Oromoni: Police confirms Lagos DPP interim report indicted Dowen College – Newstrends
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Oromoni: Police confirms Lagos DPP interim report indicted Dowen College

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3 years ago

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A chief superintendent of police (CSP) Bamidele Olusegun has confirmed to the Lagos State Coroner’s Court probing the circumstances surrounding the death of Sylvester Oromoni, that the interim advice issued by the director of public prosecutions (DPP) indicted Dowen College and some of its employees of negligence.

The police officer disclosed this while being cross-examined by the counsel to the Oromoni, Mr Femi Falana.

Olusegun told the Coroner Magistrate, Mikhail Kadiri, that he received a report from the DPP dated December 30, 2021, which was titled: “Interim legal advice”, which recommended that the employees should be prosecuted for alleged negligence.

The witness, who said he was serving within the homicide section of the Lagos State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti Section in 2021, said that he received another legal advice dated January 4.

He said, “We sent one dated December 23, this was the last report we sent.

Falana further showed the witness the interim report dated December 30, 2021, and while reading the last paragraph, the witness said, “There are sufficient facts to establish this offence against Mrs Celina Uduak, Valentine Igboekweze, Hammed Ayomo Bariyu, Adesanya Olusegun and Mr Adeyemi and Dowen College.

The witness further affirmed that he conducted a thorough investigation on the matter, saying he was aware that the police protested that they were not allowed to conclude an investigation on the matter.

When the witness was shown a protest letter written to the chief Judge of Lagos State by the Police, on the development of the investigation, the witness identified the letter.

A portion of the letter that was read by the witness in the court stated that: “It came as a rude shock that the investigation was not allowed to be carried out” He also said the suspects were not brought back to the station for the conclusion of the investigation.

 

The police officer also said: “during the investigation, one of the suspects informed me that the deceased was bullied. Another one also told me that he was taken to the third floor to be tortured.”

 

When asked if any witness told him that the deceased was injured on the 14th of November, he said he can’t recollect.

 

The witness also affirmed that the deceased sister told her that he was also bullied sometimes in October and that the boy who allegedly bullied him was not punished for the act. “She also confirmed to me that they bullied his brother because they wanted him to describe her private parts.

 

“I wouldn’t know the deceased was taken to the sickbay in October when he was bullied,” he said.

 

He also confirmed that a female parent of the school also reported a case of bullying against her son by some students at Maroko police station.

He however said he could only speak to Benjamin Favour because the school was under lock during his investigation.

Narrating his involvement in the investigation, the police witness also said: “On 3rd of December, a petition forwarded to my office was assigned to me and the school was already closed down then. On 6th December, we were at Maroko police station, where we met the Principal and the suspect. We took them down to Panti and obtained statements from the accused and the other management staff.

 

We proceeded to a Yaba Magistrate’s Court to get a remand order and the house masters were detained with us while the children were remanded at Oregun Correctional Home.

 

The deceased father’s statement was taken on  9th  December while the Lagos State Attorney General and the Lagos State Commissioner for Education were put on the phone during the interview with the parties.

 

“I recollect that I went to Warri to bring the corpse to Lagos and I had an interaction with the doctor, the consultant pathologists.

 

“We arrived in Lagos January 13 with the corpse of the deceased while the autopsy was performed the next day before then, letters were dispatched to the parties asking them to be in attendance or send representatives during the autopsy.

 

“I later proceeded to Abuja to speak with one of the witnesses. I also recollect that we visited the school on fact-findings and it was opened to us. I remember that the doctor at the school hospital; Dr Moji, confirmed that she attended to the deceased between December 21st and 22nd.

 

“She confirmed to me that she asked the nurse to massage the deceased legs and that paracetamol was also administered on him,” he said.

When asked if the school has CCTV cameras, he said, “Absolutely no; no CCTV cameras in the school.”

The DPP, Mr Babajide Martins, counsel representing Lagos and Mr Anthony Kpokpo, who was representing Dowen School however informed the court that the said legal advice tendered sought to be tendered by the witness and which  Falana has cross-examined him with has not been front-loaded to them.

 

Kpokpo said, “It has become part of the deceased family to present documents that have not been front-loaded. We will not be able to continue with the cross-examination as a result of the surprises being pulled on us. “This is regrettable,” he said.

 

Earlier, Mr Babajide Martins led CSP Bamidele Olusegun in the examination-in-chief.

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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November 14, 2024

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

 

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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9 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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9 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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