Crime
Court orders arrest of Fubara’s Chief of Staff, five others
…As Ehie gets Port Harcourt court nod to prevent arrest
Chief of Staff to the Governor of Rivers State, Hon. Edison Ehie and five others have been ordered to be arrested by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, equally ordered the arrest of five other persons who were accused of complicity in the alleged invasion, vandalisation and burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.
However, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted a motion ex-parte filed by the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Government House, Edison Ehie, against the Nigerian Police.
Ehie had gone to the court to restrain the police or other security agencies from arresting, detaining and harassing him over his alleged involvement in the invasion of the recent Rivers State House of Assembly.
Aside from Ehie the Federal High court in Abuja also ordered the arrest of Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri and Chibuike Peter a.k.a Rambo.
The order followed an ex-parte application that was brought before the court by the Inspector General of Police, IGP.
The application was predicated on sections 37, 113, 114, 84 and 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as section 32 of the Police Act 2020.
A Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Mr. Simon Lough who moved the application on Wednesday, told the court that the six defendants are currently at large.
The court held that it was persuaded by submissions of the police lawyer as well as an affidavit that was attached in support of the application marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/12/2024.
Consequently, Justice Nwite, aside from declaring the defendants wanted, ordered that upon their arrest and investigation, they should be brought before the court for trial.
It will be recalled that the court had on January 25, remanded five men in prison custody over their alleged involvement in the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.
The defendants; Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod, who were docked before trial Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, pleaded not guilty to a seven-count terrorism charge that was preferred against them by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Police officers from the Federal Capital Territory have killed a bandit and arrested three during a clearance operation.
The police during the operation stormed an identified hideout of kidnappers in Chikara, a community that shares a border with Kogi State.
This, however, led to a gun duel with the suspects.
The police in a statement on Saturday by the FCT command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh identified the arrested suspects as Mahammadu Isa, Likita Idris, and Isiyaku Muhammedu.
The statement read, “In the continuous effort against criminality in FCT, operatives from Utako Divisional headquarters stormed an identified kidnappers hideouts in Chikara, Kogi state bordering FCT, and Zuba, Abuja, in a streak of clearance operation between June 8 and 13, 2024, and arrested three suspects: Mahammadu Isa, 27 ‘m’ of Dantata Abuja, Likita Idris, 27 ‘m’ of Kogi state, and Isiyaku Muhammedu, 22 ‘m’ of Kogi State.
By Adeyanju Esther
The Federal High Court in Kaduna sentenced 27-year-old Williams David to two years in prison for possessing illicit drugs. The judgement was delivered on Thursday by Justice Hadiza Shagari.
David, apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), faced charges of possessing illegal substances. He admitted guilt, requested leniency, and expressed a desire to reform.
Justice Shagari, considering David’s age and his involvement in serious crimes, imposed a two-year prison sentence without an option for a fine.
“This sentence is intended to deter others,” Shagari stated.
Furthermore, the judge ordered that the seized drugs be destroyed by the NDLEA 30 days post-judgment.
Prosecution Counsel T. J. Atserhegh provided details of the arrest, which took place at 8:00 p.m.
On June 2 in Kinkinau, Kaduna. Authorities found 4kg of marijuana, 49.3g of tramadol, and 8g of Exol-5 in David’s possession. Atserhegh noted that the offence breached the NDLEA Act, Cap 30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
By Adeyanju Esther
On Thursday, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwagwalada sentenced 21-year-old student Adakole Peter to one year imprisonment for swindling a Chinese woman out of $50.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Peter on two counts of cheating by impersonation and pretending to be a military personnel.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Aliyu Shafa offered Peter an option of a N150,000 fine.
Shafa also ordered the convict to depose an affidavit of good behaviour and directed that the Redmi cellphone used in the crime be sold, with the proceeds deposited into the Federal Government’s account through the EFCC.
Additionally, the $50 recovered from Peter is to be paid into the Federal Government’s account.
The Prosecution Counsel, I.D. Iloakasia, informed the court that Peter and his counsel had signed a plea bargain on June 10. Iloakasia stated that between April and May, Peter, under the alias Steve M. Marks, deceived Ruth Novick, a Chinese citizen, into giving him $50 worth of gift cards.
Peter then sold these gift cards online for N20,000. Iloakasia noted that the offence contravened Section 321 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation Abuja, 1990, and is punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.
Peter pleaded guilty to the charges and begged for leniency, promising the court he had realised his mistake and would not repeat such actions.
“I have repented and realised my mistakes. I plead with the court to temper justice with mercy,” he said.
Defense Counsel Bridget Abang supported Peter’s plea for mercy, urging the court to consider his age and the fact that he was a first-time offender.
The prosecutor had also prayed the court that the money and instrument recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government through the EFCC.
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