The NSCDC spokesperson in Akwa Ibom State, Ukeme Umana, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Uyo.
Mr Umana said the suspect was arrested through a tip-off by a private guard in a hospital in Uyo, while trying to sell the children, aged four and six.
“The Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has apprehended a man who attempted to sell his two children for N700, 000 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
“The suspect, Mr Elisha Edet Effiong (M) 40 years was apprehended at Full Care Hospital on Ekpanya Street, where he notified the security guard of his intention to sell his two children for N700,000 to pay off his debt and meet other financial challenges.
“The private security notified the NSCDC and immediately the State Commandant, Abidemi Majekodunmi, detailed personnel of the anti-human trafficking unit of the corps to swing into action.
“The suspect was apprehended on November 15 at 13:15 hours alongside his two daughters: Abasifreke Edet 6 years old and Rachael Edet, 4 years old.
“The suspect who resides, according to him, in Adidikim in Cameroon confessed that the decision to sell the children was taken by him and his wife, who is still in Cameroon and was borne out of extreme hardship,” Mr Umana said.
He said preliminary investigations have been concluded and the case would be transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for prosecution.(NAN)
The arraignment of former Aviation Minster, Stella Oduah, on Monday, suffered setback in a Federal High Court, Abuja over a letter from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) calling for the case review.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on Oct. 20, fixed today for the arraignment of Oduah over allegations bordering on fraud while she served in the office.
Oduah, who currently represents Anambra North Senatorial District at the National Assembly and eight others, were expected to be arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on alleged N5 billion fraud and financial misappropriation.
When they were about to take their plea to a 25-count charge, a defence counsel, Oguh Onoja, raised an objection in open court.
Onoja informed that a petition had already been written to the AGF, complaining that the defendants were just been persecuted.
He explained that a letter from the AGF to the EFCC had called for the review of the matter, but that the anti-graft agency had refused to return the case file to the AGF as requested by his office.
Onoja then presented the certified true copy of the letter to the judge.
“My lord, we are of the strongest view that plea cannot be taken on this matter.
“There was a petition written to the Attorney General of the Federation which is a complain made against this prosecution because we found out that this trial was a persecution and we got a response from the AGF.
“The AGF requested for the file and up till now, the EFCC has refused to send the case file to the AGF.
“This case is a matter of persecution and is not a prosecution.
“Based on that, we have the objection that this plea cannot be taken.
“I have a certified true copy of the letter from the AGF written to the EFCC,” he said.
Counsel to the EFCC, U. Uket, disagreed.
He contended that even though he was just seeing the letter, a petition could not stop a plea from being taken.
“The AGF has powers to intervene, continue or discontinue a case.
“The fact that a petition has been written to the AGF does not stop the plea from being taken,” he said.
Justice Ekwo noted that a constitutional issue had been raised and he was not going to deal with it “summarily.”
“Upon this matter coming up for plea today, the attention of this court has been drawn to a letter from the Chambers of AGF, dated February 4 and written to the acting chairman of the EFCC requiring that the file of this matter to be remitted to the AGF for a review of this case.
“I have heard the arguments from counsel.
“I am not going to treat this matter lightly.
“Therefore, I make an order that the prosecution shall file and serve a written address on this matter within 30 days, which will be limited to 15 pages.
“Learned counsel of the seventh defendant are to file a response.
“I will also order the the other learned counsel file written addresses upon been served by the prosecution.
“Now, upon that being done, I will then make an order to adjourn this matter for adoption of written address.
“The defendant shall continue on administrative bail until this issue is resolved,” he ruled.
The Judge adjourned the matter until Feb. 10, 2022, for adoption of the written addresses.
NAN reports that Justice Ekwo had, on July 12, threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against the former minister if she failed to appear in court by the next adjourned date (Oct. 19).
The Judge had given the warning after the EFCC told the court that Oduah and one other defendant were not in court to take their plea.
Other defendants in the suit include Gloria Odita, Nwobu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Limited; Crystal Television Limited, among others.(NAN)
The Apex Igbo socio-cultural Organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has announced the end of sit-at-home order observed in the South East and advised members of the public to go about their usual businesses on Mondays.
A statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, urged all schools in the South East to resume their usual academic activities as well as transporters and traders from other parts of the country and the Cameroons to feel free and go about their normal businesses without any fear of molestation.
The statement disclosed that leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has cancelled the Mondays sit-at-home order they had earlier issued.
According to the statement, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador George Obiozor appreciated the understanding and maturity exhibited by the IPOB during the Anambra State governorship election and the subsequent cancellation of the sit-at-home order
“It is very heartwarming that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Traditional Rulers, Archbishops, Governors, eminent persons, women groups, political class, the academia, etc in Igbo land are united in the Release-Nnamdi-Kanu-Project
“This has proved to the skeptics that the Igbo unity is incontrovertible and that they can also be mobilized within a very short time,” he noted.
“While the huge losses incurred in the last months because of the sit at home is highly regrettable, efforts must be made to ensure that further losses are averted,” Ohanaeze stated.
“They have indeed scored two major points: First, the Igbo detractors and doomsayers were disappointed that the election was a resounding success. Second is that the IPOB can listen to appeals by the elders.
The Organization called on all the market associations, road transport unions, labour leaders and all the interest groups to sensitize their members towards full economic activities in all parts of Igbo land on Mondays, in a bid to shore up the volume of business transactions as the Christmas season sets in.
The Police Command in Delta says it has apprehended a suspected armed robber and a gunrunner in the state.
The command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Warri.
Mr Edafe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the suspects were arrested on Saturday by police operatives attached to Ozoro Police Division in Isoko North, following a distress call.
He said the suspected gunrunner, a septuagenarian, admitted to have been in the business for the past 20 years.
“On Nov. 20, at about 0500hrs, following a distress call that three suspected armed robbers were in the premises of one man (name withheld) in Ozoro/Ughelli Road, the DPO, Ozoro Police Division, CSP Ogedengbe Areguamen, led a combined team of police/vigilante to the scene.
“The suspected armed robbers, on sighting the police team, took to their heels and the team went after them,” he said.
The police spokesperson said that in the process, a 28-year-old man was arrested with one live cartridge, while two members of his gang escaped.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed that he threw his gun somewhere in the bush as he was running and that he bought the said gun from another person at the cost of N30,000,” Mr Edafe said.
He stated further that the suspect, thereafter, led the police to Irri Village in Isoko South where a 77-year-old was arrested,” he said.
Mr Edafe said three double barrel guns, two single barrel guns and other tools used in producing guns were recovered from the suspected gunrunner.
He said that preliminary investigation reveals that the septuagenarian suspect was a welder who used to produce guns for criminals, adding that he admitted selling the gun to the suspected armed robber.
“The suspected gunrunner has confessed to being in the business of producing guns for the past 20 years.
“Manhunt for the other two fleeing suspects is ongoing,” Mr Edafe added.
The Police in Delta State has confirmed the arrest of a 35-year-old Jude Nduka for allegedly raping two sisters.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, in a statement on Saturday said Detectives of the command arrested the Suspect following upon a complaint from mother of the victims.
According to the PPRO, the Suspect, a resident of No. 10 Obi Onuwe Street behind Kowen Plaza Asaba, was alleged to have raped and impregnated a 16-year-old girl as well as raping and defiling the victim’s 13-year-old younger sister.
The statement added that medical examination on the said victims has been carried out while the suspect, who confessed to the crime, will be charged to court on completionof the investigation.
A Consultant Engineering Firm based in Enugu, Nelan Consultants, has petitioned the Inspector-General (I.G) of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, over the missing of five engineers from the firm in Ebonyi.
A co-owner of the firm, Mr Benjamin Ezeagwu, made the complaint in a letter written by the firm’s lawyer, Mr Tagbo Ike of Ike and Associates to IGP made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Enugu.
Ezeagwu said the five engineers were on Nov. 3 deployed to a road project at Effium in Ebonyi in continuation of routine supervisory works.
He was to hold a meeting with one Ken Okeh at 3pm same date after the site visit to discuss some accommodation issues.
According to him, the victims had travelled from Enugu to Effium with the project vehicle, Toyota Hilux with registration number ERR 001 EB and had arrived Effium about 2pm ahead of the scheduled meeting.
“On arrival, the team called Okeh and announced their arrival at the site to him.
“The call put to Okeh was the last heard from them till date and spirited effort made by the firm, families and friends of the victims yielded no fruit as their respective phones remained switched off.
“No word has been heard of them till date and the vehicle they travelled with has not been seen anywhere,” Ezeagwu said.
He listed their names as Nelson Onyemeh, Stanley Nwazulum, Ernest Edeani, IK Ejiofor and Samuel Aneke and they were Engineers working with the firm.
He however, appealed to the Usman Alkali Baba to use his office to order search and rescue of the victims.
“With this development, it is Obvious that the five Engineers were missing,” Ezeagwu said.
He explained that the firm was appointed by the Ebonyi State Government to supervise ABD-Assisted Construction of Ebonyi State Ring Road Project.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Loveth Odah in Ebonyi had advised the general public to avoid Effium community in Ohaukwu local Government Area of the state where engineers were abducted.
Oda said the Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba had earlier issued warning concerning the area.
Odah said that hoodlums had decided to take advantage of the situation to unleash mayhem in the area.
The police spokesperson explained that the victims were on ring road project in the area when the incident happened.
She said that the CP had also directed the command’s anti-kidnapping unit to embark on a manhunt to rescue the victims and arrest the suspects.
“The victims are engineers on ring road project in the state. No ransom was demanded and the command is seriously on trail of the suspects.
“CP had advised people that on no account should anybody cross the place without informing the command or those on peace mission.
NAN reports that Ezza and Effium communities in Ohaukwu LGA have been embroiled in deep crisis, leading to wanton destruction of lives and property.
Also military and police operatives have since been fully deployed in the area to enforce the order and peace restored. (NAN)
Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded Anambra State governorship election, Senator Andy Uba, has rejected the results of the poll.
In the statement signed by the spokesperson of Senator Andy Uba Campaign Organisation, Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe, the PDP Candidate said he rejected the result of the Governorship election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Our popular candidate, Senator Andy Uba is a victim of widespread electoral fraud and manipulation by INEC in cohorts with the Willie Obiano Regime and the security forces deployed to oversee the Anambra State Governorship Election,” he said. The statement further noted that the elections were characterised by widespread irregularities, intimidation and voter suppression in order to clear the path for the inglorious ‘victory’ of APGA in the poll.
“in polling units where the Biometric Voters’ Accreditation System malfunctioned, INEC went ahead to conduct the elections manually. There were numerous cases where votes announced by INEC exceeded the number of accredited voters in polling units”.
“Another clear manifestation of collusion between the Obiano Administration and INEC was the publishing of results on the Social Media handles of APGA even before official announcement by INEC. Yet mysteriously, the votes announced in advance by APGA always corresponded correctly with the official figures released by INEC.”
“It is inconceivable that our candidate, who polled over 200,000 votes in the APC primary election would be allocated a slightly above 43,000 votes by INEC.
“It is surprising that APGA that lost almost 80% of its stalwarts through defection to the APC before the election came out ‘victorious’. A sitting APGA Deputy Governor, seven members of the House of Representatives, 10 members of the Anambra State House of Assembly, the APGA party’s member of Board of Trustees, many serving SA’s, SSA’s, in addition to a serving PDP Senator all defected to the APC very timely before the election, yet APGA emerged ‘victorious’. This is quite ridiculous!”“From all indications, the only people remaining in APGA at the timeof the election were Governor Obiano and his household and a few staff of the Government House as well as Prof. Soludo and his household but majority of the electorates in Anambra State have moved to the APC. There was definitely no way the carcass of APGA could have defeated the APC without the active collusion and manipulation by INEC and the Obiano Administration.
“What happened on November 6, 2021 fell far below the acceptable standard of a free and fair election and can best be described as an electoral fraud perpetrated by the INEC, Willie Obiano Administration and the security forces.
“We have noted that starting from the appointment of INEC Adhoc staff, who mostly came from Calabar, to the distribution of electoral materials and the retention of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, who supervised the second term election of Governor Obiano, it was crystal clear that the game plan was to overturn the popular wishes of the people of Anambra.” He concluded.
Ondo State governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Igbara Oke, headquarters of Ifedore Local Government Area of the state with immediate efect.
The imposition was sequel to the violent dimension of a peaceful protest in the town following the outcome of a councillorship bye-election.
In a statement issued on Thursday evening and signed by Richard Olatunde, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Akeredolu ordered all security agencies in the state to enforce the order.
The statement reads: “Ondo State governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, has ordered the imposition of a 24-hour curfew on Igbara-Oke, headquarters of Ifedore Local Government Area of the state. This order is with immediate effect.”
The development, according to the statement was sequel to the violent dimension of what was initially considered a peaceful protest in the town following the outcome of a councillorship bye-election.
While, urging security agencies to enforce thet oder, he enjoined traditional rulers, opinion leaders and all persons of goodwill to let peace reign in their wards, the statement added that non-compliance with this curfew order will not be tolerated.
14 suspets have been paraded by the Police Headquarters in Abuja over the invasion of the Abuja residence of a Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili.
Parading the suspects at the Force Headquarters Annex, Abuja, the Force Spokesman, Frank Mba, who described them as impostors and unknown to any of the security forces.
According to him,the 14 suspects and Seven other now at large conspired to raid the residence following information that the Supreme Court Justice was keeping a large sum of money in foreign currencies.
According to the Force PPRO, investigation disclosed that the act was perpetrated by a syndicate made up of characters from various fields of endeavours including Journalism, Law profession, a Clerk with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Military amongst others.
However, the Police commended the resistance put up by the security personnel attached to Odili’s residence for not allowing the suspects access to the building on the day of the incident, saying that it could been greatest embarrassment to the nation before the International community if the operation had succeeded.
The prime suspect, Lawrence Ajodo, who the FPPRO described as a fake Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), insisted that he was working for the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, but denied not being sent to forge the signatures and the documents that were recoverd from him.
“I work for Mallam Abubakar Malami as a consultant of recoveries. I was given 18 accounts to recover though Malami did not send me on this mission. But I am a banking expert with a speciality in finance and forensic.” the prime suspect said.
Mba disclosed that the prime suspect, Lawrence Ajodo, who claimed to be a Chief Supretiedent of Police, that led the illegal operation and purported to be operating under Asset Recovery Panel from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, was not an officer of the Nigeria Police Force but an impostor.
“ The Identity card he was parading was a forged one.”
“ The identity card he claimed to have been issued by the AGF, Mallam Abubakarkar Mallami, was also forged.”
Mba further disclosed that after succeeding in securing a search warrant from the court upon swearing an affidavit by one Ali Ibrahim, a member of the group who claimed that a huge sum of money in foreign currencies was being kept in the building, the syndicate thereafter contacted some operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), two soldiers from the
The Journalist paraded alongside the suspects, Stanley Nkwazema, who denied being a part of the syndicate, claimed that he was following a story lead on that fateful day as a result of an information on the given to him by one of the arrested lawyers that there was going to be a raid by an Asset Recovery Panel under the office of the AGF.
According to Mba, the syndicate however met a brick wall when the security operatives attached to the residence of Justice Odili put up resistance and demanded their true identities before they raised the alarm.
The FPPRO, said efforts were on to track down the fleeing members of the syndicate who included two military personnel.
He said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed.
Reacting via a statement issued by Bolaji Adebiyi, Managing Editor ThisDay Newspaper (Print and Digital), said the Suspect, Nkwazema, was a Sports Correspondent of the establishment, emphasizing that he resigned 15 years ago.
“However, occasionally, he, like hundreds of other readers of the newspaper, sends for publication articles and analyses and is usually obliged, a privilege THISDAY gives to some of its ex-staff. That does not in any way make him a staff and contributing Editor of THISDAY.”
“Since his resignation, THISDAY had at no time contracted Mr Nkwazema to investigate any story, and we know nothing of his alleged investigation of a story leading to the raid of the residence of Hon. Justice Odili.”
“The police authorities and the general public should, therefore, note that Mr Nkwazema, whatever may be his involvement in this matter, was not acting on behalf of THISDAY in any shape or form.”
In a swift reaction, the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), described the confessional statement credited to one of the suspects arrested for illegally invading the home of a Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili, as laughable.
The AGF through his special assistant on media and public relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, said his principal could not have descended so low to engage a quack for any job or assignment.
He said the AGF never hired any consultant to invade Justice Odili’s residence.
Dr. Gwandu, in a statement released on Thursday night said ”With all the competent, high level professionals and capable human resources available at the disposal of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, it only takes the imagination of the evil minds to assume or think that the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will descend so low to engaging a quack or fake police officer to serve as his consultant.
”This is a case of a drowning man scavenging for a dying partner.”
“We are happy to note that investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances and personalities behind the invasion and sponsored campaign of calumny against the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.”
”It is our desire and we hope that the investigation would also disclose those after the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,”
“Those dragging his personality, his name and his exalted office in the dirty politics of disrepute.”
“ This is an orchestrated attempt to stir unnecessary controversies and Public apprehension.”
”We asked the suspect to present documents of engagements where he worked as a consultant to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, whether in past or now.”
”Consultant for what? Which activity or assignment? When was he engaged? What were the terms of references for the alleged consultancy service? When was he engaged? Where was he engaged? Which worked has he executed for the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and the Ministry of Justice? For what duration? And for how much?”
”We boldly and unequivocally challenge the fake consultant/police officer to come out with answers or responses to these questions to the general public.” The statement added.
“Hours later, I put a call across to my security man on a different issue, upon which he made a remark that they have noticed body on the ground of the apartment
A witness in the murder trial against Chidinma Ojukwu, the 23-year-old alleged killer of Michael Usifo, the chief executive officer of Super TV, has narrated how different leads point to the defendant as the prime suspect.
Premium Times reports that Nkechi Mogbo, the witness, is the owner of the short-let apartment at 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, where Mr Usifo was murdered.
Ms Ojukwu and another defendant, Adedapo Quadri, were earlier arraigned on an eight-count charge at the Lagos High Court over the murder of Mr Usifo.
Mrs Mogbo, who was sworn on oath, was presented by Olayinka Adeyemi, the director of Public Prosecution, to assist in the murder trial.
She told the court that because she was new to the property business, she advertises her apartment on property websites like Airbnb for a short stay and have agents on the market that advertise for her.
“It is a self-serviced apartment, fully furnished with TV, DSTV subscription, internet, kitchen alliances, 24 hours power supply, and others.
“The only time we come to clean is just to take out trash, that happens every two or three days,” she said.
Mrs Mogbo said when clients get access through the agents or via the websites, they get direct access to her for booking and possible negotiation.
“On June 13, it was on a Sunday, I was at home. About 4 p.m., I got a phone call from a private number, the first I ignored and the second I picked up.
Then there was a lady who said she saw the apartment online and enquired as to whether we have the necessary facilities, which I responded yes.
“She said she would like to have a look at it and I said she could. She sent a message on WhatsApp with the picture of the apartment obviously indicating where she got it from. I sent her the address and she confirmed she would be on her way to the place.”
The apartment owner said she put a call through to the security, Abubakar, explaining that the lady would be coming to see the place.
Upon checking, the lady, who identified herself with the name ‘Jewel’, said she would take the apartment for three days.
“She asked for payment details, which I forwarded across to her, within a couple of minutes, she sent the proof of payment of N125,000.
It contained the initiator of the payment, Michael Usifo, from a GTB account, the time and date of the transaction, and my name as the recipient,” she said.
The owner said following the payment, the security man handed her the key to the apartment on the same day.
“Two days after, at about 5:30 p.m. – June 15, she was due to check out on June 16, I got a message from the lady that her friend would like to extend for three more days, and that he would be making the payment the next day, which would be on the 16th.
She said at 10 a.m. on June 16, she received a credit notification from the same GTBank account, confirming payment of N50, 000 for two additional days by the same Michael Usifo.
The murder
“Hours later, I put a call across to my security man on a different issue, upon which he made a remark that they had noticed a body on the ground of the said apartment.
She told the court she immediately started panicking but asked the whereabouts of the lady because the security man confirmed the deceased was a guy.
“He said she left the night before at about 7:30 to 8 p.m. and didn’t return. I got off the phone and tried to reach the lady. I put a call across to her but she cut the call, she then sent a message saying she was in a meeting. I didn’t want to alert her as to what I was aware of.
“I carried on saying thepayment which you sent in the morning, unfortunately, wasn’t credited, so can you make the payment again because I made a mistake to acknowledge receipt.
“She said she would reach her friend for him to make the payment.
Couple of minutes after, I got another initiation of payment for the same sum of N50, 000, from the same initiator, the person of Mr Michael.
“When she made the payment, I was already on my way to the property to get a proper understanding of what had happened, after which I went straight to the police station,” she narrated.
The apartment owner said she sent a message to the lady that she had received the initial N50, 000 which she claimed she didn’t receive, and that she had given the security man the cash of the extra N50 000, so she should pick it from him.
“I devised the means to lure her to come to the property, after the security had confirmed she left the day before. She sent a message that would like to use the N50, 000 for another two days.
Police Investigation
Mrs Mogbo further narrated that she filed a report at the Maroko police station, and police officers followed her back to the apartment to get photographs and a better understanding of what happened.
“I wrote a statement and left around 11 p.m. The police arranged for the body to be taken out to the morgue and took his personal items, car as evidence.”
She said she reported back to the police station the next morning, and they went to state CID, Yaba, where she met with the Deputy Commissioner of Police.
“I was made to write more statements and was detained for seven days, to assist with the case. During this time, I was interviewed, they collected different evidence.
“On the sixth night, I was called by the DCP to his office, there was a young lady present, two older ladies, and a couple of officers. He asked me if I could recognise the young lady and I said no.”
She said it was at that point she remembered she had a picture saved on her phone, and that she pulled out her phone and asked the lady if it was her, to which she confirmed yes.
“The security man, whom she was in contact with and always calling to put in the generator or pump the water said one day, she mistakenly called him with her number around 2:30 a.m., after which she hung up and called with a private number telling the security man to turn on the generator.
“During the investigation, the security man passed the phone number as a possible lead. He saved the number and was able to get the photograph used as the profile picture.
“During police investigation, when my phone record was printed, the same number also matched my incoming call number on Sunday 13th June, which the caller tried to hide, but couldn’t hide from the network providers,” she narrated.
The apartment owner told the court that the suspect, who has now been identified as Chidinma Ojukwu, avoided calling with her phone number as the Whatsapp chat history between them was with a foreign phone number, registered as an American number.
She told the court that she provided all the chats between them and sent to the police by email and also printed a copy while in custody.
Mrs Adeyemi, who led her in evidence, requested to tender the WhatsApp records as evidence in the matter. This was, however, met with objections from the lawyers to the defendants.
Objections
Onwuka Egwu, the lawyer to Ms Ojukwu, opposed the admissibility of the document as evidence in the matter.
“The document offends Section 102 subsection B of the Evidence Act. In her evidence, she went to the police to complain and during the investigation, records were printed from her phone.
This document has traversed from Maroko to Panti, to the DPP, by virtue of that movement, it has become a public document.
“It is not coming from her, it came from the custody. It is a document subject to certification for admissibility purpose,” he said, citing the case of FRN vs Danladi.
The lawyer to the second defendant, Babatunde Busari, also aligned himself to the position of the first defendant’s counsel
He said the document flouted section 84, subsection 2 of the Evidence Act as there was “no endorsement from the Commissioner for oath.”
The lawyer to the third defendant, A.O Odunsanya, said he had no objection to the documents being admitted as evidence.
Mrs Adesanya, from the DPP, further argued that the documents are relevant to the case and original to the witness because she printed the documents herself from her phone using the printer of the police.
In her ruling, the judge, Yetunde Adesanya, said the objections of the lawyers to the defendants failed and are accordingly overruled.
Mrs Adesanya said the Evidence Act was clear as to what a public document is and the documents before the court are owned by the witness, who was tendering them and not the police or the DPP.
She admitted the documents as exhibits E1.
The lawyer to the first defendant sought an adjournment to cross-examine the witness, saying Ms Ojukwu has not had the opportunity of looking at the documents as they received them on Tuesday in the open court.
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