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Six Pupils Face Charges In Beheading Of French Teacher

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The first of two trials in a case that shocked France began on Monday, with six adolescents on trial in Paris for their roles in the 2020 beheading of teacher Samuel Paty.

According to information gathered by Biztellers, the suspects entered the juvenile court behind closed doors with their jackets pulled over their faces.

In the Paris district of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, the 47-year-old history and geography teacher was stabbed, then decapitated, close to his secondary school.

His attacker, 18-year-old Chechen refugee Abdoullakh Anzorov, was shot dead at the scene by police.

The young radicalised Islamist murdered Paty after messages spread on social media that the teacher had shown his class cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed from the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

Paty had used the magazine as part of an ethics class to discuss free speech laws in France, where blasphemy is legal and cartoons mocking religious figures have a long history.

His killing took place just weeks after Charlie Hebdo republished the cartoons. When the magazine first used the images in 2015, Islamic gunmen stormed its office, killing 12 people.

Last month another teacher, Dominique Bernard, was killed in Arras in northern France by a young radicalised Islamist.

Like Anzorov, Bernard’s suspected killer Mohammed Moguchkov also hailed from Russia’s mainly Muslim North Caucasus region.

– ‘Role of the minors’ –

Five of the adolescents on trial, who were 14 or 15 at the time of Paty’s murder, will be tried for criminal conspiracy with intent to cause violence.

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They are accused of having been on the lookout for Paty and identifying him to the killer in exchange for money.

A sixth teenager, who was 13 at the time, is accused of false allegations for wrongly saying that Paty had asked Muslim students to identify themselves and leave the classroom before he showed the cartoons.

A trial of eight adults also implicated in the case is scheduled for late 2024.

Paty’s family see the trial of the teenagers as crucial, according to Virginie Le Roy, a lawyer representing his parents and one of his sisters.

“The role of the minors was fundamental in the sequence of events that led to his assassination,” she said.

During questioning, the teenagers swore that at most they thought Paty would be “flagged up on social media”, “humiliated” or maybe “roughed up” but they never imagined “it would go as far as murder”.

They now are high school pupils and risk two-and-a-half years in prison.

“It is complicated,” said Dylan Slama, the lawyer for one of the accused.

“He will be associated with this for the rest of his life.”

The trial is expected to continue through December 8.

Crime

Policeman Feared Dead As Gunmen Attack Checkpoint In Abia

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A police officer is reportedly dead and another injured following an attack by unknown gunmen on a police checkpoint in the Ohafia area of Abia State.

The incident, which occurred on Wednesday at Ugwu Abba Asaga, has sparked concerns over the rising wave of insecurity in the region.

The Abia State Police Command has yet to release an official statement regarding the attack. However, when contacted, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, assured reporters that she would provide updates, but no further details had been shared as of the time of this report.

READ MORE: FG Allocates N112bn To Enhance Child Safety, Education In Three Years

This incident is the latest in a series of violent attacks in Abia State. On Monday, the Abia State government accused unnamed politicians and external parties of fueling kidnappings and violence targeting security personnel and civilians since May 2024. In a statement signed by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, the government vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable.

“The promoters of violence and insecurity in the state will pay a heavy price,” the statement read.

However, John Okiyi Kalu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Commissioner for Trade and Investment, criticized the government’s position. He argued that insecurity in the state should not be politicized but rather addressed through actionable measures.

The attack has heightened tensions in the state, with citizens calling for swift action to restore peace and ensure the safety of residents and security personnel alike.

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Crime

Ebonyi Police Crackdown Leaves Labourer Dead, Three Others Injured

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A yet-to-be-identified labourer was reportedly shot dead on Wednesday, while three others sustained critical injuries, during an altercation involving the Crack Squad of the Ebonyi State Police Command at Ugwuechara Junction in Abakaliki.

Witnesses say the incident began when members of the Crack Squad stopped a motorcycle rider, accusing him of fraud and attempting to seize his motorcycle.

The rider reportedly identified himself as a member of the military but was allegedly assaulted by the operatives.

 

READ MORE: NCS Bars PoS Services, Others Within Apapa Command Premises

An eyewitness recounted, “As the policemen removed his cap and started hitting him with their guns, the bike man tried to resist them, possibly to snatch one of their guns.

“One of the team opened fire, which killed one of the labour seekers, who usually gather at the junction to look for daily jobs. Three persons were wounded and were rushed to the hospital.”

The deceased, a labourer waiting for work at the junction, was struck by the gunfire. Among the injured are a young apprentice at a barbershop and a female passer-by.

Witnesses say the police operatives took the body of the deceased and the motorcycle rider to their station after the incident.

Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer in Ebonyi, Joshua Ukandu, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls or messages.

However, Obinna Mbam, the Special Assistant on Internal Security to Governor Francis Nwifuru, confirmed the incident.

“Normalcy has returned to the area,” Mr. Mbam said. “The state government will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”

The incident has sparked outrage among residents of Ebonyi State, who have raised concerns about the increasing cases of police brutality, extortion, and indiscriminate arrests.

Many residents also expressed dissatisfaction with the Crack Squad, which was established as part of police reforms following the disbandment of the controversial Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in 2020.

 

 

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Crime

IGP Files Fraud Charges Against Ex-Senator, Two Others Over N400m Scam

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The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has filed criminal charges against former Nigerian senator Andy Uba and two others, accusing them of defrauding a complainant, George Uboh, of N400 million.

The charges, which include two counts, were brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Uba, who represented Anambra South in the Senate from 2011 to 2019, along with Crystal Uba and Benjamin Etu, is alleged to have conspired with Hajiya Fatima, who remains at large, to defraud Uboh in 2022.

READ ALSO: Osun Shooting: Adeleke Sues For Peace As IGP Orders Immediate Arrest Of Moses Lohor

According to the charges, the accused individuals falsely claimed they could secure the appointment of the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for anyone who could pay N400 million.

“The accused persons collected the N400 million from Mr. Uboh and converted it into their personal use,” the police said, describing the actions as a violation of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act of 2006.

The police also revealed that six witnesses would testify against the accused parties.

The case was officially filed on 10 October 2023 by Abdulrashid Sidi from the Police Legal/Prosecution Section.

During a hearing on 13 November, the prosecution informed the court that the defendants had been evading the service of court documents despite being granted administrative bail.

“The defendants obtained a fundamental rights enforcement order, which had prevented the police from bringing them to court,” said M.L. Anthony, a lawyer for the prosecution.

“It was only after the order was lifted that the defendants were finally charged before the judge.”

The trial, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, was adjourned until 18 February 2025.

This delay allows time for the defendants to appear in court and take their plea, following the prosecution’s efforts to ensure they are properly served with legal documents.

 

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