I do not have the particulars of the car with me because I left all at home when I left.
“I pray for the order of court directing my ex-husband to release my personally owned and registered vehicle to me through this honourable court.
“My lord, I further plead for custody of our last child who is presently in my ex-husband’s custody.
“I enrolled him in a boarding school, but my husband withdrew him from the school.
“I entreat the court to mandate my ex-husband to be responsible for both the feeding and medical care of our child and I, and also provide us accommodation.
“I request the sum of N100,000 monthly for these.
“I further request an order restraining my ex-husband from unlawfully intruding into my privacy, placing any call on me, coming personally or sending anyone to my residential apartment or workplace, denting my image or threatening my life.
“I further demand the sum of N100,000 from my ex-husband as the cost of litigation and miscellaneous in the case.”
Karounwi, in his response, said: “My lord, the car in question was sold to me by my client.
“My wife and I both contributed towards its purchase.
READ ALSO:Why I Charged My Husband Money For Sex —Woman
“I did not have money on me at that period, and so my wife gave me N200,000, which I gave to my client as initial deposit.
“I paid him N100,000 two weeks later, and he handed the car over to me.
“I purchased the car in my name (tendered application for change of ownership and other documents).
“We both used the car for our business activities, but I am surprised she is now laying sole claim to it.
“I agree that my ex-wife has custody of our last child.
“I have been taking care of all our children since their mother left.
“Three are presently in the university and are doing fine.
“Our last child is troublesome and runs away from home anytime I chastise him.
“My lord, I cannot afford more than N10,000 per month for his feeding. I also cannot pay N100,000 for litigation.”
Giving her judgement, the court president, Mrs. O.E. Owoseni, stated that for the defendant to be able to train their three other children who have been in his custody in the university for the three years their marriage had been dissolved shows he is responsible.
According to her, although the defendant agreed that the plaintiff had custody of their youngest child, who is 12 years old, the court believes that the child is better off living with his siblings for family bonding and unity.
READ ALSO:My Husband Has Stopped Loving, Trusting Me — Wife
On the claim of ownership of the car, Owoseni stated that even though the plaintiff claimed sole ownership of the vehicle and demanded that it be returned to her, she could not prove her claim by producing the receipts of the purchase nor registration particulars of the vehicle.
According to Owoseni, based on her failure to prove ownership of the vehicle with concrete and cogent evidence, her claim for the sole ownership and return of the car hereby fails.
She further stated that since the defendant admitted that he and the plaintiff jointly own the vehicle without any contrary evidence by the plaintiff, the court hereby declares that the plaintiff and defendant jointly own the car.
Owoseni explained that by joint ownership of property, it implies that two or more people contributed resources together to purchase a property.
She further said that where joint ownership exists, it means that each person has equal right of ownership in the said property, notwithstanding the weight of the contribution made by each party.
Ruling, Owoseni said, having declared that both parties are joint owners of the car, and the fact that both are no longer husband and wife and can no longer jointly enjoy the vehicle, the court hereby orders that the said vehicle be sold and the proceeds of sale shared.
(TRIBUNE)
Metro
Auto-crash Claims 2 Lives On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, TRACE, on Friday confirmed that two people died in a lone accident around Oremeji Bus Stop on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Corps’ spokesperson, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abeokuta.
Akinbiyi said the accident, involving a Mazda bus with registration number YNF 414 XN, occurred at about 1:30 a.m.
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He explained that the two occupants of the vehicle, the driver and conductor, both adult males, died on the spot, adding that no injury was recorded.
According to him, eyewitnesses said the bus lost control due to speeding, hit a road barrier, and somersaulted.
Akinbiyi further said the vehicle, which was conveying live chicks, had been towed by the Ibafo Motor Traffic Division of the Police for further investigation.
READ ALSO:My Wife Dented My Image, Took Our Marital Crises To Radio Stations — Husband
He added that the remains of the victims had been deposited at the Divine Touch Hospital morgue in Ibafo by operatives of TRACE, the police, and the Ogun State Emergency Services (OGSAES).
He noted that traffic was briefly affected during the rescue operation but was later restored through the efforts of TRACE and the police.
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