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EFCC Arraigns Ondo Speaker, Two Others Over Alleged Fraud

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oloyelogun, and two others before the state High Court in Akure, over alleged N2.4 million fraud belonging to the Assembly.

Their arraignment followed the ruling by an Akure High Court that it has jurisdiction over the trial.

Consequently, the three lawmakers and one civil servant were arraigned before Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye for the alleged fraud sequel to the dismissal of the preliminary objection filed against their trial by the EFCC.

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The fund (N2.4 million) was meant for a seminar, which the lawmakers and the civil servant were meant to attend, but didn’t.

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The two others arraigned on a two-count charge of fraud, alongside the Speaker, were Felemu Bankole (Akoko South-West Constituency 2), and a civil servant, Segun Oyadeyi Bankole.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations levelled against them.

At the commencement of the trial, the counsel to EFCC, Kingsley Kudus, asked the court to remand the defendants at the Olokuta Correctional Facility.

But reacting, counsel to the defendants, Femi Emodamore, asked the court to strike out EFCC’s prayer for remand, arguing that the administrative bail application on the defendants was still active.

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Emodamore said that the second defendant (Oleyelogun) was having a health challenge that needed urgent medical attention.

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He equally asked the court to caution the nominal complainant (former Deputy Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji) in the case for allegedly sending messages to the Speaker in an attempt to annoy him.

According to him, “If Ogundeji did not desist from such action, he would be prosecuted as his actions towards the Speaker is against the law.”

In his ruling, Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye asked the defendants to enjoy their administrative bail till the next hearing date.

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Justice Adebusoye, therefore, adjourned the case till May 18 for a proper hearing of the trial.

Recall that when the case came up for hearing in February, the lawmakers argued that EFCC lacked the power to prosecute offences affecting the finances and assets of the state as there exists a law enacted by the Assembly to tackle corruption allegations in the state.

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The defendants in the preliminary objection filed to the EFCC charges by their counsel, Mr Femi Emodamori, asked the court to decline jurisdiction and strike out the charges against them because the EFCC has no right to prosecute them as the assets they were facing trial for belonged to the state.

Emodamore said the EFCC has no right to prosecute the defendants for alleged corruption in view of the State Public Complaint Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission Law passed into law and signed by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in January 2022.

But the counsel to the EFCC then, Mr Fredrick Dibang, said that the court has jurisdiction, because the state law enacted by the state assembly is contrary to the acts of the National Assembly that establish EFCC and once there is a conflict between the law of a state and that of the National Assembly, the law of the state is suspended.

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Dibang said the Assembly passed the law with the intention of frustrating the trial of the lawmakers and the civil servant for the alleged abuse of office and corruption.

However, in his ruling, Justice Adebusoye put the state law in abeyance and held that the EFCC has the power to investigate and prosecute the lawmakers for the alleged fraud, which they were charged with.

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Adebusoye said: “The offences against the defendants are not state offences promulgated by the state legislation but a federal offence, having being promulgated by the National Assembly, though relates to finances of Ondo State.

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“Without wasting the time of this court, it settles that the complainant is empowered to investigate and prosecute the three defendants on the two counts charge as stated in the information file, being federal offences and even though the alleged ones involved belong to the Ondo state government.”

The judge, therefore, dismissed the preliminary objection as filed by the defendants and assumed jurisdiction to adjudicate on this matter.

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Metro

Court Orders Release Of 313 Suspected Terrorists

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A Federal High Court in Borno has ordered the release of no fewer than 313 suspected terrorists arrested by the military.

The court ordered their release for lack of evidence to nail the suspects after the investigation.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, disclosed this during a briefing on military operations across the country on Thursday in Abuja.

He assured all that the military would comply with the court order and release the suspected terrorists to the state government.

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Buba said, “During the week, as a follow up to a court order of the Federal High Court in Maiduguri, a total of 313 suspects in detention for terrorism-related offences were to be released to the Borno State government.

“The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of the investigation and other ancillary matters.

“The cases were prosecuted by the Department of Prosecution, Federal Ministry of Justice. Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

The PUNCH reports that this is not the first time suspected terrorists would be acquitted for want of evidence.

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The Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had on December 4, 2023, said out of a total of 1,323 suspects prosecuted for terrorism, only 366 convictions were secured.

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He noted that 896 others were discharged for lack of evidence.

Fagbemi said, “I must acknowledge the fact that we have come a long way in this initiative. The first phase of the Kainji Prosecution Project commenced in October 2017 with remarkable achievements where we recorded a total of 366 convictions, 896 others were discharged for want of sufficient evidence and 61 other cases adjourned for further hearing.

“There have been three phases of the exercise so far, spanning between October 2017 and July 2018. I must, at this point, challenge all stakeholders to ensure that the momentum is sustained, seeing how important this assignment is to the well-being of our beloved country and her people.”

 

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Alleged Defamation: Foremost Edo-based Human Rights Activist Granted Bail

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An Edo State High Court presided over by Hon. Justice Efe Ikpomwonba, has granted an Edo-based foremost human rights activist and former coordinator-general of Edo Civil Society Organisations, EDOCSO, Leftist Omobude Agho bail for alleged defamation and cyber-stalking.

The human rights activist was brought before Criminal Court 1, Benin City, by police prosecutor, Y. Musa, with a motion exparte for remand of the defendant in prison custody.

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The prosecutor charge reads in part “that you Omobude Agho ‘m’ on or about the 16th day of March, 2024 at Benin City within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Benin judicial division, with intent to injure the reputation of DCP.

Members of the EDOCSO in the premises of the court in solidarity with their former coordinator-general

“Betty Otimenyin, did made injurious Facebook publication of your Facebook timeline named “Omobude Left Agho” where you referred to her as madam deputy commissioner of police in zone 5 and female deputy commissioner of police connected at the zone 5 respectively and accused her of aiding and assisting one Dominic Edobor in committing crime at Ugbineh community and other several injurious publication which you know to be false and has gone viral in a manner that injures the reputation of DCP. Betty Otimenyin and brought her to disrepute and hatred and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 24(1)(a) and (b)(2)(a)and (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.”

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Agho, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Members of the EDOCSO in a joyous mood after Agho was granted bail. Standing by his rights lawyer, Olayiwola Afolabi, SAN.

In his bail application, lead defendant’s counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, SAN, prayed the court to grant the defendant bail, assuring that he (Agho) will not jump bail.

The presiding judge, having listened to both police counsel and the defendant’s counsel, granted the defendant bail with a surety and a like sum of N500,000.

The surety was to swear to an affidavit of means and resident and workplace to be verified by court officials.

The defendant was able to meet the bail conditions and was released on bail by the court.

The presiding judge thereafter adjourned the case to 21st of May, 2024.

Meanwhile during the arrast and court proceedings, members of the EDOCSO in their large numbers trooped to the court premises in solidarity with their former coordinator-general.

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NAFDAC Intercepts Psychoactive Drugs, Busts Beverage Factories In Southeast

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The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has confiscated banned pharmaceutical products, valued at millions of naira, in Onitsha, Anambra State, during a raid.

The agency also bust factories manufacturing fake alcoholic beverages in Enugu and Imo states.

NAFDAC’s Director, South East Zone, Martins Iluyomade, revealed this while briefing newsmen in Awka on Wednesday.

He said drugs intercepted in Onitsha included 892 bottles of codeine syrup, 26 packs of Rohypnol tablet (Flunitrazepam) and 16 packs of swings tablet (Flunitrazepam).

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Others were six rolls of Teka Tramadol capsules 100mg, 10 packs of Super Terpentol tablet 200mg and eight packs of Osaka Tramadol capsules 100mg.

Iluyomade applauded the Coordinator of NAFDAC in Anambra, Louis Mmadubuatta,
for a successful operation, saying the drugs posed grave public health danger.

According to him, the drugs were dangerous psychoactive substances, especially Rohypnol, which, he said, was largely used by kidnappers, rapists, cultists and ritualists, on their victims.

“These are controlled drugs which should not be found in an open market or in the hands of individuals,” he said.

Iluyomade said other breakthroughs made included the discovery of a factory under the name BEST IJAW at Ibagwa Aka, in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, which specialised in the production of an unapproved dry gin.

He said the factory had eight PVC containers filled with substances suspected to be ethanol and drums of substances equally suspected to be ethanol.

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