Crime

Ekiti pastor, accomplice bag three-year jail terms

Published

1 year ago

January 13, 2023

An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti on Thursday sentenced two men – a 63 years old cleric, Rt. Rev. Adereti Ebenezar and 68 years old Chief Akinyede Joseph – to three years imprisonment each for conspiracy and other offences.

They were arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on October 18, 2021, on four-count bordering on conspiracy, forgery, false sworn declaration and making documents without authority.

According to the charge, Joseph and Ebenezar on 10th January 2016 at Ilado Street, Iwore, Ifaki Ekiti, “did conspire to forge the minute of meeting of the Registered Trustees of the United Church of Cherubim and Seraphim Organization.”

They were also accused of making “false declarations that they were appointed as members of the Registered Trustees of the church and as well made an amended constitution of the Registered Trustees of the church without lawful authority.”

According to the prosecutor, Gbemiga Adaramola, the offences contravened sections 516, 467, 191 and 473 of the Criminal Code Cap C16, Vol.1, Laws of Ekiti State Nigeria, 2012.

In his statement to the police, one of the Trustees, Faseyi Albert, said, “I was appointed alongside others as the Board of Trustees of the Church in 2001, the appointment was sent to the Corporate Affairs Commission for ratification.

“After the demise of Primate and Archbishop of the Church, Most Rev. S.A. Fadeyi, the Bishop in-council consequently ratified the appointment of Rt. Rev. Tunde Ogunseemi as the new Primate/Archbishop of the organisation in 2015.

“During the manual search conducted by CAC, it was discovered that Rt. Rev. Adereti Ebenezer who was Archbishop 3 of the Church and Chief Akinyede Joseph had manipulated some documents which indicated that the trustees had a meeting and the decision was taken to remove Most Rev. Tunde Ogunseemi’s name, minutes of the same meeting was forged among others and presented to CAC.

“I was also alleged to have been present at the meeting. The matter was later reported to the police for investigation and action,” he said.

The prosecutor, Adaramola, called five witnesses and tendered the petition to the CAC, relieve of the appointment letter, extracts from the meeting, letter from Conference of General Secretaries to the Archbishops, and statement of the defendants, among others as exhibits.

In defence, the defendant, who spoke through their counsel, Ayotunde Ibitoye, called four witnesses and however, pleaded with the court to court to temper justice with mercy.

In his judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, who said there was overwhelming evidence before the court that the defendants conspired together to forge the signatures of the Board of Trustees member and minutes of the meeting of the Registered Trustees, discharged and acquitted them in count three (false declaration).

Ogunmoye, however, pronounced, “The defendants are sentenced to one-year imprisonment each in counts one, two, and four (conspiracy, forgery and making a document without authority) with an option of N20,000 fine, in each of the counts. The sentences are to run concurrently.”

Crime

Police admit officer shot man killed on Lagos fuel queue

Published

14 hours ago

May 4, 2024

NewsDirect

The Lagos State Police Command has admitted that one of its officers is responsible for the death of a young man, Toheeb Eniafe.

Toheeb was shot on Wednesday at a petrol station belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited at Obalende in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.

Eniafe was reported to have been shot dead while he and some others were resisting the move by some security agents to buy fuel without joining the queue.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin disclosed this on Thursday.

He said, “The person behind the shooting has been identified as a police officer serving at Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 17, Lion Building, Lagos.

“Investigation is still ongoing and further findings will be made available.

“Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command is working with the family of the deceased to ensure that there is no miscarriage of justice,” the PRO stated.

Crime

Internet fraudster bags seven years in Port Harcourt

Published

14 hours ago

May 4, 2024

NewsDirect

Justice P.M Ayua of the Federal High Court sitting in PortHarcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced one Odinakachi Prince Onyeoziri to seven years imprisonment.

He was jailed after pleading guilty to three-count charges bordering on internet fraud contrary to Section 14 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.

One of the count charges reads: “That you, Odinakachi Prince Onyeoziri, and Solmyr (atlarge) between June, 2021 to November, 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly caused your victims loss by inputting or suppressing data in computers thereby benefiting the aggregate sum of $3000 (Three thousand United States Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.”

He pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

In view of his guilty pleas, prosecuting counsel, I. Agwu sought to review the facts of the case through the investigating officer, Abalaka Stephen, an operative of the Commission. While being led in evidence, he told the court that the defendant was arrested by operatives of the Commission following a written petition by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, against the defendant for alleged internet fraud activities. He was thereafter apprehended sometime in February, 2024 at Owerri, Imo State.

Testifying further, he told the court that the defendant in his voluntary statement to the EFCC, confessed to being into internet fraud, spreading of computer virus, spamming and also causing his victims losses by inputting data in computers. He confessed benefiting an aggregate sum of Three Thousand United States Dollars ($3,000) by representing himself to unsuspecting victims as different individuals

Agwu, thereafter, sought to tender in evidence, the statements, and all the items recovered from the defendant. The court thereafter admitted the evidence and were marked as exhibits.

Thereafter, the trial judge declared him guilty as charged.

Defence counsel, B. Onuoha, on the other hand prayed the court for leniency. He appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy, considering his status as a first-time offender, and remorse for his actions.

Justice Ayua sentenced him to seven years imprisonment cumulatively with Three Million Naira (3,000,000.00) as an option of fine payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In addition, the judge ordered that, items recovered from the convict, two laptops, a mobile device, Toyota Highlander with Registration: NKR 736 AA, two story buildings containing six units of two bedroom flats should be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Additionally, the convict shall depose an affidavit of good behaviour before the court.

Crime

Naira mutilation: Court adjourns Cubana’s trial till June 5

Published

16 hours ago

May 4, 2024

NewsDirect

Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the

Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, May 2, 2024 adjourned further hearing in the trial of Pascal Okechukwu, a.k.a. Cubana Chief till June 5, 2024.

Okejukwu was arraigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 by the EFCC on a three-count charge bordering on abuse of the Naira.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal, on 13th February, 2024, at Eko Hotel Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500(Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

Another count reads: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal, sometime in 2020, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, during a social event tampered with funds in the denomination of N500( Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

At the resumed sitting of the court on Thursday, Okechukwu through his lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN, told the court about a plan of his client to enter a plea bargain with the EFCC.

Ojukwu also sought to withdraw his earlier preliminary objection filed on April 24, 2024, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the charge. “In the interest of justice, we are urging the court to strike out the motion because the prosecution has not responded to it,” he said.

The prosecution counsel did not oppose the withdrawal of the application.

Consequently, Justice Ogundare struck out the application, having been withdrawn by the defence, and also adjourned the case till June 5, 2024.