Crime
Cultist Sentenced To Death After Raping Neighbor In Ekiti
Segun Iwaetan, 24, was found guilty of belonging to a covert cult and was given a death by hanging sentence by the Ado Ekiti division of the Ekiti State High Court.
The defendant was also given a life sentence by the court for raping a 20 years old neighbor, a student of Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti.
The defendant was tried on seven counts that included membership in a secret cult, unlawful possession of firearms, and seven counts that bordered on rape.
The charges read in part, “Segun Iwaetan and Atila Iwaetan (now at large) on January 16, 2021, on Federal Polytechnic Road, Ado Ekiti, did conspire to commit burglary and stealing by breaking into the shop of Olayemi Oyerinde, and receiving stolen property such as 50 jean trousers, 15 polo shirts, 30 pairs of leather slippers, among others, worth over N1.8m.
“Also, on February 5, 2021, the defendant raped a 20-year-old Federal Polytechnic student on Odo Ado Street, Ado Ekiti, while unlawfully in possession of two guns. He was on February 10, 2021, found to be a member of the Eiye Confraternity cult.”
In her testimony, the victim stated, “The defendant was my neighbour. On that day, he gained access to my room around 3am; he pointed a gun at me and ordered me not to shout or else he would shoot me. He ordered me to undress and forcibly had sex with me. As of the time he raped me, I was still a virgin. Thereafter, he begged me to forgive him and I should not tell anybody.”
Albert Adeyemi, the prosecutor, called five witnesses, provided two locally made guns as exhibits, the defendant’s statement, a medical report, and a search warrant.
Iwaetan didn’t call any witness while speaking through his attorney.
Justice Adeniyi Familoni, who delivered the verdict, found the defendant guilty of all four charges.
The court gave the defendant a life sentence for rape.
However, for membership of the Eiye Confraternity, the judge said, “The sentence of this court upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you be dead and may the Lord have mercy on your soul.”
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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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