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Benue Court Sentences 5 To Death

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Five men from Anchoha Village, Gwer-East Local Government Area of Benue State have been sentenced to death by hanging for culpable homicide by Justice T.A Kume of the Makurdi High Court.

 

The individuals, Terna Zwave, Jonathan Gbajime, John Bur, Gabriel Ianna, and Kwaghgba Zaki, were charged before a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court in 2021.

 

Charged under Sections 97, 349, 329, and 222 of the penal code laws of Benue, 2004, the five men were accused of criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, mischief, and culpable homicide.

 

On October 5, 2021, they trespassed on Oliver Jato’s land, cutting down trees for charcoal. A confrontation with Abraham Hwange, Peter Agber, and the deceased escalated into a violent scuffle, resulting in the beating to death of Biija by the convicted individuals.

 

Following legal advice, the case was transferred to the High Court, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

 

During the proceedings, the first defendant, Zwave, admitted guilt, whereas the others entered pleas of not guilty.

 

The defendants testified without calling any witnesses, while the prosecution presented seven witnesses.

 

In the final written address, R.B.N Amenger, the prosecution counsel, contended that the defendants’ plea of not guilty amounted to a mere denial.

 

Amenger argued that the defendants failed to provide a substantive defense, relying on denials and technicalities that, according to him, were not material or fatal to the prosecution’s case.

 

In his final written address, Defense counsel D.U Liam argued that the prosecution hadn’t proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt to justify the defendants’ sentencing.

 

Nevertheless, the trial Justice ruled that the prosecution had indeed established its case beyond all reasonable doubts. The Justice emphasized that denying the commission of an offense does not equate to not having committed it.

 

Justice Kume asserted that the burden of proof lay with the defense counsel, a requirement he deemed unmet.

 

Despite hearing the plea for mercy from the defendants and their counsel’s statement, which included the Lord’s prayers, Kume maintained the legal perspective on the burden of proof in the case.

 

Justice Kume emphasized that the applicable law in the case lacked the mercy found in the Lord’s prayer.

 

Consequently, he sentenced the defendants to death by hanging on the four-count-charge.

Crime

N1.3trn Fraud: EFCC Arrests Ex-Delta Gov, Ifeanyi Okowa

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over allegations of diverting N1.3 trillion in 13% derivation funds intended for Delta State during his tenure.

Okowa, who served as governor from 2015 to 2023, was detained after he voluntarily appeared at the EFCC’s Port Harcourt Directorate on Monday in response to an official summons.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Debt Service Ratio Falls To 65% As Tinubu Tackles Economic Woes

According to an EFCC source, Okowa is accused of failing to account for the N1.3 trillion derived from the federation account, as well as an additional N40 billion he allegedly invested in shares of UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

The investigation suggests that Okowa acquired an 8% stake in a major Nigerian bank to support the offshore LNG venture, with funds purportedly misallocated from state resources.

Beyond the LNG shares, investigators are probing whether Okowa redirected state funds to acquire high-value properties in Abuja and Asaba.

Okowa is currently held at an EFCC facility in Port Harcourt as the inquiry continues.

The high-profile arrest comes as Okowa, who was the vice-presidential running mate to Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, faces scrutiny over his financial conduct in office.

 

 

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Crime

Court Orders Arrest Of Dana Air CEO In N1.3bn Fraud Case

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Amid repeated absences from court, the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for Hathiramani Ranesh, Managing Director of Dana Air, who faces charges of fraud and conspiracy tied to alleged misappropriations totaling N1.3 billion.

The ruling, handed down Monday by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, calls for Ranesh’s immediate arrest following his failure to respond to multiple court summonses.

READ MORE: Ibadan Man On Why He Used 76 Women For Ritual, Ate Others

Justice Egwuatu cited Section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), empowering the court to issue an arrest warrant against defendants who evade appearance.

“The defendant is legally obligated to appear, and the court is authorized to issue a warrant for arrest if he does not,” Justice Egwuatu said, setting January 13, 2025, as the next court date, adding that no objections will be considered unless Ranesh is present.

Ranesh and two Dana Group subsidiaries—Dana Group PLC and Dana Steel Ltd—face serious allegations from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

Prosecutors claim that between 2014 and 2018, Ranesh and his companies engaged in fraudulent activities, including the unauthorized sale of industrial generators valued at N450 million, which had been pledged as collateral in a debenture agreement.

Additional charges allege the misappropriation of N864 million from bond funds meant for operations at the Dana Steel Rolling Factory in Katsina, and a N60.3 million transfer to an external account without authorization.

The charges, filed by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Moshood Adeyemi, cite violations under the Criminal Code Act.

In court, government lawyer Mojisola Okeya-Esho argued for the arrest warrant, stating that Ranesh had disregarded court orders to appear for arraignment.

Defense counsel B. Ademola-Bello challenged the prosecution, contending that jurisdictional issues must be addressed before proceeding with the case.

Justice Egwuatu dismissed these objections, underscoring that Ranesh’s presence in court is required before other arguments can be entertained.

The matter is now adjourned until January 13, 2025, with the warrant remaining active until the defendant is brought to court.

 

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Crime

Gunmen Attack Police Facility In Owerrinta, Female Detainee Killed

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In a shocking act of violence, armed assailants targeted the Police Rapid Response Squad facility in Owerrinta early Monday morning, resulting in the tragic death of a female detainee.

The attack occurred shortly after midnight along the Umuahia-Aba Federal Expressway.

READ MORE: Edo Deputy Gov, Omobayo Ordered To Court Over Refusal To Vacate Office

State Commissioner of Police Danladi Isa confirmed the incident, revealing that the gunmen arrived in three Hilux vehicles and opened fire on the police facility.

“Our personnel successfully repelled the attack,” Isa stated.

However, the attackers resorted to using dynamite, causing significant damage to the building and exposing the detainees inside.

During the chaos, the gunmen attempted to free detainees, leading to the fatal shooting of the female suspect.

Unconfirmed reports suggest she was in custody related to a child trafficking case.

In the aftermath of the attack, police swiftly initiated a manhunt for the perpetrators, employing advanced technical methods to track their movements.

Commissioner Isa announced the arrest of one suspect, who is currently undergoing interrogation to uncover the identities of additional accomplices.

“We are making significant progress in our investigation,” he affirmed.

Authorities are calling on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities as the investigation continues.

 

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