Murder of Nigerian Bishop in South Africa Sparks Outcry Over Unsolved Killings

Family and community leaders rally for justice after 58-year-old cleric from Ekiti is assassinated in his Johannesburg residence.

To his congregation and loved ones, Nigerian clergyman Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle was a pillar of faith and moral guidance. But that sanctuary was violently shattered inside his Kensington home in Johannesburg when two gunmen forced their way inside and opened fire at point-blank range.

Hit more than seven times, the 58-year-old Ekiti native died at the scene, sending shockwaves across the Nigerian expatriate community and turning deep grief into a collective cry for justice.

Leading the push for accountability, the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) voiced the community’s sorrow and growing frustration with violent crime.

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Association leaders stressed that Bishop Fakunle’s family, church, and compatriots deserve clear answers rather than empty reassurances.

Urging South African investigators to act with speed and transparency, the group warned authorities against letting the tragedy become another forgotten statistic in an endless stack of unsolved homicides.

As detectives at Jeppe Police Station proceed with the murder inquiry, community heads are calling for robust oversight from Nigerian diplomats while urging the public to exercise restraint.

Despite the intense anger surrounding the brazen attack, leaders emphasized that justice must be pursued through legitimate legal channels.

As mourners across South Africa and Nigeria remember the slain bishop, their message to investigators remains clear: the community will not look away until those responsible are brought before a judge.

Murder of Nigerian Bishop in South Africa Sparks Outcry Over Unsolved Killings

Court Sentences TV Presenter, 11 Others to Death Over Narcotics Network

A Cairo criminal court has sentenced Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death by hanging after convicting them of forming an organized criminal gang involved in manufacturing and trafficking narcotics, as well as possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

The court also sentenced nine defendants to life imprisonment and acquitted seven others, bringing the total number of defendants in the case to 28.

Khalifa, 39, is best known for presenting the crime-focused programme Mission Impossible on the private channel al-Mehwar. She also owns a plastic surgery clinic and a production company that specialises in organising parties and events. She has 2.5 million followers on her Instagram account. Khalifa was arrested in Cairo in April 2025 in connection with the investigation. An arrest warrant was issued on April 17, 2025, and she told prosecutors she was arrested that day, while the formal seizure report was dated April 19.

The Public Prosecution charged Khalifa and 27 other defendants with forming an organized criminal group specializing in importing raw materials used in the manufacture of synthetic narcotics, to produce and traffic the drugs, as well as possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition. According to the prosecution’s investigations, members of the group divided roles among themselves, with some responsible for importing raw materials, others for manufacturing the drugs, and others for distributing them. The group used a residential property to store the materials and manufacture the drugs. Prosecutors alleged that Khalifa provided funds for the operation and travelled abroad to meet two of the alleged leaders and help coordinate their activities with other members of the group. The case was referred to the criminal court with 28 defendants. The prosecution also ordered the defendants’ assets and bank accounts to be placed under precautionary measures and ordered the continued detention of those in custody. Two defendants who remain at large were placed on travel bans and watch lists.

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The prosecution presented evidence from 20 witnesses, as well as technical and digital evidence, including messages, photographs, and videos that the prosecution said documented the defendants’ alleged criminal activities. Authorities reportedly seized more than 750 kilograms of narcotics and raw materials, and discovered two apartments used as laboratories, as well as unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

Khalifa has consistently denied the charges against her. According to the state-run Akhbar al-Youm newspaper, when asked by a judge about her alleged role during a court appearance last September, Khalifa stated she had never seen any drugs until she was photographed with them inside the anti-narcotics authority offices. In a post on X following the sentencing, she declared: “I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life. I swear to God, I’m innocent.” In a separate case, the court also sentenced Khalifa and others to five years in prison over the kidnapping and assault of a young man.

The death sentence was confirmed only after the court obtained a religious opinion from the Grand Mufti of Egypt, a legal requirement in capital cases. The Mufti’s opinion is advisory and not binding on the court. Despite the verdict, Khalifa’s lawyer has stated that she will appeal the death sentence. The verdict is subject to appeal before the Court of Cassation, the country’s highest court for criminal cases.

Egypt applies the death penalty for premeditated murder, terrorism, some rape offenses, and drug trafficking. Human rights groups have raised concerns about the use of the death penalty in Egypt. According to a 2025 report by Amnesty International, there were 492 death sentences issued in the country that year, 23 of which were carried out. The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms reported that 541 death sentences were issued in Egypt in 2025. The defendants were found guilty of drug trafficking and rape, “crimes that did not amount to ‘intentional killing’ to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international law and standards,” the Amnesty International report said.

Court Sentences TV Presenter, 11 Others to Death Over Narcotics Network

Ghana Launches Marrify App to Let Users Verify Partner’s Marital Status Before Marriage

Ghana has taken a significant step towards curbing deception in marriage with the launch of Marrify, a digital platform designed to help prospective couples verify their partner’s marital status before tying the knot. The app was officially unveiled in Accra on August 28, 2026, in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) and Marry Right Ghana Limited, an agency specialising in family law. The application operates as a searchable digital registry designed to bring transparency to marriage administration. It pulls legal data from several official sources, including the Registrar-General’s Department, courts, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and the Ghana Gazette. The platform covers records for ordinance, customary and Islamic marriages, as well as divorce records based on court rulings and judgments.

A core feature of the platform is the ability to conduct a formal check on a prospective spouse’s marital history. Users can search the platform using details including names, spouse names, towns, certificate numbers, and Gazette numbers. This helps prevent the emotional, financial and legal complications that can arise when someone enters a relationship without knowing their partner is already married. The platform cautions that records are still being uploaded and a search returning “no result” should not automatically be interpreted as proof that a person has never been married. Individuals and institutions can also submit marriage and divorce records, together with supporting documents, for verification and inclusion on the platform.

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Marrify’s scope extends beyond individual background checks. Members of the public can also use the platform to verify whether marriage venues are duly licensed, churches are registered to conduct marriages, and pastors and imams hold the appropriate licences to legally officiate marriages. This feature closes loopholes in how marriages are solemnised across the country.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, commended the initiative for promoting transparency, accountability, and public confidence in marriage administration. She emphasised that marriage extends beyond a legal union, highlighting its social, cultural and economic significance for individuals, children, families and communities. “You would not have to take a person’s word for it, even in the most trusted relationship. You can verify with this app,” she stated. Lartey further noted that the platform could help prevent individuals from entering unions based on incomplete or false information, which can contribute to disputes, fraud and emotional harm. She also described the launch as an important step towards encouraging responsible relationships and strengthening family structures, while contributing to efforts aimed at preventing gender-based violence.

The launch of Marrify addresses a significant challenge in Ghana’s marriage landscape. According to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, 80.8% of married persons in Ghana had not registered their marriages. The data showed that proportions of unregistered marriages range from 59.9% in the Greater Accra Region to a staggering 97.1% in the Northern Region. Dennis Adei Dwomoh, founder of the Marrify App and the Marriage Governance Conference, also raised concerns about marriage data management, stating that marriage and divorce records can have consequences decades later, including for inheritance, property settlements and widowhood rights. The platform brings together historical records dating as far back as 1886.

The Marrify initiative is intended to give prospective couples another way to verify a partner’s marital status before making a legal commitment. The ministry has committed to supporting innovations that strengthen the integrity of marriage administration in Ghana.

Ghana Launches Marrify App to Let Users Verify Partner’s Marital Status Before Marriage