Headline

Nigerian Studying In Cyprus Arrested In Benin Over Fraud Allegations

Published

3 years ago

March 12, 2023

A Nigerian studying at the Cyprus International University, Nicosia, Okail Shedrack, has been arrested in the Republic of Benin over cyberfraud-related allegations.

The PUNCH gathered that Shedrack was arrested on February 7, 2023, in Porto-Novo.

Efforts to hear from the Benin police authorities proved abortive, as a message sent through the means provided on their website did not go through.

However, a document obtained by our correspondent, reportedly given to an ally of the student, translated from French, revealed that Shedrack was arrested for suspected fraud-related case.

Part of the document read, “Chief prosecutor of fraud carried out through electronic information network or computer system.

“Fact provided for and repressed by Articles 566 of the law 2017-20 supporting code provided by the Republic of Benin.

“We enjoin the manager of the said remand centre to receive it and hold deposit until it is ordered otherwise.

“Request any agent of the public force to whom this mandate will be exhibited to lend a hand for its execution if necessary in witness.

“Whereof of this mandate of the deposit has been signed by us and bearing our seal.

“Done in our our public prosecutors office on February 15, 2023 at 3:54pm.”

The PUNCH reached out to the Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, Dr Olukayode Aluko, who confirmed the incident.

“Two of my officers have been handling it, and the authorities there have confirmed that they have electronic evidence that he was involved in some of these criminal acts here and he has confessed. He has a sister here who has been asked to get a lawyer,” the envoy told The PUNCH on Sunday.

However, Aluko expressed concern over the rate of criminal activities reportedly being perpetrated by some Nigerians in Benin Republic, saying they had been embarrassing.

“The question you should ask here is what is a Cyprus student doing here on holiday?

“They have their own laws and each country is governed by laws. His matter is being attended to, he’s in detention, he has confessed to be doing what he was said to be doing. They found things that have happened even in the past linked to his phone. There are evidences against him, he’s not disputing it,” he added.

He said many young Nigerians were often involved in either ‘yahoo yahoo’ (cybercrime) or prostitution in the country, adding that at least tens of them were often rounded up on a daily basis.

“Look, it’s so embarrassing here, on the average, they arrest about 25 Nigerians every day over this same issue, mostly young people. Most times, we would ensure release of some of them.

“They now embarrass innocent Nigerians.”

He lamented that even when some Nigerians were repatriated, they often came back to get involved in the same things they were arrested for.

He said the fact that the policy of the Economic Community of West African States allowed one to travel into any ECOWAS state within 90 days did not mean such privilege should be abused to perpetuate crimes.

Reacting, the National Association of Nigerian Students said the Federal Government should see to the matter as they might not know what was going on in Benin Republic.

“Many Nigerians are in prison there and here in Nigeria, how many foreigners are in our prisons?

“They should not do to us what we didn’t do to them.

“Government should come to Nigerians aid over there and assist in anyway they can,” NANS Zone D coordinator, Adejuwon Olatunji, said when our correspondent sought his reaction.

Headline

Court Jails Two For Targeting President With Sorcery

Published

6 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A Zambian court on Monday sentenced two men to two years in prison with hard labour on charges of attempting to use witchcraft to kill the country’s president.

Mozambican national Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Zambian village chief Leonard Phiri were arrested in December in possession of charms, including a live chameleon.

Police said they planned to use the charms to harm President Hakainde Hichilema, and they were charged with professing knowledge of witchcraft and possession of charms.

“The motive of the crime was to kill the head of state,” magistrate Fine Mayambu ruled in the capital Lusaka on Monday.

“The convicts were not only enemies of the head of state but all Zambians. I therefore sentence them to 24 months imprisonment with hard labour from the date of their arrest,” he said.

The prosecution said the men had been hired by the brother of opposition MP Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda, who is facing trial for robbery, attempted murder and escaping custody.

Headline

Two Nigerians Face Jail Terms In Liberia’s Piracy Trial

Published

6 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

Criminal Court ‘D’ in Monrovia is set to deliver judgment this week in Liberia’s first piracy trial, involving two Nigerian nationals accused of hijacking a cargo vessel in the Gulf of Guinea.

According to court records, the defendants were arrested earlier this year after a Liberia-flagged ship was seized by armed men while transporting goods through international waters. The crew sent a distress signal, prompting international maritime forces to intervene.

The suspects were subsequently transferred to Liberian authorities under global maritime cooperation protocols.

According to Liberia’s news platform, Front Page Africa, the case has attracted attention because Liberia maintains one of the world’s largest open ship registries, yet prosecutions for piracy within its domestic courts have not previously occurred. Under international law, Liberia holds jurisdiction over crimes involving ships registered under its flag.

On Monday, proceedings took a new turn when defense lawyer, Cllr. Bestman Juah, informed the court that the defendants had admitted responsibility for the hijacking and were requesting a plea-bargain arrangement. State prosecutors did not oppose the request, leaving open the possibility of reduced sentences in exchange for full cooperation.

Resident Judge Mameita Jabateh-Sirleaf, who presides over Criminal Court ‘D’, will rule on whether to accept the plea deal and determine the sentencing framework. The ruling could also address deportation measures following imprisonment.

Criminal Court ‘D’ handles cases involving armed robbery, terrorism, hijacking, and other serious crimes, and the piracy trial represents a growing trend of transnational offenses being prosecuted within Liberia’s judicial system.
As of press time, the court has not announced the date for sentencing.

Headline

Spain Cancels $825m Israel Arms Deal Over Gaza

Published

6 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

The Spanish government has cancelled a contract worth nearly 700 million euros ($825 million) for Israeli-designed rocket launchers.

The move comes after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced last week that his government would “consolidate in law” a ban on military equipment sales or purchases with Israel over its offensive in Gaza.

The contract, awarded to a consortium of Spanish companies, involved the purchase of 12 SILAM rocket launcher systems derived from the PULS platform made by Israeli firm Elbit Systems, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Military Balance.

First reported by local media and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the cancellation was formalised on Spain’s official public contracts platform on September 9.

The following day, Sanchez unveiled measures aimed at stopping what his leftist government called “the genocide in Gaza”.

It includes the approval of a decree imposing a ban on military equipment sales or purchases with Israel due to its military offensive in Gaza, launched after the Hamas attacks in October 2023.

Spain applied the ban as Israel stepped up its military onslaught.

Spain has also formalized the cancellation of another contract for 168 anti-tank missile launchers, which were to be manufactured under license from an Israeli company.

That contract, valued at 287 million euros, had been first reported by the press in June.

According to Spanish daily La Vanguardia, the government is undertaking a broader review to phase out Israeli weapons and technology from its armed forces.

Sanchez has emerged as one of Europe’s most outspoken critics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Gaza policy.

Relations between the two countries have been tense for months.

Israel has not had an ambassador in Spain since Madrid recognized the state of Palestine in 2024.

Last week, Spain recalled its ambassador to Israel after heated exchanges over Sánchez’s new measures.

The Barcelona-based Delas Centre, a security research institute, estimated in April that since the start of the Gaza war, Spain had awarded 46 contracts worth $1.044 billion to Israeli companies, based on public tender data.