News
UPDATED: Court Grants Gov, Emefiele Bail
Published
6 months agoon
By
EditorAn Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, on Wednesday, granted bail to the detained Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, ordered that he should be released to his lawyers.
“There must be an end to detention without trial” the judge held, stressing that it was the refusal of the Economic and Financial and Crimes Commission, EFCC, to comply with the order the court made on November 2, that led to the ruling.
Besides, the court held that it could not allow Emefiele to remain in custody owing to claim of the Federal Government that he would on November 15, be arraigned on a fresh charge.
It held that the claim was speculative as there was nothing to establish that the planned arraignment would hold as scheduled.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Court Grants Emefiele Bail
More so, the court noted that a purported remand order that FG’s lawyer tendered before it, which was signed by an Abuja Chief Magistrate, bore conflicting dates.
“A very crucial fact that this court cannot overlook is the Applicant’s claim that he has been incarcerated for a period of upward of 151 days without trial,” Justice Adeniyi added.
He held that section 298(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, empowered the court to make necessary orders, even when there is a remand order against an Applicant.
Consequently, the court directed that Emefiele should be released to a team of three Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, that represented him in the matter.
READ ALSO: $53m Debt: Judge Threatens To Order Emefiele’s Arrest
It held that the lawyers should produce him in court on November 15 for his planned arraignment or at any other date that he is required to appear in court.
Justice Adeniyi directed Emefiele to surrender all his international documents to the most senior Registrar of the court, pending his arraignment.
It subsequently adjourned further proceedings in the matter till November 17.
The ruling followed a fundamental right enforcement suit that the erstwhile CBN boss, who has been in detention for about five months, filed through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Matthew Burkaa, SAN.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: EFCC Detains Emefiele After DSS Frees Ex-CBN Gov
Cited as Respondents in the suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/040/2023, are; the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as well as the anti-graft agency itself.
It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had on June 9, suspended Emefiele from office as the head of the apex bank.
He was later arrested at his Lagos residence by the Department of State Services, DSS.
Emefiele had since then, faced a two-count charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition before the Federal High Court in Lagos, as well as a 20-count corruption charge that the Federal Government entered against him and two others before an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama.
However, proceedings in both cases were put on hold, following the decision of the Defendants to explore a plea bargain deal with FG.
The former CBN boss was subsequently transferred to the EFCC detention facility, by the DSS.
FG had in opposition to Emefiele’s request for bail, notified the court that he would on November 15, be arraigned on a fresh charge.
It will be recalled that Justice Adeniyi had on November 2, ordered the anti-graft agency to either release the embattled former CBN Governor, unconditionally, or produce him in court to be granted bail.
In compliance to the directive, the EFCC produced him on court for the hearing of his bail application.
You may like
JUST IN: Emefiele Gets N300m Bail, Denies N684.5m Note Printing
Naira Printing: ‘I’m Not Guilty Of EFCC’s Fresh Charge,’ Emefiele Pleads
Ex-CBN Gov, Emefiele Faces Fresh Charge Over Printing Of Naira Emefiele
How I Collected Dollars In Cash For Emefiele, Dispatch Rider Tells Court
UPDATED: Lagos Court Grants Emefiele N50m Bail
BREAKING: Lagos Court Grants Emefiele N50m Bail
News
Anambra: Three Ex-police Officers Bag Life Imprisonment For Murder
Published
9 hours agoon
May 15, 2024By
EditorAn Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment three former Police officers for killing a 42-year-old man, identified as Chukwunonso Uchenwoke, from Mbosi in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
The accused persons were said to have killed the man while effecting his arrest over an alleged assault and malicious damage.
The offences were said to have been committed on May 14, 2016, at No. 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state and the Onitsha Judicial Division.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Who Killed Wife With Skateboard In UK Jailed For Life
After the incident, the ex-police officers, whose names were given as Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor and Raphael Chike, were said to be dismissed from the Nigerian Police Force.
The court, presided over by Justice A.O. Okuma, on Wednesday, held that the prosecution counsel proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder charges preferred against them, which are contrary to Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991, as amended.
The three of them were all convicted and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for manslaughter.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Nigeria’s Inflation Hits 33.69%
Trulaw Chambers, through her principal counsel, C.J. Okeke, prosecuted the case with the fiat of the Anambra State Attorney General.
Reacting to the judgement, the prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory and a succinct reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.
The counsel to the first defendant, G.A. Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgment for his client; the counsel to the second defendant, C.E. Ezenwa, and the counsel to the third defendant, C.J. Agbata, said they need a copy of the judgement to determine their next line of action.
Three persons, including two women and a young boy, have reportedly been killed in a clash between local scavengers, otherwise referred to as baban bola, and residents of the Byazhin community, in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the FCT.
An eyewitness, who identified herself as Jessica Adam, told our correspondent that a baban bola attempted to steal a woman’s pot of soup, but was overpowered and beaten up after the woman alerted neighbours and passers-by.
The embittered baban bola then went away and mobilised hoodlums who returned at about 8pm wielding weapons including machetes, clubs, and stones and began attacking residents at random, eventually killing the woman whose pot of soup was earlier stolen.
READ ALSO: Man Sets Mosque, Worshippers Ablaze In Kano
In the attack, two others, a woman and a young boy, reported to be passers-by who unfortunately ran into the middle of the crisis, were also killed, they were, however, yet to be identified.
“They killed two people yesterday. The community has been in chaos since yesterday. The crisis continued till this morning when they killed somebody again. So far, three persons have been killed and many injured. The Police intervened and restored normalcy, but no arrest was made. The Police have intensified their patrol in the Byazhin area of Kubwa to prevent them from regrouping,” Ms Adams narrated.
A resident in the community, who spoke with The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the death of the three persons but said he had no clue as to what may have started the clash.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Who Killed Wife With Skateboard In UK Jailed For Life
“Yes, the riot started yesterday. And by this morning, we learnt that three persons have been killed. It happened in Byazhin around that Millionaire’s Quarters, behind that Living Faith Church. That place is usually dangerous, because it is quite lonely, and you cannot pass through there alone, especially in the evening,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, The PUNCH gathered that schools and shops in the area have been closed down, as parents scampered to pick up kids from their classrooms, and shops refused to open as of Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, proved abortive, as her number was repeatedly unreachable.
No fewer than 24 persons were critically injured on Wednesday following an early morning mosque explosion at Gadan Village, Gezawa local government area of Kano State
The Public Relations Officer of the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.
“Today, 15/05/2024 at about 0520hrs, reports were received that, there was an explosion at a Mosque in Gadan Village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State during “Subhi Prayer” and that some people got injured.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Who Killed Wife With Skateboard In UK Jailed For Life
“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, immediately deployed the command’s combined teams consisting of experts in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) led by CSP Haruna Isma’il and other Crime-Scene Policemen led by Divisional Police Officer, Gezawa Division, CSP Haruna Iliya.
“The scene was cordoned-off and twenty-four victims including 20 male adults and 4 male children were removed and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano where they are currently receiving treatment,” he said.
According to him, forensic analysis at the preliminary stage revealed a suspected petrol explosion, of which a full investigation is ongoing.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Burnt To Death In Bangkok Car Crash
He said that the principal suspect had been identified and arrested adding that the suspect is now with the Police.
“The suspect is Shafi’u Abubakar aged 38 years who said his action was purely in hostility following prolonged family disagreement over sharing of inheritance of which those that he alleged to have cheated on him were in the mosque at that moment and he did that for his voice to be heard,” Haruna said.
While the suspect is currently in police custody, he noted that a detailed investigation is ongoing and will be made public in due course.
Anambra: Three Ex-police Officers Bag Life Imprisonment For Murder
Three Killed In Abuja Community Clash
24 Injured In Kano Mosque Explosion
Trending
- Headline2 days ago
Lady Arrested For Allegedly Harassing, Cyberstalking Crown Prince Of Benin Kingdom [VIDEO]
- Politics5 days ago
Rivers Crisis: Why Gov Fubura Got Into ‘Trouble’ – Secondus
- Metro5 days ago
Kogi University Lecturer Stripped Over Alleged Sexual Harassment
- News5 days ago
EFCC Stops Dollar Transactions, Asks Embassies To Charge In Naira
- News3 days ago
BREAKING: Organised Labour Shut BEDC Head Office
- News4 days ago
Tobi Amusan Becomes World’s Fastest Woman With New Track Record
- News2 days ago
Edo Govt Takes Custody Of 4-year-old Girl Used For Adult Content
- Headline2 days ago
32-year-old Nigerian Doctor Killed In US, Father Mourns
- News5 days ago
Why We Took Over Rivers Assembly Quarters – Police
- News2 days ago
Man Arrested For Invading Plateau Bank With Bomb