“This unfortunate incident underscores LASTMA’s resolute commitment to preserving lives and ensuring safety on Lagos roads through proactive interventions and collaborative engagements with emergency response agencies,” he said.
metro
Missing child: Appeal court frees Prophet Babatunde of Sotitobire church
The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, has discharged and acquitted the founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Akure, Alfa Babatunde, who was earlier convicted by the state High Court over the missing of a one-year-old boy, Gold Kolawole.
Kolawole was abducted in the church in November 2019 by an unknown person, during the church service. Defendants were thereafter arrested by the men of the Directorate of State Security and later charged to court on a two-count of kidnapping and aiding and abetting to kidnap.
The lower court, presided over by Justice Olusegun Odusola in 2020 sentenced Babatunde and five others – Omodara Olayinka, Margaret Oyebola, Grace Ogunjobi, Egunjobi Motunrayo and Esther Kayode – to life imprisonment, having found them guilty of two charges.
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However, the high court judgement was upturned as the appellate judge, Justice Hammah Barka, said the circumstantial evidence upon which the lower court based its judgement was not enough to convict the appellants.
As a result, he discharged and acquitted the appellants.
In his reaction, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Titiloye, who is also the prosecutor, said the state government would study the judgement before deciding on the next step to take on the matter.
He said, “The court has affirmed that DSS can investigate any case and does not have a jurisdictional problem to investigate a case like this. However, the court has stated that the circumstantial evidence upon which the conviction was based upon at the lower court is not enough to sustain the conviction of the defendants. Our attitude from the state is that we study the judgement and take the proper steps we are supposed to take on the matter.”
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The counsel to the appellant, who was represented by Akinyemi Omoware, said the court judgement had shown that truth would prevail over falsehood.
“It was held that the appellant was not found culpable of the alleged offence. He is not guilty as pronounced upon by the trial court. We are using this medium to tell the members of the church and the general public that they should rejoice with conscience. They should not go out causing problems. They should take it that that is the will of God. We are happy about this,” the counsel said.
Punch
metro
Money laundering: Court freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
Money laundering: Court freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered the temporary freezing of 21 bank accounts domiciled in some commercial banks and directed the arrest of the account holders by the police.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after counsel for the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed, moved a motion ex-parte to the effect.
Justice Nwite also granted the “order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATMs while allowing inflow into the said accounts” pending the conclusion of the investigation.
“I have listened to the submission of the learner counsel for the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence.
“I am of the view that the motion ex-parte is meritorious.
“The application is hereby granted except that the period of the investigation can only last for a period of 90 days,” Justice Nwite said.
The judge adjourned the matter until April 3 for mention.
The banks are Access Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Ltd, Wema Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank Ltd, United Bank of Africa Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc, Heritage Bank Plc, TAJ Bank Plc and Keystone Bank Plc.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the I-G is the applicant in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1965/V/2024, the 13 banks are sued as 1st to 13 defendants respectively.
The I-G, in the motion filed by Mohammed, sought an interim order directing the listed “banks to freeze the accounts mentioned in the schedule attached to this summon pending investigation and prosecution of this case.
“An order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATM while allowing inflow into the said account as from the date of this court order.
Money laundering: Court freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
metro
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam
Enraged residents of Hallelujah community in Osun State on Friday beat a newly installed Ajeniju of Hallelujah, Oba Jelili Olaiya, while attempting to conduct Jumat service in the area.
The Ajeniju, who was installed by the Timi of Ede a few months ago, against the will of the Ido-Osun community, was beaten to a pulp by angry youths, saying he had no right to install a chief Imam in the community.
It was gathered that the monarch last week turbaned one Ahmad Tijjani as Chief Imam of the Hallelujah community, but while gathering some people at his palace to observe Jumat prayer, some youth from Ido-Osun reportedly invaded the palace and disrupted the prayer session.
Some of the aggrieved youths while shouting at the monarch queried his authority to install and conduct jumat prayer in a domain belonging to a separate monarch.
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The mob beat the monarch and vandalised the palace before security operatives could intervene.
A security source who pleaded anonymity disclosed that it took the intervention of security operatives to rescue the monarch from the scene.
“The situation escalated, resulting in the vandalization of the palace and a physical attack on Ajenifuja of Hallelujah, who sustained serious injuries.
“He has since been taken to the State CID for further investigation and safety,” said the source.
However, another source in the community disclosed that the monarch had been taken to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, for treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Security, Hon. Samuel Ojo, said he would not comment on the incident pending the outcome of the investigation on the matter.
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam
metro
Lagos commuter bus summersaults, LASTMA rescues 8 injured passengers
Lagos commuter bus summersaults, LASTMA rescues 8 injured passengers
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has rescued eight injured passengers involved in an accident at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba.
The LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
The statement was signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA.
Bakare-Oki said the road traffic incident which involved a commercial long bus, popularly referred to as ‘Molue,’ at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba, caused severe injuries and significant disruption to traffic.
“The accident was triggered when the vehicle, registered as KTU 801 XM, lost control at excessive speed, reportedly due to driver impatience.
“In an attempt to avoid colliding with another LT commercial bus and pedestrians awaiting transport at the roadside, the driver veered sharply, resulting in the bus crashing into the expressway median and overturning.
“Several passengers sustained injuries, while others escaped through the bus’s windows,” he said.
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He said that officers from LASTMA promptly arrived at the scene, executed a well-coordinated and efficient rescue operation.
“Eight individuals, including five males and three females, suffered varying degrees of injuries. Among the injured was the bus driver, who sustained a fractured left arm.
“All victims were immediately handed over to LASAMBUS medical personnel and transported to the General Hospital at Ile-Epo for urgent medical attention,” he said.
Bakare-Oki said to ensure the free flow of traffic and public safety, LASTMA’s Response Unit was swiftly mobilised to oversee the removal of the overturned vehicle.
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