BREAKING: FCCPC storms Chinese supermarket over discrimination against Nigerians

The Federal Competition and Consumer and Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Monday visited the Abuja-based Chinese supermarket situated at the China General Chamber of Commerce over alleged discrimination against Nigerians.

BREAKING: Judge vacates order suspending Ganduje as APC National Chairman

Kano State High Court, Presided over by Justice Usman Mallam Na’Abba that earlier on slammed an order Suspending Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress APC, has reverses Self vacating same order.

One Haladu Gwanjo and Laminu Sani Barguma who claimed to be the Chairman and Secretary respectively of the APC Ganduje Ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government area of the State, had secured an order Suspending Ganduje As the Chairman of the Party.

However in a twist of events the Presiding Judge of the High Court Justice Usman Na’Abba said while vacating his earlier order, that upon reading a Motion Ex-Parte together with 27 paragraph affidavit in support and a written address dated the 22nd day of April, 2024 sworn to by one Glory Adah a litigation secretary in the 4th respondent solicitors law firm.

READ ALSO:

• BREAKING: Court frees Ex-NIMASA DG Akpobolokemi of N8.5BN fraud
• How gunmen killed Babcock university lecturer, abducted two – Eyewitness
• Pull down Chinese supermarket that denied Nigerians entry, Shehu Sani tells FG

“And after hearing, Mr. L. O. Oyewo Esq, with A. Falana Esq and J. Essiet Esq counsel’s of the 4th Respondent/Applicant, an order of interim injunction is hereby granted”.

The Interim Injunction order is for staying of the execution of the order of interim injunction contained in the ruling of the court delivered on the 17th April, 2024 directing parties to maintain status qou ante as at the 15th day of April, 2024 in relation to the suspension of the 4th respondent/applicant from the 1st respondent by the Ganduje Ward Executive Committee pending the hearing and determination of the 4th respondent/applicant Motion on Notice..

The Judge than adjourned to 30th day of April, 2024 for hearing on the case.

BREAKING: Judge vacates order suspending Ganduje as APC National Chairman

BREAKING: Court frees Ex-NIMASA DG Akpobolokemi of N8.5BN fraud

Justice Ayokunle Faji, discharged and acquitted the former NIMASA director-general, today April 22, 2024, while delivering a ruling on a no-case submission filed by him and four defendants, in a 22-count charge against them.

Akpobolokemi was arraigned before the court alongside Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (rtd), a former Commander of the Joint Task Force Operation Pulo Shield, and two other staff of the agency, Kime Engonzu and Josphine Otuaga.

In discharging and acquitting Akpobolokemi and one Josephine Otuaga, a staff of NIMASA, Justice Faji held that the EFCC failed to establish a prima facie (sufficient evidence) case against them.

However, he ruled that a former Commander of the Joint Task Force Operation Pulo Shield, Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (rtd), (second defendant), and a Staff of NIMASA, Kime Engonzu (third defendant), have to open their defence because they have a case to answer in counts 12 to 22 of the charge.

Akpobolokemi had in a no-case submission filed by his lawyers, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) leading with Collins Ogbonna, prayed the court for an acquittal without having him present a defence.

READ ALSO:

• How gunmen killed Babcock university lecturer, abducted two – Eyewitness
• Pull down Chinese supermarket that denied Nigerians entry, Shehu Sani tells FG
• ISWAP bread factory found in Borno

He stated that the prosecution, with all its witnesses and evidence tendered while making its case, failed to link him to the alleged crimes.

The defendants are being prosecuted for an amended 22-count charge bordering on conspiracy; conversion; and stealing (by fraudulent conversion).

One of the counts reads: “That you, Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Engozu, and Josphine Otuaga sometime in 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court, with intent to defraud, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: Conversion of the sum of N8,537,586,798.58 property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

They had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, thereby prompting the commencement of their trial.

Upon conclusion of the prosecution’s case, all the defendants opted for no-case submission.

Delivering its Ruling, Justice Faji held that none of the witnesses called by the Prosecution led any shred of evidence linking the first defendant, Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, and the fourth defendant to the offences they were charged for.

The court held that having regard to the totality of evidence led by the prosecution failed to provide any credible evidence linking the first defendant with the commission of the crimes alleged against him in Counts 1-11 of the first amended Charge and/or established a prima facie case against him warranting him to enter upon his defence.

The court also noted that out of the eleven witnesses fielded by the Complainant, only one witness, (PW 2), gave evidence where the name of the first defendant (Akpobolokemi) featured, while other witnesses made it abundantly clear that, they did not know the first Defendant and did not have any dealings with him.

“If there is no sufficient evidence linking the accused with the statutory elements and ingredients a court of trial must as a matter of law discharge him. It has no business searching for evidence what is nowhere and therefore cannot be found,” the Court held.

BREAKING: Court frees Ex-NIMASA DG Akpobolokemi of N8.5BN fraud