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Lawyer jailed 7 years for perjury, fabrication of evidence

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Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has sentenced a lawyer, Kenneth Chukwuemeka Ajoku, to seven years imprisonment for offences bordering on perjury and fabrication of evidence.

The case was brought against Ajoku by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

A statement by EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said Ajoku’s travail began sometime in 2017, when the Commission received credible intelligence about a group of fraudsters who were selling Federal Government properties.

Upon investigation, the convict and his cohorts were invited to the Commission for further investigation, but he refused to honour the invitation sent to him on several occasions.

Consequently, operatives of the Commission visited the defendant’s office, but he was not available.

Ajoku subsquently approached Justice I. N. Buba, then of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi , Lagos to swear an affidavit on oath that he was arrested and detained by the operatives of the Commission on May 4, 2017 and also demanded the sum of N300,000,000.00 (Three Hundred Million Naira) as damages.

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The Court declined the application and ordered him to present himself for investigation by the EFCC.

Thereafter, he also approached the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, with false facts to frustrate the investigation by the Commission:

The appellate court, however, dismissed his appeal.

He was subsequently arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on perjury and fabrication of evidence, pursuant to the provisions of Sections 85(1) 86(1) and 88(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

He pleaded “not guilty” to the charge preferred against him by the EFCC, thereby leading to a full trial.

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Franklin Ofoma, called three witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court.

Delivering judgment on Friday, October 29, 2021, Justice Dada found him guilty on counts one and two and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment , with an option of fine of N2,500,000.

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Journalist hit by ‘stray bullet’ at Kano government house

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A journalist with Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), Naziru Idris Yau, has been hit by a stray bullet inside the government house in Kano state.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around 6:30pm on Friday.

The journalist was said to have been immediately rushed to the government house clinic for treatment.

 

The medical personnel at the clinic said the journalist was lucky because the bullet was not shot at close range.

 

The journalist was subsequently discharged after the site of injury was treated.

The origin of the stray bullet is yet to be ascertained but police officers attached to the government house have commenced an investigation into the matter.

The Kano state government is yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.

 

The incident, which happened on the 2024 World Press Freedom Day, brings to the fore the threats journalists face in Nigeria.

 

Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), is currently being detained by the police over an allegation bordering on “cybercrime”.

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Ojukwu has been in police custody since May 1.

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Ex-FCMB manager bags 121-year jail term for stealing customer’s N112m

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A former manager with a branch of First City Monument Bank, FCMB in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nwachukwu Placidus, has been sentenced to a cumulative 121 years imprisonment for stealing N112 million belonging to a customer.

 

Placidus was arrested following a petition by Idemili Microfinance Bank LTD to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

 

The management of the Microfinance back said the sum of N112 million was handed over to him as the branch manager of FCMB in Onitsha, for fixed deposit.

However, the petitioner said when the FCMB was approached to terminate and withdraw the deposit, the bank denied receiving the said funds.

 

“Upon receipt of the petition, the EFCC swung into action and investigations revealed that the convict diverted the money for his own use and issued a fake fixed Deposit Certificate to the petitioner,” Dele Oyewale, spokesperson for the EFCC said in a statement.

Consequently, Placidus was arraigned on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 on 16-count charges bordering on forgery, stealing, obtaining by false pretence and uttering, by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

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One of the counts reads: “Nwachukwu Placidus between February 2009 and November 2014 in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Anambra State High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud obtained the sum of (N112,100,000) One Hundred and Twelve Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira only, from Idemili Microfinance Bank under the false pretence that you have placed the said money in a fixed deposit account with First City Monument Bank PLC for it, which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence”.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him, thus setting the stage for his trial.

 

In the course of trial, the EFCC, through its counsel, Mainforce Adaka Ekwu presented four witnesses and tendered several relevant documents which were admitted in evidence.

 

While delivering his judgment, Justice S. N. Odili of the Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, held that “the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt” and sentenced the convict to nine years imprisonment on count 3, 4 years on count 4 and 9 years on counts 5 to 16 respectively. He was discharged on counts 1 and 2. The sentences shall run concurrently.

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The court further ordered the convict to restitute the said sum to his victim, Idemili Microfinance Bank.

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Cruel fate: Young lady dies after friends pushed her into pot of boiling pepper in Delta

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A Nigerian man, identified as Israel Joe, has narrated how his friend, Roseline, died after she was pushed into a boiling pot of fresh pepper and tomatoes by her two female friends in Sapele, Delta State.

Joe stated that Roseline, a caterer, went on a trip with her friends to Sapele for a catering job where she tragically passed away on Saturday, April 13.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Joe said that before her untimely death, Roseline confided in him about two of her friends who were treating her coldly.

 

He urged the Nigeria Police to investigate and arrest the killers of Roseline, pointing out that no progress has been made in the case since her murder.

 

Joe’s post read, “She was pushed into a big boiling pot of fresh pepper and tomatoes by her friend on Saturday, 13th April. She battled for about two weeks with her roasted/boiled body and finally ḍíęɗ last week Friday 26th April.

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“Nobody in the neighborhood in Otokutu knew Roseline had been allegedly kíIIed by these same friends. She was buried with no one to bid her goodbye and with no single bųríaI poster to honour her. Just two days in the morgue, the mørtųarƴ attendants demanded she be carried away to be buried.

 

“She traveled with them for a catering job in Sapele where they were speaking their local language with this Yoruba girl, Rozzy, not understanding their conversation.

“All of a sudden, she landed in a very big pot of boiling fresh pepper and tomatoes where they even still delayed in rescuing her. She was later rushed to Sage Hospital by Estate in Warri, where they managed the situation, but my friend couldn’t make it.”

 

Joe said he was pained that those responsible for her death were still walking free.

He added, “What pains me is that these two girls are still walking and gallivanting everywhere like nothing happened. I hate intimidation and oppression, especially against non-indigenous persons. The police must smoke them out so they can face the law. Na God dey help who nor get helper.

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“We shall fight for Rozzy. You can not just be kíIIęɗ like a chicken and bųřried like an aŋímąl. Nobody deserves such a hørribIe dęąth. We never got to meet Rose, only chatting on Facebook due to endless busy schedules only to see you, at the most disgusting sight at Sage Hospital, hoping for your recovery, but dęąțĥ stole you Justice shall prevail, including if you would be exhumed.”

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