A Wilfred Ndidi own goal in the 94th minute and a close-range Kai Havertz strike in the ninth minute of stoppage time denied a Foxes side who were within reach of an unlikely point at Emirates Stadium after clawing back a two-goal deficit in the second half.

Gabriel Martinelli had given the dominant Gunners a deserved first-half lead when he steered home Jurrien Timber’s cross, before providing the pass for the second, converted by Leandro Trossard, on the stroke of half-time.

Leicester had managed only one touch in the Arsenal area before the break, but they reduced the arrears a little over a minute into the second half when James Justin’s header from Facundo Buonanotte’s free-kick struck Havertz on its way in.

Justin doubled his personal tally in spectacular fashion shortly after the hour mark, meeting Ndidi’s left-wing delivery with a swerving volley that beat David Raya via the inside of the post.

If Arsenal were momentarily stunned by Leicester’s recovery, they soon recovered their poise and Mads Hermansen produced two superb saves to keep the Foxes level, denying Havertz with a point-blank stop before keeping out Trossard’s shot – moments after giving the ball away inside his own area.

But Trossard’s late effort was deflected past the Danish goalkeeper by Ndidi before Havertz struck from close-range to complete the scoring.

Victory lifts Arsenal level on points with Manchester City, who could be overtaken by Liverpool if they beat Wolves at Molineux in Saturday’s late game.

Arsenal fans must have been scratching their heads as the game entered second-half stoppage time, as Leicester closed in on a draw that had barely seemed possible at the halfway point of the contest.

Notwithstanding a Justin shot which was blocked by Riccardo Calafiori, the first 45 minutes took place almost entirely inside the Leicester half, with Bukayo Saka and Martinelli both going close before the Brazilian’s 20th-minute opener.

Calafiori stung Hermansen’s palms and Havertz sent a header narrowly wide from Trossard’s cross, before the Belgian – back from suspension after his dismissal against City last weekend – gave the home side a richly deserved two-goal cushion.

Justin’s first of the afternoon came almost out of nothing and, buoyed by his header, the Foxes continued to venture forward and eventually restored parity through the defender’s spectacular swerving strike.

Time appeared to be running out for Arteta’s team, who had registered more than 30 shots – including 14 on target – and racked up 14 corners as the clock ticked past 90 minutes.

Hermansen did brilliantly to keep out goalbound efforts from Havertz and Trossard before denying Calafiori and substitute Ethan Nwaneri as the Gunners piled forward in increasing desperation.

But they were finally rewarded for their pressure and persistence with just over three of the allotted seven minutes of added time remaining, before Havertz completed the scoring with virtually the final touch of the game.

Pain for Foxes, but positives for Cooper
Steve Cooper said he would not shy away from criticism after Leicester fans were heard chanting “Cooper, sort it out” and “this is embarrassing” during Tuesday’s penalty shootout victory at Walsall in the Carabao Cup.

At half-time on Saturday, it looked like being another painful afternoon for the Foxes and their manager as Arsenal sailed serenely into a two-goal lead, but Leicester’s second-half recovery – though ultimately in vain – will give fans heart for the battles ahead.

Cooper’s team were vastly improved after the restart and Justin’s sensational drive will live long in the memories of the away fans nestled in the lower tier of the Emirates Stadium’s south east corner.

Hermansen was sensational in the latter stages, producing a string of fine saves to keep Arsenal at bay – but there was little he could do about Ndidi’s own goal or Havertz’s last-gasp effort.

Not for the first time this season, Cooper was frustrated by some of the officiating at Emirates Stadium, with referee Sam Barrott refusing to penalise William Saliba for a tug on Jamie Vardy in the build-up to Martinelli’s opener.

Cooper and Vardy were both booked after remonstrating with the officials in the aftermath of the goal.

Once the dust settles on this pulsating contest, Cooper can reflect with pride on his team’s fightback against one of the Premier League’s title challengers – but the manner of the defeat may take a while to digest.

Abubakar Umar, the Sixth Prosecution Witness in the trial of former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam has narrated before the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, how in 2014, he converted the sum of ₦3.1bn wired to him by Suswam as governor, and delivered its equivalent of $15.8m in cash to him at his Maitama, Abuja residence.

This was revealed in a statement by Head, Media & Publicity, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Dele Oyewale on Saturday.

Suswan, alongside his then Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia facing 11-count amended charges of money laundering to the tune of ₦3.1bn, being part of the proceeds from the sales of the state government’s shares held on its behalf by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited, sold through Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.

During the court’s proceedings, the witness, a bureau de change operator and CEO of Fanffash Resources, who has been testifying on the matter since 2018, first, before Justice A.R Mohammed and later Justice Okon Abang, disclosed that the total sum of Suswan, alongside his then Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia are facing 11-count amended charges of money laundering to the tune of ₦3.1bn was transferred to him by Suswam, through a proxy in tranches with the first tranche of ₦413m hitting his account on August 8, 2014 and the remaining, coming in subsequently to sum up to ₦3.1bn.

Umar, while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, affirmed that the proxy who did the naira transfers to him was a woman.

According to the witness, he had to change a total sum of ₦3.1bn to dollars, which he said amounted to $15.8 million at the rate of ₦197 to a dollar and delivered it to Suswam in his Maitama, Abuja residence.

“One day in 2014, when I was in the office, the former governor of Benue State asked me to meet him in his house in Maitama, Abuja. I went and met him in the house together with one fair woman. He asked me to give the woman my account number. I gave the woman my Zenith Bank account number. The woman said she’ll send money into that account.

“On the 8th of August 2014, N413 million was transferred to my account. Based on this, I called the former governor and he told me to change the money to dollars and I asked him to give me time to do that. Three days after I bought the dollar equivalent, I called the former governor and informed him that the money was ready. He now asked me to take the money to his house in Maitama, near Jumat Mosque. I now told him that he should inform the security at the gate that I was coming, if not they’ll not allow me access into the gate. I took a cab to the house, and after I arrived at the house, I knocked at the gate and they opened. I told them my name. They opened the first and second gates and I sat in the waiting room where he came and met me. I now brought out the money which we both confirmed to be the equivalent of the N413 million. The exchange rate then was N197”, he said.

Testifying further, he said, “On the 12th of September 2014, N637 million was transferred to my account. After N637million was transferred to my account, after like 40 minutes N363 million was also transferred into my account. On 13th October 2014, N630, 008,50, (Six Hundred and Thirty Million, Eight Thousand and Fifty Naira) was also transferred to my account. On 17th October 2014 1,0068,000 (One Billion, Sixty-eight Million) was transferred to my account. It is the woman that was directed by the former governor to do the transfers. The total money transferred to my account was N3 billion”.

The witness who stated that he was neither arrested by the EFCC for giving any testimony in favor of the defendant, nor threatened by the Commission to give evidence against the defendant, further disclosed that he did not have receipts for the transactions, so also no record book for them, stating that he buys dollars from his fellow retailers and only records based on discretion.

Justice Lifu adjourned the matter till October 4,2024, for continuation of trial.

Seventeen people have been killed in a mass shooting in a remote South African town.

According to the BBC, the police said two homesteads in the town of Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape, were targeted.

At least 12 women and one man were said to have been killed in one location, with three women and one man murdered in a second location.

An 18th victim is in critical condition in hospital.

The police said a manhunt for the perpetrators is under way.

Senzo Mchunu, the police minister, is expected to provide an update and visit the area where the attack occurred.

South African media report that the victims were preparing to attend a traditional mourning ceremony for a mother and daughter who were murdered a year ago.