Burundi : Court puts President-elect in charge

The Constitutional Court of Burundi has disclosed that the country’s president-elect would take charge following the death of the sitting president, Pierre Nkurunziza this week.

At a press conference, the court said that Evariste Ndayishimiye, who won the presidential election in May, was due to take over in August but would be sworn in as soon as possible.

A date for the ceremony has not yet been given. Mr Nkurunziza, who had ruled Burundi since 2005, died suddenly on Tuesday of cardiac arrest at the age of 55.

Court remands journalist who criticised Lai Mohammed

Rotimi Jolayemi, the Journalist who criticised Lai Mohammed has been remanded on the order of the Federal High Court in Abuja. This took place on Thursday. 

It can be recalled that the journalist was arrested for his Yoruba poetic song which criticised the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

Justice Anwuli Chikere ordered Jolayemi’s remand after he was arraigned on six counts including alleged spreading of an audio file said to have caused annoyance, ill will, hatred, and insults towards the minister.

The judge ordered the defendant to be remanded in the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department headquarters, in Abuja, pending the hearing of his bail application.

The arraignment took place after the prosecuting counsel, Joseph Offor, announced an amendment to the charges marked FHC/ABJ/CB/104/2020 on Thursday.

As part of the amendment, the prosecution sought to add to its list of witnesses. Jolayemi’s lawyer, Soji Toki, did not oppose the request for amendment.

The accused journalist, who complained of ill health, pleaded not guilty to amended charges of six counts. The case was adjourned till June 16.

Court acquits girl who allegedly killed father's friend

The magistrate court in Lagos has acquitted a fifteen year old girl who was accused of murder.

The fifteen year old girl whose name is withheld, was accused of killing her father's 51 year old friend, Babatunde Ishola when he was trying to rape her. 

The Lagos Magistrate court which was sitting in Yaba on Wednesday released her based on the legal advice of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution that the “case lacked ingredients of murder”.

Court orders forfeiture of N827.6m to FG

The Federal High Court in Lagos has  ordered the temporary forfeiture of a total of N827.6m recovered from one Matthew Edevbie by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The anti-graft agency told the court that it was investigating an intelligence report against Edevbie, said to be the owner of Flank Power Resources.

It said the funds were suspected to have been diverted from the coffers of the Federal Government.

Counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, told Justice C. J. Aneke that the application was urgent, adding that delay could lead to the funds being dissipated.

The judge granted the forfeiture request and told the anti-graft agency to publish same in a national newspaper.

He adjourned till June 29 for anyone interested in the funds to appear in court and convince him why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Court sentences Pastor to death by hanging for murder

An Ondo State High Court has sentenced a Pastor, Kolawole Samson to death by hanging for the murder of Ayo Olaniyi in Okeigbo council area of the state, four years ago.

Delivering judgement, the trial judge, Justice Ademola Bola held that Pastor Kolawole was guilty of inflicting injury on the deceased’s head with a cutlass at Gberinlegi Village, via Okeigbo, in Ondo, which later led to his death at hospital.

The state Attorney General and Justice Commissioner represented by two government counsel, Mr Olusegun Akeredolu and Mrs Omotola Ologun, had told the court that the accused had on 3rd of March, 2016, inflicted deep cut injury on the head of the deceased.

They said that the Pastor inflicted the  injury on him when he went to hunt for frogs with three other friends at a fish pond owned by the convict.

According to them the offence was contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Laws of Ondo State (2006).

The accused person claimed he was not guilty of the offence.

However, in his judgement yesterday, Justice Ademola Bola ruled that all evidence adduced before the court during the trial in the last four years, showed that the accused was guilty of killing the deceased person.

Justice Bola thereafter ruled that Pastor Samson Kolawole should die by hanging.