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Vote buying: Two PDP chieftains jailed two years

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Two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bauchi State, Saleh Hussaini Gamawa and Aminu Umar Gadiya, have been convicted by a Federal High Court of Bauchi and sentenced to two-year imprisonment for offences that bordered on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N142,460,000.00.

Justice Hassan Dikko convicted the duo on March 2, while ruling on the two counts brought against the defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The defendants were first arraigned on June 4, 2018 and re-arraigned on October 16, 2018 on a two counts for allegedly receiving over N142 million to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential elections in Bauchi State.

Count one  of the charge read, “That you, Saleh Hussaini Gamawa and Aminu Umar Gadiya, all members of the Finance and Funds Disbursement Committee of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) 2015 General Elections, and in such capacities sometimes in March, 2015 in Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did agree amongst yourselves to commit  an offence, to wit; Conspiracy to accept cash payment exceeding the threshold provided by law, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 16(2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012( as amended) now No.1, 2012”.

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Count two read, “That you, Sale Hussaini Gamawa and Aminu Umar Gadiya, all members of the of the Finance and Funds Disbursement Committee of the peoples ‘Democratic Party (PDP) 2015 General Elections, and in such capacities sometimes in March, 2015 in Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did accept cash payment of N142,460,000.00 ( One Hundred and Forty Two Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira) from the Directorate of Finance, Bauchi State PDP Campaign Organization exceeding the required threshold of cash payment, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1, 16(1)(d) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) now No.1, 2012.”

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges, setting the stage for the case to proceed to full trial. In the course of trial, the prosecution presented one witness and tendered documents marked as Exhibits A1, A2 and A3. Both defendants testified in their respective defence.

At the close of evidence, the final written addresses were filed, exchanged and adopted on January 17, 2023, with the prosecution asking the court to convict the defendants as charged. The defence, on the other hand, submitted that the evidence presented against the defendant by the prosecution was not credible and urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants. Justice Dikko then reserved judgment for March 2, 2023.

In the well-considered judgment that lasted more than three hours, Justice Dikko reviewed the facts of the case and the submissions of counsel and arrived at the conclusion that the prosecution proved the cases against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt on count one and convicted them as charged. He however discharged and acquitted the 2nd defendant on count two.

Justice Dikko said, “The fact that the defendants in this instant case endorsed exhibit A1, A2 and A3 to receive cash to the tune of N142,460,,000.00, well in excess of the legal threshold designated by law, there can be no other conclusion but that the defendants conspired to so commit the offence and I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt. It is rather astonishing that in the defence of the count, the defendants completely disregarded the damaging evidence of exhibits A1,A2,and A3, lying right before the Court. I therefore find the 1st and 2nd defendants guilty of conspiracy as charged in court one and are accordingly convicted”.

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On Count Two, he said, “I have relied almost entirely on Exhibits A1, A2 and A3, and a close scrutiny of the Exhibits demonstrates that the 1st defendant, Saleh Hussaini Gamawa received N105, 840,000.00 in Exhibit A1, N27, 650,000.00 in Exhibit A2 and N8, 970,000.00 in Exhibit A3, summing up to N142,460,000.00, all in the presence of, or witnessed by the 2nd defendant Aminu Umar Gadiya. The content of these documents leaves no one in doubt as to who received the money, that is Saleh Hussaini Gamawa (1st defendant) who is a natural person from the Bauchi State PDP Campaign Organization (Director of Finance) which is not a designated financial institution, and for the purpose of payment to participants during the National and Presidential Elections.

“The offence under Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012 is one of strict liability. The fact of the payment or receipt of cash in excess of the threshold alone is sufficient to ground a conviction as can be noticed in the exhibits before this court and again, I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt. Consequently, I find the 1srt defendant guilty of the count and is accordingly convicted. The 2nd defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted on this count””.

In his allocutus, the 1st defendant urged the court to be lenient and temper justice with mercy. “I have a large family which includes the family of my elder brother who turned blind and cannot fend for his family; they look up to me for sustenance, since the beginning of this case neither the political party nor the Government came to my rescue, thus I urge the court to forgive me”, he stated.

The 2nd defendant also pleaded for leniency, arguing that he is a retiree and had not benefited from the money.

Before sentencing the defendants, Justice Dikko acknowledged their pleas for leniency but insisted that they must be punished to serve as deterrent to others.

“I consider your pleas that you have family who will suffer in your absence thus I will be lenient, however your offences must be punished appropriately to deter others in the society from perpetrating same,” he said.

He consequently sentenced the 1st and 2nd defendants to 2 years imprisonment at the Bauchi Correction Service or a fine of N3,000,000.00 each in lieu of imprisonment on count one; while the 1st defendant bagged a further two years imprisonment or a fine of N3,000,000.00 in lieu of imprisonment on count two.

The sentences are  to run concurrently from March 2, 2023.

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Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor

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Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor

The factional House of Assembly in Rivers State, led by Martins Amaewhule, has risen against the Rivers State Commission of Inquiry Law of 1999.

Newstrends reports that the 27 embattled members who previously declared their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The embattled lawmakers are rushing to repeal the law, which empowers the state to inquire into past administrations.

The law was used by Wike, as governor, to create a Judicial Commission of Inquiry that probed the tenure of his predecessor.

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Meanwhile, the Amaewhule-led Assembly has already seen a bill seeking to repeal the law through a second reading. The repeal process was initiated by the lawmakers following the decision of the state government led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara to set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe the recent arson and destruction of local government secretariats in the state.

Notedly, the commission invited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, and the APC Caretaker Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha to testify in the probe. However, both leaders have shunned the probe panel.

The Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, the member representing Akuku Toru Constituency II, Lolo Opuende and the member representing Omuma Constituency, Sylvanus Nwankwo sponsored the bill. Leading the debate on the bill, Nwankwo said the obsolete laws were repealed and re-enacted to reflect current democratic realities.

 

Pro-Wike Rivers lawmakers move to prevent probe of FCT minister tenure as governor

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Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East

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Nnamdi Kanu and Bianca Ojukwu

Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu’s government to release the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Mr Kanu, who has been in the SSS custody since 2021, is being tried for alleged treason.

Ms Ojukwu said that the release of Mr Kanu would help to ensure the total restoration of peace in the South-East. According to her, if Mr Kanu is released, the region’s development will be fast-tracked.

The wife of the late Odumegwu Ojukwu made the call at her husband’s memorial on Tuesday in Owerri. She advised the people of the South-East to look inwards and appraise the Igbo race that made them who they are.

“In the olden days, we had Igbo unions in places like Kano, Lagos and Kaduna, among others, where people discussed matters affecting them and why they must unite.

“Today, we are celebrating Ojukwu, our uncommon man, a man who stood for peace and equality for every person,” she said.

Ms Ojukwu expressed dissatisfaction that the peaceful atmosphere which Igboland was known for was no longer obtained in the region.

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“There are so many killings, unrest and kidnappings going on today in the region, which is not how it used to be,” Ms Ojukwu said.

She regretted that many people from the region could not go home again to bury their dead or give their children out to marriage due to the spate of unrest and insecurity.

Ms Ojukwu urged the people perpetrating the evil acts to desist from it and embrace peace. She pointed out that some of the perpetrators were from the region and urged them to allow peace to reign.

She condemned the act of killing people in the region “in the name of a sit-at-home directive from non-state actors.”

“Many people from the South-East have left the region for other cities like Lagos and other places due to the spate of insecurity in the area. I was sad when an Igbo person in the U.S. told me that they are making donations in America to buy burial grounds to bury their dead relations as insecurity in the region doesn’t allow them to do that at home come home,” the minister stated.

The event organiser, Raph Uwazuruike, urged Mr Tinubu’s government to release the IPOB leader.

Mr Uwazuruike, the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, stressed that Mr Kanu’s release would help the region experience peace again.

He said the memorial service was to commemorate Mr Ojukwu’s legacies, adding that “all the good things he stood for will not be forgotten.”

 

Bianca raises hope Tinubu will free Nnamdi Kanu to restore peace in South-East

(NAN)

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EFCC to arraign Yahaya Bello today for alleged N110bn fraud

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Yahaya Bello

EFCC to arraign Yahaya Bello today for alleged N110bn fraud

Immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello may be arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, today, Wednesday, November 27.

Bello, who was declared wanted by the anti-graft agency in April over an alleged N110bn fraud, was finally grilled after all efforts to have him arrested and stand trial proved abortive.

The former governor on Tuesday submitted himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in company of his lawyers.

Immediately after he turned himself in, the anti-graft agency held on to him for some clarifications and preparatory for his arraignment.

He is to be docked before Justice Maryan Anenih of the FCT high court sitting in Maitama.

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Justice Anenih had fixed November 27 for arraignment based on the request of the EFCC and had issued public summons against him on October 3 in respect of the fresh case filed against him by EFCC.

EFCC’S Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale confirmed that Yahaya Bello would be docked at the FCT high court but declined to give a specific date.

At the last hearing before Justice Anenih, Counsel for EFCC, Jamiu Agoro had said the order of the court, given on 3rd October had not elapsed.

After listening to all counsel, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and fixed November 27 as the return date.

EFCC to arraign Yahaya Bello today for alleged N110bn fraud

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