Edo teacher jailed for sexual assault

An Egor Magistrates’ Court, Benin, Edo State, on Wednesday sentenced a 47-year-old man, Rotimi Olayemi, to four years’ imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.

Olayemi, said to be an English teacher at the King of Kings College, had been arraigned on four counts bothering on sexual assault.

The prosecutor, Mrs. Osasu Ewemade, had told the court that the convict, Olayemi, committed the crime on May 26, 2014, in his office in the college.

The father of three was said to have invited the victim, a 13-year-old pupil of the school, to his office where he hugged, kissed and fondled her.

Ewemade had also said Olayemi put his hand in her private parts.

She said the offence contravened Section 360 of the Criminal Code, Cap 48, Vol. II, Law of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, as applicable in Edo.

The convict had  pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The presiding magistrate, Mrs. Igho Braimoh, found him guilty on all counts and sentenced him to one year in prison for each count.

Braimoh added that the prison terms would run concurrently.

The magistrate, however, gave an option of fine of N50,000 for each of the counts.

Edo teacher jailed for sexual assault

Man arraigned for armed robbery, defilement in Egor, Edo State

An Egor Magistrates’ Court sitting in Benin, Edo State, has ordered that one Osayi Francis be remanded in prison custody for alleged armed robbery, carnal knowledge and attempted rape of a 20-year-old girl.

Francis had been arraigned on a nine-count bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery and rape.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Sunday Lucky, had informed the court that the accused with others, now at large, committed the offence on September 26, 2015, at No. 9, Uwagboe Street, off Uwelu Road, in the state capital.

Lucky told the court that the accused had carnal knowledge of a 20-year-old girl and also attempted to rape one of his victims during the robbery operation.

He alleged that the accused stole a Galaxy phone worth N25,000 from one Peace Omogiator, a cash sum of N20,000 from one Mrs. Juliet Omoruyi.

He also said that the accused allegedly stole an Itel handset valued at N15,000, from one Kelvin Uyigue while a Nokia phone worth N4,500 was stolen from one Dorah Egharevba.

According to the prosecutor, the accused was armed with offensive weapons, such as a gun, cutlass and iron, during his operation.

He explained that the offence contravened sections 6 (b), 2 (1) (a), 2 (a), 516, 359 and 358 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R II, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and the Criminal Code Cap. 48, Vol. II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, as applicable in Edo.

But the plea of the accused person was not taken, as the presiding magistrate, Mrs. E. L. Igodan, said that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.

Igodan, therefore, ruled that the accused person’s case file should be sent to the Department of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

Man arraigned for armed robbery, defilement in Egor, Edo State

Photo News: NULGE Protest over not payment of salary in Edo

The Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has storm Egor Secretariat, to protest over government refusal to pay them for the past ten months.

Four days to Christmas, workers have not been paid for 9 to 10 months.

Photo News: NULGE Protest over not payment of salary in Edo

Edo Assembly approves suspension of Victor Enobakhare, 3 other LG chairmen

The Edo State House of Assembly has approved the suspension of four local government chairmen in the state.

Those affected and their respective councils are Osaro Obazee, Oredo; Victor Enobakhare, Egor; Roland Ibierutomwen, Orhiomwon and Emmanuel Momoh, Estako Central.

The suspension, which was announced on Friday,  followed a request by Governor Adams Oshiomhole in letter seeking legislative backing for the suspension of the LG bosses.

Edo State Tribunal

The lawmakers approved the letter and suspended the chairmen in the first instance, while instructing the respective Vice Chairmen to take over the affairs of the affected councils.

‎According to the letter, Oshiomhole listed non-payment of salaries without proper explanation; illegal employment, diversion of funds, lack of due process in the award of contracts and inability to account for internally generated revenue, as the reasons behind the suspension of the four council chairmen.

‎The letter, which was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, read, “Their suspension, which is for two months, is to pave the way for unhindered investigation into several allegations against the chairmen, which includes non-payment of staff salaries without satisfactory explanations, inability to account for internally generated revenue, diversion of funds, failure to follow due process in the award of contracts as well as illegal employment of senior officers without going through Local Government Service Commission, which is a violation of laid-down provisions.”

‎The governor noted that his letter was in line with relevant sections of the local government laws, as amended.

He stated that the suspension was necessary to enable a panel of inquiry to investigate the allegations levelled against the council chiefs.

Edo Assembly approves suspension of Victor Enobakhare, 3 other LG chairmen

Edo councillors lock out chairman over bailout loan

There was confusion at the secretariat of Egor Local Government Area of Edo State on Monday when some councillors locked out the council chairman, Mr. Victor Enobakhare, for allegedly failing to disclose the actual amount received as bailout fund from the state government.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government had approved over N3bn for Edo to cushion the effects of dwindling federal allocations.

It was, however, gathered that the protesting councillors also demanded to know what accrued to the council account as internally generated revenue.

They also demanded to know the actual cost of running the local government and the payment of outstanding salaries to workers.

According to sources, the councillors, whose identities could not be ascertained at the time of filing the report, barricaded the gate of the secretariat when Enobakhare tried to gain access into his office.

Efforts to reach the chairman on the phone were unsuccessful.

But the council secretary, Mr. Joshua Uwagboe, who confirmed the incident, however, described the action of the local government lawmakers as improper and based on misinformation.

Uwagboe, who said that he was unaware of the release of the funds, explained that while councillors had the right to information, they should have conducted themselves in a peaceful manner.

“They said they wanted the chairman to answer them. We believe that standing in front of the gate was not the right thing.

“They are lawmakers; if they want any information, they can invite the chairman. I do not think they have invited the chairman and he refused to answer.

“I believe that they were misinformed. There is peace now in the council secretariat,” he said.

Edo councillors lock out chairman over bailout loan

Two men arraign for raping 12-year-old girl in Egor, Edo State

The police in Edo State on Tuesday arraigned ‎two men before an Egor Magistrate’s Court for allegedly raping and assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Egor local government area of the state.

Names of the suspects were given as Festus Owie (20) and Blessing Ebiminor (21)‎.

They were arraigned on a three-count charge of defilement, rape and assault and the offence was committed on October 26, 2014 at‎ 46, First Oromina Street, off Siluko road, Benin City.

The offences contravene Sections 218 and 222 of the Criminal Code Cap 48, Vol II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, applicable in the state.

The charges read, ” That you, Festus Owie (aka Ebo) on or about October, ‎2014, at about 1200 hours at No. 46, First Oromina Street, off Siluko road, Benin City, in the Egor Magisterial district did unlawfully have sexual intercourse with one Beauty (surname withheld) aged 12 years, by inserting your penis into her vagina and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code Cap 48, Vol II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, as applicable in Edo State.

“That you, Blessing Ebiminor, on or about October, ‎2014, at about 1200 hours at No. 46, First Oromina Street, off Siluko road, Benin City, in the Egor Magisterial district, did indecently assault one Beauty (surname withheld) aged 12 years, against her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 222 of the Criminal Code Cap 48, Vol II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, as applicable in Edo State.

The suspects pleaded not guilty and the Presiding Magistrate, Igho Braimoh, insisted that the case must go on despite pleas that the first accused person has paid the victim the sum of N100,000 to withdraw the case.

Braimoh adjourned the case to October 19 for further hearing.

Two men arraign for raping 12-year-old girl in Egor, Edo State

Edo court arraigns man for alleged N48m fraud

A 32-year-old man, Abiodun Doyin, has been arraigned before an Egor Magistrate’s Court in Edo State for allegedly stealing the sum of N48million from a commercial bank in Benin, the state capital.

The police prosecutor ‎told the court that the accused, who was arraigned on seven counts bothering on forgery, committed the offence “on or about” the month of April, 2013, at the Uselu branch of Eco Bank Nigeria Plc.

He explained that Doyin, in company with others already charged to court,‎ forged a company identity card belonging to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company bearing the name “Oboite Jonathan Alele, which was used to defraud and facilitate a credit loan of N32million and N7 million from the bank.”

The accused and the other persons standing trial were also said to have forged the letterhead of the Edo Sports Council, Benin, with the intent to defraud and facilitate the credit loan from the bank.

They were also said to have stolen the sum of seven million Naira‎ and nine million Naira respectively, being the property of the bank.

The prosecutor said the offences were punishable under Sections 467 and 390 (5) (6)‎ of the Criminal Code Cap 48 Vol II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976, as applicable in Edo State.

Part of the charges read, “That you Abiodun Doyin (m) and others already charged to Egor Magistrate Court ‎Two, on or about the month of April, 2013, at Eco Bank Nigeria Plc, Uselu Branch, Benin City, in the Egor Magisterial district, with intent to defraud and facilitate a credit loan of N32 million, did forge the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company ID card bearing Oboite Jonathan Alele and, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Cap 48 Vol II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976, as applicable in Edo State.

“That you, Abiodun Doyin (m) and others already charged to Egor Magistrate Court ‎Two, on or about the month of April, 2013, at Eco Bank Nigeria Plc, Uselu Branch, Benin City, in the Egor Magisterial district, did‎ steal the sum of N32 million property of Eco Bank Nigeria Plc and, thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 390 (5) (6)‎ of the Criminal Code Cap 48 Vol II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976, as applicable in Edo State.‎”

The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

However, the presiding magistrate, Mr. William Aziegbemhin, granted him bail in the sum of three million Naira and a surety in like sum, who must be an employee in a recognised organisation.

He also adjourned the case to October 5, 2015, for further hearing.

Edo court arraigns man for alleged N48m fraud

Man arraigned for defiling minor in Edo

A 40-year old man, Johnbull Omoike, has been arraigned before an Egor Magistrate Court for allegedly defiling an eight-year old girl.

Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Sunday Lucky, told the court that the offence was committed at Uwelu Street in Egor local government area of the state.

Sergeant Sunday said the offence was punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal a Code.

Johnbull was said to have committed the offence at the residence of the victim’s father.

He was however granted bail in the sum of N200,000 or a surety in like sum who must be a level nine civil servant.

Presiding Magistrate, P.E Akhere, adjourned the case to September 9 for hearing.

Man arraigned for defiling minor in Edo