Connect with us

Crime

Alleged N15.8m oil fraud: Court orders man to open defence

Published

on

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Monday ordered a man, Balami Abdullahi, charged with N15.8 million oil fraud to open his defence, following the dismissal of his no-case submission by the court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Mojisola Dada, in her ruling, held that the defendant’s no-case submission was lacking in merit and that a prima facie case had been established by the prosecution linking the defendant to the alleged offence.

“The no-case submission fails and is hereby dismissed and the defendant is called upon to open his case,” Dada said.

The judge adjourned the case until July 10 for the defendant to open his defense.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged Abdullahi on a two-count charge of obtaining by false pretence and stealing.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, following his arraignment on Dec. 13, 2019.

The EFCC counsel, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, had called three witnesses through whom documentary evidence was presented in court and thereafter closed her case in November 2022.

The prosecution had alleged the defendants defrauded one Alhaji Buba Kimba of the said sum by falsely representing to him that he had 40,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil to sell, a representation he knew to be false.

The prosecution also submitted that the defendant, who allegedly committed the offences on Dec. 24, 2018, failed to deliver the product as all efforts by the complainant to retrieve the money from him proved abortive.

According to the EFCC counsel, the alleged offences contravene Sections 1(1) (a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

Crime

JUST IN: Bandits kill three, kidnap 120 villagers in Zamfara community

Published

on

No fewer than three persons have been reportedly killed and over 120 others abducted as notorious bandits attacked Goran Namaye community in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

According to a resident in the area, who gave his name as Abubakar Muhammad, the terrorists invaded the town at about 1:17 am on Thursday, operating from house to house.

He further stated that the kidnapped persons were mainly women and men, adding that the terrorists also killed three people during their operation.

“The whereabouts of many members of the community could not be traced, and it is very clear that we lost three of our men to the tragic operation,” he added.

Speaking further, Muhammad pointed out that the bandits came in large numbers, on motorcycles with sophisticated weapons, and surrounded the community as the people were running helter-skelter to save their lives.

“They took us unaware as the whole people were running helter-skelter without direction, and they started house-to-house operations and chased our people, mainly women, into the forest.”

As of the time of filing this report, the security agencies in the state have not made any official statement regarding the incident.

Continue Reading

Crime

Man, 37, arrested for tampering with corpse in Ibadan

Published

on

Man, 37, arrested for tampering with corpse in Ibada. The Police in Ibadan on Wednesday arraigned one Sulaiman Ikudaisi, 37, who allegedly tampered with a corpse.

Ikudaisi, whose address was not provided, is charged with tampering with corpse but he pleaded not guilty before an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court.

The prosecutor, Insp Toyin Ibrahim, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 11 at 3.00 p.m. at Muslim Cemetery, Ibadan.

Ibrahim alleged that the defendant removed some bones from the corpse, in contravention of Section 242(1)(b) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The Magistrate, Mrs Kausarat Ayofe, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case until July 16 for hearing.

Continue Reading

Crime

Spare parts dealer reveals threats to life

Published

on

The Leader Igbo Association of Spare Part Dealer Association at Ladipo Market, Jiakpo Solomon Akachukwu, has said his life and that of his family has been under constant threat for a reason yet to be known to him.

He explained that he has received several calls and messages of which he has been warned to leave Lagos State and relocate to the village. He added that some of his properties including his car windscreen and other household items were damaged by those threatening his life.

According to him, my wife and little baby who is under 2years cannot go out without security. So I took this step to inform the authorities concerned that I was told to leave the market and the state if I love my life.

Jiakpo however appealed to the security agency, to please come to his aid, as his life and that of his family are no longer safe.

Continue Reading

Trending