An Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun on Monday sentenced a 35-year-old
man, Ojo Maruf, to one month in prison for stealing N55,000 worth of plantain.

Maruf was convicted after he pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of stealing, contrary to sections 383 and 390(9)
of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.

His Defence Counsel, Mrs Omoyeni Tosin, urged the magistrate to temper justice with mercy.

In her judgment, Magistrate A.A. Adebayo, held that the court took into account the fact that the convict was a first time offender.

Adebayo, who sentenced Maruf to one month jail term, however, gave him an option to pay N1000 fine.

He said “the sinner must not go unpunished; the sentence would serve as deterrent to others.”

The Prosecutor, Insp Sunday Osanyintuyi, had earlier told the court that Maruf committed the offence on July 17,
2020 around 12 p.m. at Oke-Ora village, near Ile-Ife.

Osanyintuyi said that the plantain belong to one Oladipupo Sunday

Nasarawa state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested a quack medical practitioner for allegedly killing a three-year-old girl through illegal blood transfusion.

Mohammed Mahmoud-Fari, state commandant of NSCDC paraded the 27 years-old suspect, Muddansir Idris at the state command in Lafia on Monday.

Mahmoud-Fari said the suspect was arrested from the Kofan-Sarkin-Power area of Lafia following report from the parents of the deceased on Friday, Jan. 31.

According to the commandant, the suspect had on the fateful day, transfused blood to the child at a medicine store in the area, which resulted to bleeding from all her body openings.

“Sensing danger, the suspect ran away and the baby was rushed to the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, where doctors tried frantically to save her life to no avail.

“We were able to trace and arrest the suspect and also seal the premises,” Mahmoud-Fari said.

He said investigation revealed that the suspect had no record of professional qualification to practice as a health personnel.

Mahmoud-Fari said the command was also on the trail of the blood donor, now at large.

The commandant said the suspect would be charged for culpable homicide as soon as investigation was concluded.

Meanwhile, the suspect claimed to be an environmental health officer currently studying at the School of Health Technology in Gboko, Benue state.

He told journalists that the child was brought his medicine store weak and pale, prompting him to transfuse blood.

He however, said there was complication during the process leading to the death of the child.

He expressed remorse over the incident and appealed for mercy, saying he had no intention of killing the child but trying to save her life.

Twelve out of the 1, 077 corps members that passed out on Thursday in Kwara are to repeat the service year for various offences committed during the service year.

NYSC State Coordinator in Kwara, Mrs Francisca Olaleye said this on Thursday during the low-key passing out ceremony at the state secretariat, Ilorin.

According to her, 10 corps members, who absconded from the national service, would repeat the entire service in accordance with the NYSC bye laws.

Olaleye also said that another two that committed various offences that violated the NYSC bye laws were to repeat the service ranging from three to six months.

According to the state coordinator, these punitive measures would serve as deterrent to other corps members.

Olaleye also commended three of the outgoing members, who were awarded with the various categories of NYSC Honours Award.

She said the three corps members distinguished themselves exceptionally while on national service and they were rewarded according to the NYSC Act.

The state coordinator, who extolled the good virtues of the outgoing corps members in the State, charged them to be worthy ambassadors of the scheme.

According to her, their virtues of discipline, hard work, patriotism and obedience exhibited while on national service, were worthy of special commendation.

Olaleye commended the corps members for the qualitative services rendered to the people of Kwara.

According to her, the corps members were leaving indelible footprints behind in the state, especially in the area of Community Development Service (CDS).

“The various CDS projects, initiated and executed by the outgoing corps members, have gone a very long way to complement the developmental efforts of the state government,” Olalelye added.

The state coordinator urged the outgoing corps members not to relent in their efforts, in exhibiting all the high moral values that helped them to achieve successes while on national service.

Apart from being worthy ambassadors of the NYSC scheme, the state coordinator urged them to always shun all those social vices that may easily jeopardize their success in life.

A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Wednesday, ordered that the immediate pastKwara Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu be remanded in EFCC custody for alleged N411 million laundering.

The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Banu, alongside Travel Messenger Company Limited and one Olarewaju Adeniyi, on a nine-count charge.

The presiding judge, Justice Babagana Ashigar, who made the order said the defendant was alleged to have conspired with others to launder the sum of N411 million belonging to the state government.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Olarewaju Adeniyi, Ademola Banu and Travel Messenger Limited between January to December 2018 conspired among yourselves to commit an offence,to wit, “Converted the sum of N411 million property of Kwara state government,  which sum you reasonably ought to know was derived from fraud.

“Thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.”

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in Court.

Counsel to EFCC,  Nnaemeka Omewa urged the court to remand the defendant in Correctional Facility, pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Defence Counsels  Gboyega Oyewole and Bamidele Ibironke however prayed the court to grant bail to their clients,  arguing that the offences in which the defendants are standing trial are bailable.

Prosecuting Counsel in opposing the bail applications of the defendant, filed a counter affidavit and urged the Judge not to accede to the request.

Justice Ashigar adjourned the ruling of the application until Feb.  10, and ordered the defendants to be remanded in EFCC custody.