By Olawale.Akinremi

A customary court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, on Wednesday dissolved a five-year-old marriage between a businessman, Abiola Azeez and his wife, Ayobami in the interest of peace.

The President of the court, Chief Ademola Odunade, also advised Azeez to file a separate suit in order to claim his property, allegedly taken away by Ayobami.

Azeez, a resident of Muslim-Odinjo area of Ibadan, had approached the court to dissolve the marriage over uncomplimentary behaviour by his ex-wife.

He told the court that in spite all his efforts at making his ex-wife happy, she had incurred heart attacks through her uncomplimentary behaviour.

He said that although the marriage was not blessed with a child, he had no rest of mind because of her problems.

“One night, I caught Ayobami writing a suicide note and how she would poison herself to death.

“I was shocked that Ayobami did this not minding that she never lacked anything under my watch as her husband.

“I made efforts to build a house for her, but she rejected it.

“Instead, Ayobami demanded that I should give her N2 million, which I did, but to my surprise, she squandered the money.

“In fact, I have no rest of mind because of her problems,” he said.

Azeez said when he was away on business trip, Ayobami allegedly stole his plasma TV, a refrigerator, a set of chairs, a generating set and two mattresses.

“I don’t want her to kill me, please separate us,” Azeez begged the court.

Ayobami was, however, not in court to respond to the allegations levelled against her.

The bailiff told the court that he had served hearing notices on the respondent, adding that he was surprised Abayomi was not in court. (NAN)

By Blessing Ibegbu

A Grade 1 Area Court, Karu, Abuja, on Wednesday, sentenced a 29-year old applicant, Emmanuel John, to four months imprisonment for stealing plantain worth N10,700.

The convict, who resides at Nyanya, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to charges of criminal trespass and theft.
John, however, pleaded for leniency.

The judge, Anas Isa, in his judgment, sentenced John to four months imprisonment without an option of fine.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Ayotunde Adeyanju, had told the court that one Onifade Sadiq of Karu market, Abuja, reported the matter at Karu Police Station on Dec. 12, 2020.

Adeyanju said that the complainant alleged that on said same date, John entered his plantain store, located at the above-mentioned address, and dishonestly stole some plantain, valued at N10,700.

The prosecutor said that during police investigation, John confessed to the crime and that the stolen plantain was recovered from him.

According to him, the offences contravene Sections 348 and 287 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

By Chinyere Omeire

The African Bar Association (AFBA) has appointed two Nigerian lawyers as Technical Advisers to the International Commission of Inquiry into alleged systemic racist police violence against people of African descent in the United States.

Spokesman for AFBA, Mr Osa Director, said in a statement that the two appointees – Mr Promise Asikpo and Ms. Faith Onyekperem – would act as Technical Assistants to the AFBA President, Mr Hannibal Uwaifo, who was appointed a commissioner in the commission.

According to the statement, Asikpo will be coming with his wealth of experience in human rights and access to justice, while Onyekperem has vast experience in justice administration, legal secretarial service and compliance law.

The International Commission of Inquiry is scheduled to open its Hearings on Jan. 18, 2021 and close on Feb. 6, 2021.

The commission’s hearings will be virtual due to COVID-19 restrictions and will be broadcast live via zoom.

The 12 Human Rights Commissioners will be divided into six teams which will hear the victims’ lawyers, family members, community representatives and acknowledged experts and upon the conclusion of the inquiry, the commission will transmit its Final Report to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for necessary action.

The International Association of Democratic Lawyers, The National Conference of Black Lawyers and the National Lawyers Guild of the U.S had in June 2020 set up the Internal Commission of Inquiry following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, US.

Meanwhile some lawyers have commended the setting up of the commission of inquiry, saying that it would put other nations on their toes to address all forms of human rights violence.

Mrs Chidera Agbom, a lawyer, said the fact that the findings of the commission would be submitted to the office of UNHRC was a step in the right direction.

“This would provide an invaluable information for investigating and addressing human rights violation globally by UNHRC,” Agbom said.

Also, Mr Kingsley Usiagu, a lawyer at CLP law firm, Ikoyi, Lagos, said: “Nigeria will definitely have a lot to learn from the recommendations of the Commission on addressing systemic violence by law enforcement agencies.

“Racism in the United States is analogous to tribalism in Nigeria, a bane that must to be eradicated.” (NAN)

By Afusat Agunbide -Oladipo

An Ilorin Magistrates’ Court, on Thursday, remanded two pastors, Olumide Peter and Jasulayomi Adetola, for allegedly brainwashing their congregation to disown their biological parents and burn their certificates.

The defendants were charged with criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, wrongful confinement and putting persons in fear of injury in order to commit extortion.

The Magistrate, Ibrahim Dasuki, ordered the defendants to be remanded in Oke-Kura Correctional Centre, Ilorin.

He, thereafter, adjourned the case till Jan. 28, for further mention.

Earlier, Counsel to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Ajide Kehinde, said that two children and four adults, who were reportedly abducted by the pastors, were rescued by the corps.

He said that the defendants, who are pastors at Evidence of Christ Fellowship International Church, Agbo-Oba, Ilorin, kicked against Western education, claiming that it was a sin and that any certificate acquired through it was evil.

Kehinde said that the pastors had been extorting money from international organisations by sending recorded videos of the children, claiming that they were victims of natural disasters and internally-displaced persons.

Kehinde said further investigation revealed that the pastors kicked against Western education, urging its congregation to see it as ungodly.

He said that the offences were contrary to Sections 96, 100, 260 and 293 of the Penal Code Law.

The counsel prayed the court to remand the defendants on the basis that one of them was still at large.

He said that releasing the defendants on bail might jeopardise efforts to carry out proper investigation into the matter.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them. (NAN)

By Ramatu Garba

A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Kano on Friday, awarded 12 strokes of cane and and a fine of N10,000 to Umar Yahaya, 25, for dealing in hard drugs.

Yahaya, who resides at Fagge Quarters Kano, was convicted on two-count charge of public disturbances and possession of “rubber solution, suck and die” – narcotics.

When the charges were read to him in court, Yahaya pleaded guilty.

The Magistrate, Mr Farouk Ibrahim summarily convicted the defendant and pronounced sentence of one month in jail or the option of a fine of N10,000 and award of 12 strokes of cane.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Lamido Soron-Dinki, had told the court that the convict committed the offences on Dec.31, 2020 in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano.

He said that on the fateful day at about 7p.m., a team of police officers attached to Fagge Division Kano, while on surveillance patrol within the area arrested the defendant.

According to him, the defendant was in possession of 13 rubber solutions and two bottles of “suck and die” suspected to be intoxicant.

Soron-Dinki said the offence contravened Sections 183 and 391 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

By Nicholas Obisike
Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has sworn in six new Judges, saying the move was to enhance speedy justice delivery in the state.

Swearing in the new judges, Ugwuanyi decried the difficulties being experienced because of dearth of Judges in the state.

He pointed out that the appointment of the new Judges was a timely relief to the Enugu State Judiciary and the people of the state.

Ugwuanyi congratulated the new Judges on their well-deserved appointments and charged them to bring their expertise to bear on the discharge of their new responsibilities.

He explained that the action is sequel to his approval of the recommendations of the National Judicial Council (NJC), in compliance with Section 271 sub-section 2 and Section 281 sub-section 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Priscilla Emehelu, thanked Ugwuanyi for his administration’s commitment in the provision of critical infrastructure for the State Judiciary.

Emehelu stated that prior to the inception of Ugwuanyi’s administration, it has not been possible for the Judiciary of Enugu State to get even one slot for appointment.

She described the swearing-in of the new Judges as historic and stressed that it was remarkable to note that the State Judiciary under the present administration, from 2016 to date, has produced 15 Judges.

Emehelu thanked Ugwuanyi for making the feat possible, stressing that it could not have been possible if not for his administration’s massive infrastructural interventions in the State Judiciary.

According to her, a committee of the NJC came and inspected what we had on the ground and having been satisfied, gave us the green light which culminated in the appointment of the judges.

Responding on behalf of other newly sworn-in Judges, Justice Nkeiru Aroh-Onuoha, thanked God and the governor for the elevation.

She commended the governor for his administration’s unprecedented interventions in the Judiciary.

Aroh-Onuoha also appreciated the State Chief Judge for her motivation and support, as well as other officials who contributed towards their accomplishment.

The Judges sworn in were Justices Nkiru Aroh-Onuoha, Paul Ugwueze, Hyacinthia Ezugwu, Juliet Mogboh, Paulinus Anike as High Court judges.

Justice Richard Ogbodo was sworn-in as a Judge of the Customary Court of Appeal of the state.

By Wandoo Sombo

University of Ibadan clears Obaseki of certificate forgery allegation

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo opened his defence on certificate forgery allegations on Tuesday at the Federal High Court Abuja, calling two witnesses.

One of the witnesses was the Deputy Registrar, Legal, University of Ibadan, Mr Abayomi Ajayi.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) had instituted a case against the governor in court doubting the authenticity of the certificate obtained from the University of Ibadan.

But Ajayi told the court that the fact that some parts of Obaseki’s original degree certificate were missing in the photocopy he attached to his INEC form EC9 and 001 did not amount to forgery.

The witness, who was led in evidence by Mr Ken Mozia (SAN), Obaseki’s counsel, explained that Obaseki’s photocopy was incomplete due to the process of photocopying.

The witness also told the court that the university was not dealing with this allegation for the first time as the Minister of State for Education had once brought the issue before the institution.

He maintained that from the records of the university, Obaseki was admitted as a student in 1976 through direct entry and that he graduated in the year 1979, during the tenure of Prof. Tekena Tamino as Vice Chancellor and S.J Okufu as Registrar.

“I will not regard the photocopy of the original certificate as forged but incomplete photocopying because the certificate of the University of Ibadan is larger than the paper upon which the photocopy was made,”  Ajayi submitted.

He then went ahead to tender photocopies of various sizes of papers and their outcome when the original was not reduced.

Other documents he tendered to prove that Obaseki was a product of the university included relevant pages of the congregation for admission to degrees, award of diplomas and certificates and 31st Foundation Day Ceremony in September 1979, Obaseki’s application amongst others.

The authorities of the University of Ibadan had in June last year, before a Federal High Court in Benin, cleared Obaseki of similar forgery allegations.

The institution said that Obaseki graduated from there and was accordingly awarded the degree certificate of Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Classical Studies in 1979.

Earlier, the first defense witness, Mr Charity Aguobawekhina, Chairman of the Edo State Law Reform Commission, tendered the original of Obaseki’s certificates, including the disputed BA Arts Degree in Classical Studies.

The witness who claimed to be a close associate of Obaseki, informed the court that he made the said incomplete photocopy that Obaseki attached to his nomination form that he submitted to INEC.

He added that part of the photocopy attached to form EC9 were cut off because of the largeness of the original certificate.

Other documents were the University of Ibadan degree certificate obtained in 1979 and another Masters Degree certificate from Pace University obtained by Obaseki as his educational qualification.

All the certificates, which were original copies, were admitted as exhibits by the trial judge.

Under cross examination, the witness insisted that the photocopy of the degree certificate, which had the signature of the university’s chief registrar, the date of issuance of the certificate and the name of the vice chancellor did not make the photocopy of the certificate a forged document.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and one of its chieftains, Mr Williams Edobor, dragged Obaseki to court for allegedly forging his university certificate he submitted to INEC to aid his qualification for the Sept. 19, 2020 governorship election in Edo.

The plaintiffs wanted the court to disqualify Obaseki,  who won the election, in the event that he was found to have forged his university degree obtained from the university of Ibadan in 1979. (NAN)

By Christian Njoku

Magistrate Richard Bassey on Tuesday collapsed at the gate of the governor’s office in Calabar, Cross River, during a protest over unpaid 24 months salary.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 30 Magistrates dressed in their full regalia embarked on a peaceful protest on Monday.

They appealed to Gov. Ben Ayade to pay the salaries owed them.

NAN reports that the incident happened on the second day of the protest.

NAN also reports that Bassey was revived when his colleagues poured water on him and took him to a nearby hospital.

Speaking to newsmen after the incident, the Chief Magistrate of Cross River, Solomon Abuo decried what he described as ill treatment meted to them by the state government.

Abuo said since they were employed, they had undergone several screening, adding that the protest was their last resort.

”We will continue to protest until we are paid.

“This is very embarrassing, in 2020 one of the Magistrates was arraigned before a fellow Magistrate over his inability to pay rent; most of us can’t pay our house rents and are squatting with colleagues.

“Is it wrong for one to serve the state as a judicial officers, are we supposed to go through this kind of humiliation,” he asked.

No official of the state government addressed the protesters since the protest began on Monday.

Justice Eyo Effiom-Ita, Acting Chief Judge of the state, told NAN that he was aware that the Magistrates had not been paid for a long time.

Effiom-Ita said different presentations had been made to the governor.

“The governor said he did not give clearance for their appointment, so, he will not pay them; until the governor changes his disposition, there is nothing anyone can do,” he said. (NAN)