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Court Clears Ex-Minister Of Corruption Charge By EFCC

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Court Clears Ex-Minister Of Corruption Charge By EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has failed to link Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki and his co-defendants with alleged corruption.

This was the verdict of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday. The court discharged and acquitted them of money laundering charges.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling on the no-case submission filed by the defence, upheld the EFCC had failed to link Turaki and his co-defendants with the offences contained in the 16 counts.

He said that the prosecution could not establish a prima facie case against them.

READ ALSO: Judge Threatens To Strike Out N2.9b Money Laundering Charges Against Okorocha

While describing the 12 witnesses relied on by the EFCC as “tainted witnesses”, Justice Ekwo said that the defendants had dislodged all the evidence of the prosecution witnesses summoned in the matter during cross-examination.

The judge further noted that it was established during cross-examination that Turaki was not a signatory to the account of the ministry and did not authorise any payment or make any transfer of funds.

The court aligned with the argument that held the former minister was not a member of the Ministerial Tender Board and that there was no inflow of funds from the account of the ministry to Turaki’s company.

It was reported that the EFCC, in the 16 counts, had accused the ex-minister alongside his former Special Assistant, Sampson Okpetu, and two firms – Samtee Essentials Limited and Pasco Investment Limited, of money laundering charges involving about N854m.

The EFCC alleged that the ex-minister used the two companies: Samtee Essentials Limited, and Pasco Investment Limited – to perpetrate the alleged fraud while he was serving as the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, and during his stint as a supervisory minister under the Ministry of Labour.

Turaki presided over the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs from 2013 to 2015 and served as the Supervising Minister of Labour from 2014 to 2015 in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
NAN

 

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Stop Panic Buying, Fuel Subsidy Removal Not Immediate – Tinubu

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Why I Stopped Using Social Media - Tinubu
President Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the removal of subsidy would not be immediate and that they should stop panic buying of petroleum.

The president’s position was stated by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Media Centre.

In a statement, the centre urged the public to relax panic-buying that has ensued as a result of his speech.

The statement explained the development is neither new nor an action of his new administration.

The Tweet reads: “The public is advised to note that President Bola Tinubu’s declaration that “subsidy is gone” is neither a new development nor an action of his new administration.

“He was merely communicating the status quo, considering that the previous administration’s budget for fuel subsidy was planned and approved to last for only the first half of the year.

“Effectively, this means that by the end of June, the Federal Government will be without funds to continue the subsidy regime, translating to its termination.

“The panic-buying that has ensued as a result of the communication is needless; it will not take immediate effect.

“Furthermore, President Tinubu was clear about his plans to re-channel the funds previously devoted to the payment of subsidies into better investments that will cushion the effects of the removal on the general public, especially the poor of the poor. This includes but is not limited to investments in public infrastructure, education, healthcare and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions of Nigerians and increase their earning potential.”

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BREAKING: Court Okays Death Sentence For Hilton Hotel Owner Adedoyin For Murder Of OAU Student Adegoke

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Dr. Adedoyin

Dr Rahman Adedoyin, the owner of Hilton Hotel Ile-Ife, where Timothy Adegoke, an Obafemi Awolowo University postgraduate student was allegedly killed, will die by hanging.

This was the ruling of the Osun State Chief Judge, Justice Oyebola Ojo.

Earlier, the court found Adedoyin culpable of murder.

The Chief Judge in her judgement said the owner of the hotel and two of his workers, based on the circumstances of the case established by the prosecuting counsel, Femi Falana, SAN, are found culpable of conspiracy to commit murder, and unlawful killing of the deceased.

Adegoke had lodged in Hilton Hotels and Resorts at Ile-Ife upon his arrival from Abuja on November 5, 2021, to enable him to arrive early for his examination at the OAU Distance Learning Centre, Moro, Osun State, on November 6 and November 7, 2021.

He later went missing and was found dead buried in a grave following a police investigation of the hotel owner, Dr Rahman Adedoyin and its workers.

After Adegoke was declared missing, the police were invited and seven suspects were arrested after which an investigation commenced.

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Tinubu Names Dele Alake As Spokesman

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Dele Alake

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced Mr Dele Alake as his Presidential Spokesman. He also appointed his SA on Digital Media and the State Chief of Protocol.

Ambassador Victor Kunle Adeleke is the State Chief of Protocol (SCOP) to the President while Olusegun Dada is SA Digital Media.

This were the first set of appointments by President Tinubu as the 16th Commander-In-Chief of the Army Forces in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Dele Alake is a journalist and editor. He was a commissioner for information while Tinubu was a governor in Lagos State.

 

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