Crime

JUST IN: Yahaya Bello Vs EFCC: Court adjourns to January 21 for ruling or arraignment

Published

10 months ago

October 30, 2024

89 Views

A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned hearing in the money laundering case brought against the immediate-past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to January 21, 2025.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told Justuce Emeka Nwite that he had two witnesses already in court.

He said his first application was to formally apply that the court should enter a plea of not guilty on behalf of the defendant, even in his absence.

“My first application is to formally enter a plea of not guilty to the defendant, even in his absence. The second point is, not withstanding his physical absence, it is in full compliance with Section 276 of ACJA.

“Flowing from that entry my lord, it is a humble request that we call the first witness,” he stated.

Pinheiro, SAN, in defending his application to enter a plea of not guilty for the defendant, said “the right to plead guilty or not guilty is a right that can be waved by the defendant.

“My lord should hold that the defendant has waved that right.

“What prejudice will the defendant suffer if my lord enters a plea of guilty or not guilty in his absence? Even if he was in court and pleaded not guilty, the situation will still be the same.

The entry of plea of not guilty by your lordship is an invitation to the prosecution to come and prove the veracity of the allegations,” he added.

Michael Adoyi, who appeared for the defendant, however kicked against this, saying that the Prosecution’s application was made contrary to a subsisting order of the judge.

“Our first point of response to the application made by the learned senior counsel to the complainant is that the application is made contrary to the subsisting order of this honourable court, even made this morning – that no application can be entertained by this court in the absence of the arraignment of the defendant.

“The prosecution has stated severally that the court cannot demonstrate helplessness.

The court cannot demonstrate any helplessness in any proceeding and if at all helplessness exists in this proceeding, that helplessness is demonstrated by the prosecution,” he said.Adoyi argued that the court, in a criminal trial, is immune and distinct from the prosecution.

Citing Supreme Court verdicts on similar matters, he said, “The application made by learned senior counsel for the complainant this morning is a dangerous invitation to this honourable court to aide the prosecution in the performance of its duty of presenting the defendant before the court for arraignment and subsequent trial.

“He argued that civil proceeding was different from criminal proceeding.

The Defendant’s Counsel noted that the prosecution’s application could not be anchored on any of the provisions of the ACJA, 2015 that he had cited, as “those provisions do not excuse the need for physical presence of the defendant.”

“In view of this, we urge my lord to refuse the application made by the senior counsel to the complainant,” he said.

The Prosecution Counsel, however, told the court to dismiss Adoyi’s arguments and go ahead with his ruling on entering a plea of not guilty for the Defendant.

Justice Nwite, however, said it might not be possible to deliver the ruling this year.

“It may not be possible to deliver this ruling this year.

You know I am just coming as vacation judge. So what are we agreeing on now learner silk?” he asked. Pinheiro said the matter would be for ruling and/or arraignment of the defendant.

The Judge thereafter adjourned to 21st January, 2025 for ruling on the application by the EFCC and/or arraignment.

Recall that, at the last hearing on September 25, the Counsel to the defendant, A.M. Adoyi, had told the court that the issue of arraignment of the defendant was the subject matter of an appeal entered by the defendant at the Supreme Court with the Appeal Number: “SC/CR/847/2024 and SC/CR/848/2024”.

He said the most appropriate thing to do was to await the decision of the Supreme Court in the aforesaid appeal before taking any step for arraignment so as not to pull the rug off the feet of the Supreme Court.

Crime

Berlin Power Grid Attack Leaves 43,000 Homes in the Dark

Published

35 minutes ago

September 9, 2025

Charles Flames

13 Views

German police suspect a politically motivated arson attack after two high-voltage pylons caught fire in the Johannisthal neighbourhood of south-eastern Berlin, causing a widespread power outage affecting thousands.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday on Königsheideweg street, with emergency services alerted around 3 a.m. (0100 GMT). Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze within an hour, but the flames caused significant damage to thick electrical cables on the pylons.

A police spokesman confirmed that criminal investigators are currently at the scene, examining evidence which suggests the use of an accelerant in the attack.

Authorities believe the deliberate nature of the incident and the choice of target point to extremist involvement, though the political affiliation of the perpetrators remains unclear.

The power cut has impacted approximately 43,000 households and 3,000 businesses across several districts including Altglienicke, Grünau, Adlershof, Spindlersfeld, Alt-Johannisthal, and Oberschöneweide. Restoration of electricity supply is expected to take some time, according to fire brigade officials.

The outage has also disrupted local tram services and traffic lights, complicating movement and safety in the affected areas.

Emergency teams were dispatched to two nursing homes, where several patients were transferred to nearby hospitals as a precaution.

Police continue to investigate the incident as part of a broader effort to understand the motive and bring those responsible to justice.

Crime

Police Investigate Body Discovered in Vehicle at National Assembly Complex

Published

54 minutes ago

September 9, 2025

Charles Flames

9 Views

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has begun an investigation following the discovery of a lifeless body inside a vehicle at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

Preliminary reports suggest the deceased may be a 55-year-old construction worker identified as Gaddafi Iwar, although police have not officially confirmed his identity. Sources indicate the vehicle had been parked in the same location for several days before the body was found.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the police confirmed that the body was discovered around 9:00 a.m. on Sunday inside a red Peugeot 406 parked at a construction site within the complex.

“On September 7, 2025, at about 09:00 hours, the FCT Police Command received a distress call reporting the discovery of an unidentified male, suspected to be a labourer, found lifeless at a construction site within the National Assembly Complex,” the statement read.

Officers from the National Assembly Police Division responded to the scene and found the body inside the vehicle, which bore the registration number BWR-577 BF. The body was evacuated to Asokoro General Hospital, where medical personnel confirmed it was already in an advanced state of decomposition.

The Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, has directed a discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and has instructed that efforts be intensified to identify the deceased.

Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.

Crime

Scores killed in Nepal protest over social media ban

Published

1 day ago

September 8, 2025

Charles Flames

35 Views

At least 10 protesters died and 87 others were injured on Monday during violent clashes with police in Kathmandu, Nepal. Security forces used rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse demonstrators demanding the government lift its ban on social media platforms and address widespread corruption.

The government blocked access to 26 unregistered social media sites, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, starting Friday, sparking public outrage and confusion among millions of users who rely on these platforms for news, entertainment, and business.

Shekhar Khanal, spokesperson for Kathmandu Valley police, confirmed the casualties and said the protests continued despite police efforts to quell them. Many injured protesters were treated at Civil Hospital, where tear gas also affected medical staff.

The demonstrations began peacefully, with protesters waving national flags and singing the anthem before tensions escalated near the parliament area. Protesters breached barriers and even entered the parliament grounds, prompting police to respond with force. Authorities imposed curfews in key parts of the capital, including areas around the parliament and the prime minister’s office.

Similar protests took place in other parts of Nepal as citizens voiced frustrations not only over the social media restrictions but also against entrenched corruption and government authoritarianism.

“We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalized in Nepal,” said 24-year-old student Yujan Rajbhandari. Another protester, Ikshama Tumrok, 20, called for change, saying the current generation must end the cycle of oppression.

Videos highlighting the stark contrast between ordinary Nepalis’ struggles and politicians’ luxurious lifestyles have gone viral on platforms like TikTok, which remains accessible.

The government had previously given banned companies seven days to register locally and comply with regulations following a Supreme Court order last year. Despite stating its commitment to freedom of expression, Nepal has a history of restricting digital platforms, including a recent ban on Telegram and a temporary ban on TikTok that was lifted after compliance agreements.

The situation remains tense as authorities work to restore order amid ongoing protests.