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Court sentences 78-year-old community leader to death for murder in Ondo

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A 78-year-old community leader, Ojo Komolafe, was on Friday sentenced to death by hanging by an Ondo State High Court over the killing of a school proprietor, Taofik Babalola.

The septuagenarian reportedly killed the school proprietor with a gun on August 7, 2021, at Kajola axis of Odigbo Local Council of the state.

According to the prosecutor, H.M. Falowo, who called four witnesses – the deceased’s wife, a neighbour, a police officer and a pathologist, told the court that the victim was sleeping when he was shot in the thigh.

During her testimony, Babalola, the wife of the deceased, stated that she heard a gunshot and immediately ran out, only to see the convict holding a gun in the corridor.

She said: “I saw the defendant coming out of my husband’s room. I took to my heels with the fear that he could also shoot me.

“Thereafter, I rushed to my husband’s room and met him on his bed in the pool of his blood, shouting with his last breath that Komolafe shot him. I rushed out and called people to come to my aid, but my husband died in the process.”

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However, the convict denied the allegations and claimed that the deceased’s wife was coerced into mentioning his name.

He alleged that some cultists, whom he had reported for arson, conspired with Mrs. Babalola to testify against him. The defendant further stated that he was at home with his wife at the time of the incident, adding that they heard the gunshot.

In his verdict, Justice Yemi Fasanmi noted that there were inconsistencies in the defendant’s statement.

Justice Fasanmi held that the claim that some people conspired against the convict was a mere assumption. “It is my finding that the defendant caused the death of the deceased by shooting him with a gun at a close range, which subsequently led to his death.

“The deceased was also seen fleeing the scene of the crime. On the whole, I find the defendant guilty of the two counts as charged. You (the defendant) are hereby sentenced to be hanged on the neck until you die in the first count and seven years imprisonment for the second count.”

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Robbers steal car with three-year-old boy inside in Ogun

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A father, Taiwo Fayobi, has sought police intervention after some robbers stole his Toyota Camry car with his son in it in the Ikenne area of Ogun State.

It was gathered that Fayobi was attempting to open the gate of his house when the robbers entered his vehicle and drove away with his three-year-old son.

The development threw Fayobi into confusion and he raised the alarm over the incident.

He, thereafter, proceeded to the nearest police station to lodge an official complaint so the suspects would be tracked down and arrested.

 

Confirming the development in a post on X on Saturday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Omotola Odutola, identified the number plate of the stolen car as PKA 446 GV.

 

The post read, “Stolen Car / Child. On May 11, 2024. One Taiwo Fayobi, a resident in Ikenne, Ogun State, reported he alighted from his Toyota Camry PKA 446 GV to open his gate.

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“Two hoodlums zoomed off with his car, with his three-year-old son inside. Influencers pls share to save the boy.”

 

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Canada fines Binance $4.38m for breach of money laundering laws

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The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) has fined Binance, a popular cryptocurrency platform, $6 million for violating the country’s money laundering and terrorist financing laws.

 

According to international media, the fine is valued in Canadian dollars, bringing the total amount to USD4.38 million when converted.

 

In a recent statement on its website, FINTRAC said Binance had failed to register as a foreign money services business with the intelligence body.

 

The anti-money laundering agency said the cryptocurrency firm also failed to report large virtual currency transactions worth $10,000 or more.

 

“FINTRAC announced today [Thursday] that it has imposed an administrative monetary penalty on Binance Holdings Limited, also operating as Binance Holdings (IE) Ltd., Binance.com, Binance Global and Binance,” the statement reads.

 

“This foreign money services business was imposed an administrative monetary penalty of $6,002,000 on May 7, 2024 for non-compliance with Part 1 of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and its associated Regulations.

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“Binance Holdings Limited was found to have committed the following administrative violations: Failure to register with FINTRAC as a foreign money services business; and failure to report large virtual currency transactions of $10,000 or more in the course of a single transaction, together with the prescribed information.”

 

Commenting on the matter, Sarah Paquet, director and chief executive officer of FINTRAC, said the country’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime is in place to protect the safety of Canadians and the security of the nation’s economy.

 

“FINTRAC will continue to work with businesses to help them understand and comply with their obligations under the Act. We will also be firm in ensuring that businesses continue to do their part and we will take appropriate actions when they are needed.”

Adjudged to be the largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, Binance has been the subject of regulatory sanctions in some parts of the world.

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On April 30, Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, was sentenced to four months in prison for money laundering, unlicensed money transmitting and violations in Seattle, United States (US).

 

According to US officials, Zhao intentionally turned a blind eye to transactions that financed terrorism, the illegal drug trade, and child sex abuse.

 

Earlier in February, a federal judge in the US approved a plea deal by Binance, requiring the cryptocurrency exchange to pay over $4.3 billion in fines and reparations.

 

Binance is also under investigation for illicit operations and foreign exchange (FX) rate manipulation in Nigeria.

 

The firm, and two of its top officials — Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, and Tigran Gambaryan, the company’s head of financial crime compliance — were charged with tax evasion and money laundering by the federal government.

 

The duo were arrested and detained on February 28 — but Anjarwalla escaped from custody in March.

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After five days, body of missing Lagos drainage worker recovered

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After days of intensive search, the corpse of a drainage worker, who got trapped while clearing the debris that blocked a tunnel in the Onipanu area of Lagos State has been recovered.

Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, while confirming this in a statement on Friday, identified the deceased as 59-year-old Tajudeen Amololo.

 

The LASEMA boss in the statement said, “The victim identified as Mr. Tajudeen Amololo (age-59) has been recovered dead from the drainage and bagged by cobra team subsequently handed him over to LAMATA (Drainducks) with the Nigeria Police Force Ilupeju Division officials for adequate action.

“Recovery operation concluded while cobra team with the agency’s paramedic heading back to base.”

 

The sad incident happened on Monday while the victim was de-silting drainage in the community.

 

Oke-Osanyintolu noted that the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority employed a male adult who works for Drain Ducks.

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