Court

By Uzair Adam Imam

A young man who murdered his stepmother in Kano, Sagiru Wada, was sentenced to death by hanging by the Kano State High Court on Thursday.

The man was arrested some eight years back after killing his stepmother, Zainab Dan-Azumi, and subsequently cut her into pieces with a sword.

Justice Aisha Mahmud, who presided the judge, said the court was satisfied with all the evidence presented before the court.

She added that the court convicted Wada under Section 221 of the Kano State Penal Code, adding that the prosecution counsel had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt.

However, Barrister Rabi’u Abubakar, who was the defence counsel, argued that the suspect was mentally ill.

However, the court rejected his claim reiterating that the evidences presented before the court were enough to convict Wada of murder.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The children of the late Mrs Kudirat Abiola have sued the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari at the ECOWAS Court of Justice sitting at Abuja over the assassination of their mother. The deceased’s children sought different reliefs from the court and a compensation of ten million dollars.

Mrs Kudirat Abiola was allegedly murdered on June 4, 1996, by the military junta of General Sani Abacha while her husband, Moshood Abiola, famously known as MKO Abiola, was in prison at the behest of the Nigerian government

According to reports, Khafilia Abiola, Moriam Abiola and Hadi Abiola are sueing for themselves and on behalf of the other children of the deceased

The Daily Reality gathered that the suit filed on Tuesday and marked ECW/CCJ/APP/62/2022 was filed on their behalf by human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana.

The plaintiffs are challenging the “violation of the fundamental human rights to life and dignity of human person of the late Mrs Abiola.”

However, as at the time of filing this report, the court is yet to fix a date for hearing of the case

The Plaintiffs are seeking the following reliefs from the ECOWAS Court:

1. A DECLARATION that the killing of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola by the armed agents of the defendant in Lagos on June 4, 1996 is a violation of her rights to life and dignity guaranteed by articles 4 and 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and articles.
2. A DECLARATION that the refusal of the defendant to charge Sergeant Barnabas Jebila (a.k.a. Rogers) Mohammed Abdul (a.k.a Katako) and Aminu Mohammed Sergeant Barnabas Jebila with murder for the brutal killing of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola in Lagos on June 4, 1996 is a violation of her rights to life and dignity guaranteed by articles 4 and 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and articles.
3. AN ORDER directing the defendant to charge Sergeant Barnabas Jebila (a.k.a. Rogers) Mohammed Abdul (a.k.a Katako) and Aminu Mohammed with murder for the brutal killing of Mrs Kudirat Abiola in Lagos on June 4, 1996.
4. AN ORDER directing the defendant to pay the sum of $10 million to the Applicants as compensation for the unlawful killing of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.”

President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had on June 6, 2018 changed the Democracy Day annual celebration from May 29 to June 12. This was done to honour the sacrifices of the Abiola’s family and commemorate the democratic election of MKO Abiola on June 12, 1993.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A woman who regained freedom from bandits’ captivity said her abductors gave her N2,000 as transportation fare after collecting N6 million ransom from her husband.

The woman, Hajiya Fatima Ibrahim, said this when she appeared before a High Court in Zaria as prosecution witness (PW).

She was testifying as PW two at the resumed hearing of the case at Kaduna State High Court 1, Dogarawa Zaria.

Hajiya Fatima recounted, “On Jan. 2, 2021, in the night, I heard some strange noises in the house. As I woke up and switched on the lights, I saw the four defendants with a gun and machetes.

”They wanted to know where my husband was. I told them he was away. They kidnapped me and took me to Galadimawa Forest in Giwa Local Government Kaduna state after they had taken away money, children’s clothes and other valuables from the house.

”They called my husband and negotiated a ransom of N6 million to be paid in two instalments. The money was paid in my presence and the fourth Defendant (Usman) gave me N2,000 out of the money as transportation fare,” she told the court,” she stated.

She added that the defendants directed her on where to board a vehicle that will take her home and assured her that nothing will happen to her.

The police charged the arrested Dalhatu Shehu, Lawal Aliyu-Bullet, Nuhu Ismaila and Nura Usman with criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and kidnapping.

The police said the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 59 (1), 246 (a-b) of the Penal Code and section 6 (b) of the Fire Arms Special Provision Act.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The Taraba governorship primary election that resulted in Emmanuel Bwacha being the APC candidate in the 2023 election has been declared invalid on Tuesday by a Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo.

A disgruntled candidate named David Kente had taken the party and its nominee to court over the designation of Bwacha as the party’s candidate.

In his decision, Justice Simon Amobeda, the presiding Judge, mandated that a new primary election be held within 14 days.

The court further ordered Bwacha to stop posing as the APC’s candidate for governor.

By MMuhammad Sabiu

Rochas Okorocha, who is now in the custody of the anti-corruption agency, the EFCC, was denied bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Okorocha’s counsel, Ola Olanipekun, was instead directed to notify the anti-graft agency by Justice Inyang Ekwo.

According to the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), Mr Olanipekun requested the court to give Mr Okorocha bail on liberal terms awaiting the hearing and resolution of an application on notice filed on May 25.

The ex-parte motion was filed on May 26 and was dated.

However, Justice Ekwo ruled that, because the case would be heard on Monday, it would be pointless to issue a bail order for the member.

The senior lawyer reportedly intimated that he had filed a motion on notice to have his client released on bail.

The judge, who set a hearing date of May 30 for the motions, told the counsel to notify the EFCC.

Following the EFCC’s allegation that it had been unable to serve Mr Okorocha despite multiple attempts, Mr Ekwo gave the anti-corruption commission May 30 as the last time the matter would be deferred, according to NAN.

After two adjournments for his arraignment, the court threatened to dismiss the case if the EFCC failed to present the senator on the next postponed date.

By Ibrahim Nasidi Saal

Justice M.N. Mayana of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court Abuja, has convicted and sentenced Daniel Prosper Nwabueze to one-year imprisonment for a romance scam.

Nwabueze was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on impersonation. That is contrary to Section 320(b) of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federation (Abuja), 1990 and punishable under Section 322 of the same Laws.

Nwabueze pleaded guilty to the charge.

Based on his plea, prosecution counsel, Joyce Audu, prayed the court to convict and sentence him accordingly. However, defence counsel: Anoture Akpofure and Rachel Ogbebor pleaded that the court temper justice with mercy “as the accused is a first-time offender and has shown remorse”.

By Nasidi ibrahim Saaal

Niger State High Court has awarded N1 billion damages against the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

The sum is awarded against the organisations over the blockade of some roads in September 2021. The members had blocked Bida-Lambata, Bida-Minna and Lambata-Minna Roads, all in Niger State.

Consequently, a non-governmental organisation, NGO, Dan Amajiri Initiative, filed a case against the organisations that powered the blockage of the roads, protesting over the deplorable condition of the roads and claiming damages.

The group said that the damages were for the inconveniences to the lives of the general public, especially road users, caused by the gridlock that lasted for about three days on the aforementioned roads.

In his judgment, Justice Abdullahi Mika’ilu of the Niger State High Court II ordered the award of N500 million for exemplary damage and another N500 million for economic hardship against the road transport workers.

However, the judge of the court struck out the fourth to the sixth respondent; the Niger State government, the governor, and the attorney-general of the state, respectively, joined in the case.

By Muhammad Sabiu