Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, has come under fire for allegedly walking out a journalist, Kingsley Chibuike from a press briefing without any explanation.

The press conference held Thursday at the conference hall of the Abia State House of Assembly, had in attendance the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Hon. Austin Nmeregini, among others.

Reacting to the sad development, former Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kanu, said such a behaviour should not be condoned.

The former Speaker who described the role of the media as very crucial for the survival of democracy, said no attempt should be made to obstruct their operations.

He said: “When I was speaker, the chamber was always filled to the brim. When you are a presiding officer, not only that your colleagues are assessing your capacity or capability to manage the House, the press is also involved in assessing whatever is happening at the plenary.

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“The press is a very important segment of the society. Other commoners are always in the chamber to listen to the proceedings of the House.

” If a journalist is doing his job and he is barred from covering the House, I don’t think it will be condoned.”

In his own reaction, former Secretary to State Government, SSG and a veteran journalist, Elder Ralph Egbu, strongly condemned the action of the Speaker, and wondered why journalists would not boycott the activities of the House in protest.

He blamed media practitioners for their weakness in fighting their own cause, recalling that such a humiliation would not go without a consequence in his active days.

“When people know you are critical they don’t toy with you”.

Apparently referring to leadership weakness of media practitioners in the state, the elder statesman and former Information Commissioner, regretted that the Speaker might get away with the action.

“When there is a vacuum, people will exploit it. But when people know there is a consequence they will be cautious.

“Boycott that House or start writing deliberately, and they will respect you. But you will not do it. When I was practising, they feared us”.

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Reacting also, former Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, described the action of the Speaker as dictatorial and an attempt to gag the press.

The former Commissioner who also described the incident as “a new low” in the state, said the action of the Speaker contrasted the humility of the Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on whose wings the Speaker and other Labour Party members came to power.

“The quest to silence free press and muzzle opposition by all means are the hallmarks of dictators empowered by Emperors and it is a big shame that Emeruwa was elected on the ticket of the Labour Party seen by many as a progressive political party.

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“I wish to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, leaders of the National Assembly and civil society organizations led by the free press to speak up now and stop the emerging autocracy in Abia State.

The former Commissioner called on the Speaker to tender unreserved apology to the media, and to immediately bring back the Enyimba Correspondent.

“I hereby call on Speaker Emeruwa to, as a matter of urgency, immediately apologize and recall Enyimba TV and Radio journalist to the people’s House and inaugurate Aaron Uzodike at the next legislative date.

“Abia State is not an Empire for an Emperor and his ‘hallelujah officials’ but rather a democratic state under the rule of law with full observance of media freedom and independence.”

He also called on civil society organization to rise against any attempt to intimidate and gag the press.

Reacting also, Rights Activist and the Executive Director, Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, Comrade Nnanna Nwafor, described the action as a manifestation of dictatorship tendency.

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He said it was a display of the Speaker’s lack of regard for the media, a action, he said, was unacceptable.

“It’s unfortunate and the Speaker has played the role of dictatorship. It shows the Speaker has no respect for the press.

“It’s an impairment of the freedom of the press and expression. It doesn’t show that the Speaker believes in democratic principles. This is highly unacceptable.”

A prominent layer and Public Affairs Analyst, Mr Mike Ndu, in his own reaction, described the action of the Speaker as undemocratic.

He said that a public officer holder especially the number three citizen should be able to put his temperament under check.

“It’s quite undemocratic. It’s against the freedom of press. In as much as he has not violated any laws, he has violated the principles of democracy. It’s condemnable.

” As the number three man in the state who is representing a people, he ought not to have behaved that way as a public officer. The House of Assembly is not a private office”.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Friday affirmed the judgement of a Lagos State High Court, which sentenced Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, popularly called Baba Ijesha to five years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old minor.

The appellate court in its lead judgement delivered by Justice Folashade Ojo found the Appellant, Baba Ijesha, guilty on counts 4 and 5, where he was accused of indecently touching a minor and sexually assaulting her.

Other members of the panel, Justice Abdullahi Bayero and Justice Paul Bassi aligned themselves with the lead judgement.

The Lagos State Government arraigned Baba Ijesha on a six-count charge bordering on the indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by penetration.

In her judgement, the trial judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo (rtd) of the Lagos State Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court, on July 14, 2022, sentenced Baba Ijesha to five years imprisonment over the sexual assault of the minor.

The court found Baba Ijesha guilty of indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault, of a minor between 2013 and 2014, which is contrary to Section 135 of Lagos State Criminal Law 2015.

Justice Taiwo exonerated him of the offence of sexual assault by penetration which deals with allegedly sexually assaulting the minor by penetration with his car key seven years ago and attempted sexual assault by penetration during another encounter with the minor on April 22, 2021.

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The judge held that the prosecution successfully proved counts two and three that he indecently placed the survivor on his lap and rubbed his penis on her body.

Dissatisfied, Baba Ijesha through his counsel Mr. Kayode Olabiran, approached the appeal court praying it to allow the appeal and set aside his conviction and sentence.

The Appellant argued that the prosecution failed to prove that he (Baba Ijesha) sexually assaulted the victim, contending that the appellant merely acted a script that he was invited to act.

He argued: “The Appellant was set up. The Appellant is an actor. He acted in a script that he was invited to act by his colleague (PW1), Damilola Adekoya.”

Delivering judgment on the appeal, Justice Folashade Ojo set aside the appellant’s conviction on indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault of a minor which allegedly occurred between 2013 and 2014 describing the testimony of PW1 (Damilola Adekoya) as hearsay.

Justice Ojo, however, held that on the event that occurred on April 19, 2021, the evidence of PW1 (Damilola Adekoya) was an eyewitness account adding that this account remains credible and one of the most effective ways to establish commission of an offence.

Besides, the court held that the Appellant voluntarily confessed to the crime of the event of April 19, 2021, and did not challenge the statement of (PW1), Damilola Adekoya throughout the proceedings.

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Justice Ojo noted that the appellant made the extra-judicial statement at Sabo Police station, Lagos State on the 19th of April 2021, and another statement at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti on the 28th of April 2021, which were tendered in evidence.

The court held that in the two statements, the appellant admitted that he indecently touched and indeed molested PW2 while she was alone with him in PW1’s (Damilola Adekoya) apartment.

Justice Ojo held “The law is certain that there is no other evidence other than admission in commission of an offence.

“From the totality of the evidence of PW2, it can be safely inferred that as at the date of the victim’s testimony, she was at best 15 years old and a child by virtue of Section 261 of the Child’s Rights Law of Lagos State, 2015.

“It is significant to note that the appellant did not challenge PW2’s on the evidence she gave. It is in view of all these that I hold that the prosecution established that PW2, the victim of the offence was a child at the time of the alleged offences in 2021.

“I have carefully looked at the record and unable to agree with the appellant, that he was merely acting a script. The interaction between PW2 and the appellant on the 19th of April, 2021was not a theatrical performance of make-believe but a personal encounter between the two of them.

“Moreover, PW2’s (victim) body language supported by her oral testimony and documentary evidence clearly shows that she attempted to distance herself from the appellant. The most inference to draw from from appellant’s action in searching the entire house immediately after PW1 left with her visitors and sexually assaulting PW2 is that he intended to commit the offence, and did commit the offence.

“It’s trite that factual findings of the trial court involving the credibility of witnesses are accorded almost respect. Trial courts have the advantage of first-time observation, which allows them to assess witnesses’ demeanour and manner of testifying during the trial.

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“On the event of April 19, 2021, it is my firm belief that the evidence of PW1 does not amount to hearsay, she was an eye witness. My conclusion is that the evidence presented by the prosecution before the trial court on the offence of indecent treatment of a child, and sexual assault committed by the appellant on the 19th of April 2021 is compelling and sufficient to justify the appellant’s conviction.

“In conclusion, I have no hesitation in affirming the appellant’s conviction for the indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault. The appellant indecently touched PW2’s body in a sexual manner, in violation of Section 135 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. His actions constitute sexual assault against PW2.

“I am of the view that the respondent discharged the burden of proving its case beyond reasonable doubt against the appellant on the allegations of April 19, 2021, and I so hold. I have no reason to interfere with the findings of the trial court on the events of April 19, 2021. In all, I hold that this appeal succeeds in part and it is accordingly allowed in part.”

The court ordered as follows “The appellant’s conviction and sentence to 5 years imprisonment for the offence of indecently touching of a child contrary to Section 135 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011 (count 2 of the charge) is set aside.

“The Appellant’s conviction of 3 years imprisonment for the offence of sexual assault of a child contrary to section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011 (count 3 of the charge) is set aside.

“I affirm the conviction and sentence of the appellant to 5 years imprisonment for the offence of indecent treatment of a child contrary to section 135 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015 (count 4 of the charge)

“The appellant’s conviction and sentence to 3 years imprisonment for sexual assault contrary to section 263 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011 (count 5 of the information) is also affirmed. The sentences for counts 4 and 5 are to run concurrently.”

The body of a suspected vandal was found dead inside an electrical transformer enclosure belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc on Missionary Avenue in Coal Camp, Enugu, on Friday.

It is believed that the deceased was electrocuted while attempting to cut armoured cables.

Confirming the incident to journalists in Enugu, the Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, described the incident as “tragic and very unfortunate.”

Ezeh lamented the increasing rate at which vandals attack electricity installations within EEDC’s network daily.

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He further said that vandalism has been a big challenge to the company, and there is no way this can be addressed without the support of critical stakeholders.

“It is a battle we all have to fight collectively because once these transformers are vandalised, customers who are served by the installation will be greatly affected,” Ezeh said.

Appealing to customers to join hands with the company to ensure that facilities within their neighbourhoods are protected, Eze said that the identity of the suspect has not been released, pending further investigation.

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Meanwhile, a young man identified as Inalegwu Major was also electrocuted in Benue State on June 23, 2024.

He was suspected of having attempted to vandalise the Jos Electricity Distribution Company transformer located close to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB in Otukpo.

According to eyewitnesses, the suspect might have been electrocuted while trying to vandalise the transformer.