Category: Judiciary

The police on Friday, arraigned a 39-year-old fake soldier, Mohammed Ibrahim, in a Wuse Zone II Magistrates’ Court,  Abuja for allegedly impersonating an army officer

The police charged Ibrahim, whose address was not given with two counts of impersonation and carrying used token.

The Prosecutor Counsel, A.S.  Oyeyemi, told the court that Col. K.U Sidi, of the Nigerian Army Guards Brigade, Aguiyi Ironsi Cantonment FCT Abuja, reported the matter at the FCT Police Command, on June 3.

Oyeyemi, said that in December 2018 at Mpape Area of Abuja, the complainant  caught the defendant with complete army uniform, claiming to serving member of the Nigerian Army, in Bama, Borno.

He alleged that during investigation it was discovered that the defendant was not a serving member of the Nigerian Army.

The prosecutor said that when the defendant was arrested and during police investigation he confessed to the crime.

He said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 132 and 133 of the Panel Code.

After the charge was read to him, the defendant pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Lateef Abolaji,  admitted the defendant to bail pursuant to the provisions of sections 158 and 162 of the ACJA and section 35 (1) and 36 (5) of CFRN 1999 (As amended) in the sum of N100, 000 and one surety in like sum.

He also ordered that surety must be a resident of FCT with a traceable and verifiable home and work addresses, and he should also deposit his or her National Identity card (s) or slip, International Passport, Voter’s Card or Driving License.

The Magistrate adjourned the case until Oct. 3, for hearing.

NAN

Acting CJN Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed

The Senate has resolved to screen the nomination of Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad on Wednesday.

Justice Muhammad is expected to be screened by a committee of the whole of the Senate.

The decision to screen the nominee was taken after a voice vote called by the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmed Lawan.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last week, forwarded Justice Muhammad’s name to the Senate for confirmation, in accordance with Section 23(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

The president forwarded Justice Muhammad’s name for confirmation based on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

 I found this interesting

Rape: Senate directs law review for stiffer penalties

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate on Tuesday passed some resolutions to review relevant laws that will provide for stiffer sanctions for perpetrators of rape in the country.

The decision of the senate followed a motion of urgent public importance, sponsored by Sen. Rose Oko (PDP-Cross River North), titled “Rising incidence of rape of minors”.

The senate also directed its committees on Judiciary, Police Affairs, Women Affairs and Social Development, when reconstituted, to interface with relevant stakeholders to strategise on implementation of all legislations and policies aimed at protecting minors from rapists and other forms of violence.

The senate also directed the committees to review relevant legislations with a view to providing stiffer penalties against sexual abuse of minors in the country.

It further urged the Police and other law enforcement agencies to conduct mandatory training for officers in dealing with rape cases and young victims of abuse.

It also urged the Judiciary to establish national sentencing framework for child sexual abuse cases and judicial officers, to impose stiffer penalties on perpetrators of all forms of abuses against minors.

The lawmakers further urged state governments to domesticate and implement the Child Rights Act and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015, to curb the issues of sexual abuse of minors.

Furthermore, it urged the general public to continue to act as watchdogs to curb child sexual abuse and other forms of violent abuse.

Oko, who brought the motion through Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Rule, said the rising incidences of rape of infants and minors in parts of the country are worrisome.

She said that six out of every 10 Nigerians were being raped on daily basis.

The lawmaker noted the shocking rape story of a six-month old baby in Kano and other cases of students being raped by their teachers and lecturers in the nation’s institutions were issues of concern to the parliament.

She lamented that law enforcement agencies had not lived up to their responsibilities in checking the increasing wave of rape in the country.

She therefore called on the senate to evolve ways of providing stiffer measures to serve as deterrent to rapists.

Contributing, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu (APC-Lagos Central) also described rape of minors as extreme wickedness and called for imposition of death sentence on offenders.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege (APC-Delta Central), in his contribution, noted that the country had sufficient laws on rape but lacked the will power to enforce such laws.

He therefore called on the Red Chamber to review the existing laws.

Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (PDP-Enugu North) also observed that not much was being done on sex education in the nation’s public and private schools for the purpose of educating the children on steps to take when they felt prey to rapists, urging for inclusion of sex education in the education curriculum.

Sen. Chimaroke Nnamani (PDP-Enugu East) said that rape victims would suffer stigma by society and rejection by spouse.

He urged hospital authorities to have rape counselling unit to handle the victims.

 I found this interesting

Mrs. Marilyn Ogar, former spokesperson of Department of State Services (DSS) has lost the battle to overturn her compulsory retirement.

The National Industrial Court, sitting in Abuja has dismissed the suit she filed over her retirement from office in September 2015.

Delivering judgment in the suit on Monday, Justice Olufunke Anuwe held that the originating summons filed by Marilyn Ogar was invalid and dead because it was filed two years and seven months after President Muhammadu Buhari approved her compulsory retirement from office.

Justice Anuwe further held that the original summons failed to disclose any reasonable cause of action neither was it served on the Attorney General of the Federation, the DSS and the agency’s Director General who are the defendants in the case.

Marilyn Ogar and 44 others were demoted and compulsorily retired by the Federal Government in September 2015.

The former DSS spokesperson asked the court to nullify her retirement and reinstate her with all her ranks, salaries and benefits to the employment of the FG.

She further asked the court to set aside her purported demotion from assistant director to chief security intelligence officer.

After five years of protracted legal battle between the federal Government and Yushau Shuaib, Chief Information Officer at the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed’s Ministry has finally obeyed the National Industrial Court order to reinstate the embattled civil servant. (more…)