Crime
Court fines two civil servants N4m for receiving exotic car gifts
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, awarded a fine of N4 million against two civil servants that were found guilty of receiving exotic cars as gifts from an associate of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, Mr. Jide Omokore.
Trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in his judgment, held that Mr Victor Briggs, who is the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, and Mr Abiye Membere, a former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of the NNPC, by accepting the gifts, acted in breach of Section 98 of the Criminal Code.
It noted that the duo received the car gifts from Omokore, who is the Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Ltd, while he was executing a contract for their employers, the NPDC and the NNPC.
The court held that the action of the defendants was contrary to laws guiding the conduct of public servants in the country.
However, Justice Dimbga said that though the law stipulated a maximum of a seven-year jail sentence for the offence, the court was at liberty to exercise its discretion in handing down a sentence.
Justice Dimgba held, “I have taken into account all that has been said about the defendants on their patriotism, family and integrity and also that there is no evidence of a previous conviction.
“I, hereby, impose a fine of N2 million on each of the defendants payable immediately, failing which they will be sentenced to two years in prison.”
Counsel to the defendants, Mr Tayo Oyetibo, SAN and Mr Osaro Eghobamien, SAN, had before the sentence was passed, pleaded with the county to temper justice with mercy.
They urged the court to consider that the defendants served the nation meritoriously in their respective capacities.
They maintained that their clients were men of impeccable character that had no previous record of crime.
Also testifying for himself, Briggs, prayed to the court for leniency, even as he drew the attention of the trial judge to the health condition of his wife.
Crime
JUST IN: Bandits kill three, kidnap 120 villagers in Zamfara community
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.
Crime
Man, 37, arrested for tampering with corpse in Ibadan
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.
Crime
Spare parts dealer reveals threats to life
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.
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