Foreign

Presidential Aide in Court over Alleged £225,000 Bribe

By Web News 425

The Madagascan president’s chief-of-staff has been charged in the UK with seeking a bribe from a gem mining firm.

Romy Andrianarisoa and an associate are accused of offering the British firm Gemfields licences in Madagascar in return for around £225,000.

She and her associate, Philippe Tabuteau, have been charged with requesting, agreeing to receive or accepting a bribe.

Both were remanded in custody after a brief court appearance on Saturday,

Ms Andrianarisoa, 46, and French national Mr Tabuteau, 54, are also accused of trying to land a 5% equity stake in any Gemfields Madagascar projects, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The agency said that the pair were arrested in the Victoria area of central London on Thursday afternoon, at a meeting where they were suspected of having attempted to solicit a bribe.

Andy Kelly, the NCA’s head of international corruption, said: “I am grateful to Gemfields for bringing this matter to our attention and for their ongoing co-operation with the investigation.”

Ms Andrianarisoa and Mr Tabuteau appeared in court on Saturday and have both been remanded in custody to next appear at Southwark Crown Court on 8 September.

The NCA did not specify what licences the alleged offences related to.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Crime Judiciary

Ekweremadu, Wife Bag Jail Term in UK

By Web News 1173

The United Kingdom court has sentenced former Deputy Senate President of Nigeria, Ike Ekweremadu, to nine years and eight months in prison for an organ trafficking plot.

The court also sentenced his wife, Beatrice, to four years six months while the medical doctor who acted as a ‘middleman’ in the plot, Dr Obinna Obeta, was sentenced to 10 years and his medical license was also suspended.

According to reports, in March 2023 that the jury found they criminally conspired to bring a 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney.

The young man was said to have been falsely presented as Sonia’s cousin in a failed bid to persuade doctors to carry out an £80,000 private procedure at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

The young man was said to have been offered an illegal reward to become a donor for Sonia after kidney disease forced her to drop out of a master’s degree in film at Newcastle University.

Their conviction was the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act.

Details later…

Punch/Adebukola Aluko

Foreign

Man Jailed 20 Years for Murdering Wife

By Web News 607

A man has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years for killing his pregnant wife by pushing her 50ft off a cliff edge at an Edinburgh beauty spot.

29-year-old Kashif Anwar, killed 31-year-old Fawziyah Javed when she plunged from a rocky outcrop on Arthur’s Seat during a holiday in September 2021.

Fawziyah Javed died after falling on Arthur’s Seat. Arrows show where she fell from and where she landed

And as she lay dying on Arthur’s Seat, Fawziyah told a police officer that Anwar had pushed her as she had tried to end the relationship, but Anwar claimed he had slipped and bumped into his wife.

The jury at the High Court in Edinburgh rejected that defence and found him guilty of murdering Ms Javed, who was 17 weeks pregnant, and causing the death of her unborn child.

Fawziyah Javed told a police officer that Anwar had pushed her as she had tried to end their relationship

Judge Lord Beckett told him that his wife had been entitled to his protection and that he was guilty of a “wicked crime”.

He said: “You showed no remorse and made no attempt to save her.”

During a week-long trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, the jury heard Ms Javed’s mother say she believed her daughter was in a violent, coercive marriage.

Yasmin Javed said her daughter told her she planned to leave Anwar after a four-night mini-break to Edinburgh.

Anwar, a student optician, first met Ms Javed, an employment law solicitor, when she accompanied her mother to buy new glasses.

They began a relationship after meeting again soon after.

Her mother told the court that Anwar and his parents visited her family in November 2019 to express his desire to marry her daughter.

Ms Javed’s mother also said her daughter had told her she was contemplating leaving the relationship within a few months of marrying Anwar after they tied the knot on Christmas Day in 2020.

BBC/Maxwell Oyekunle

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Politics

Ariwoola, Tinubu Never Met in UK, President-Elect is in France – Ahmed Raji

By Web News 460

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Barrister Ahmed Raji has debunked a rumour that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kayode Ariwoola was sighted in the United Kingdom in a wheelchair, purportedly in a meeting with the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement in Ibadan, Mr Raji explained that Justice Ariwoola went to London on Saturday for his routine medical check-up and returned to Nigeria on Thursday morning.

Barrister Raji described the reports as false and capable of tarnishing the image of the judiciary.

“It is in the news since Tuesday evening that Tinubu was travelling to Europe for medical reasons as well as for lesser Hajj, further reports indicated that he is in France to meet with his medical doctor, why would somebody now link that to the CJN that has left Nigeria for the UK since Saturday to observe his own medical session and just came back today (Thursday) as a meeting?

“Our politicians need to allow due process to take control, election matters are in the law courts, but that does not mean that the law Lords will not live their normal lives as human beings, Tinubu is in France and the CJN was in London, where is the contact? he asked”

Also, a press statement issued by the Director, Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Bayo Onanuga on Thursday refuted the report of the clandestine meeting.

He claimed that the President-elect left Nigeria on Tuesday and had not been to London till Thursday when the CJN arrived in Nigeria.

PR/Oluwakayode Banjo

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Foreign

Police Slap UK PM with Fine for Seatbelt Violation

By Web News 688

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been fined for not wearing a seatbelt in a moving car while filming a social media video.

Lancashire Police said it had issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of a fixed penalty.

No 10 said Mr Sunak “fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised”, adding that he would pay the fine.

Passengers caught failing to wear a seat belt when one is available can be fined £100.

This can increase to £500 if the case goes to court.

The prime minister was in Lancashire when the video was filmed, during a trip across the north of England.

The video – to promote the government’s latest round of “levelling up” spending – was posted on Mr Sunak’s Instagram account.

It is the second time Mr Sunak has received a fixed penalty notice while in government.

Last April, he was fined along with Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie for breaking Covid lockdown rules – by attending a birthday gathering for the then-prime minister in Downing Street in June 2020.

‘Disregard for the rules’

Fixed penalty notices are a sanction for breaking the law, and mean a fine, which needs to be paid within 28 days, or contested.

If someone chooses to contest the fine, the police will then review the case and decide whether to withdraw the fine or take the matter to court.

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said in a tweet that Mr Sunak was a “total liability”.

A Labour Party spokesperson added: “Hapless Rishi Sunak’s levelling-up photo op has blown up in his face and turned him into a laughing stock.”

The Liberal Democrats said, in becoming the second ever serving prime minister to be fined by police, he had “shown the same disregard for the rules as Boris Johnson”.

Deputy Lib Dem leader Daisy Cooper said: “From party gate to seatbelt gate, these Conservative politicians are just taking the British people for fools.

“Whilst they continue to behave as though it’s one rule for them and another for everyone else, this fine is a reminder that the Conservatives eventually get their comeuppance.”

But Conservative MP for Blackpool South Scott Benton defended Mr Sunak, saying “everybody makes mistakes”.

Mr Benton said police should focus on “tackling serious crime in our communities”, adding: “Let’s keep this in proportion here. Every single year millions of Britons receive similar fixed penalty notices.”

Passengers aged 14 and over are responsible for ensuring they wear a seat belt in cars, vans and other goods vehicles if one is fitted. Drivers are responsible for passengers under 14.

Exemptions include having a doctor’s certificate for a medical reason or being in a vehicle used for police, fire or other rescue services.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Foreign

Organ Harvesting: Ex-Deputy Senate President, Wife, Arrested in London

By Web News 749

A former deputy president of the Nigerian Senate and his wife have been charged with conspiring to transport a boy to the UK in order to harvest organs.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, and his wife Beatrice Ekweremadu, 55, appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in west London on Thursday.

The Metropolitan Police of the United Kingdom said the 15-year-old alleged victim has been taken into care and that agencies were working to support him.

The defendants are accused of conspiracy to arrange and/or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

UK Prosecutor, Damla Ayas told the court: “In respect of these offences the Attorney General’s consent is required and the Crown require 14 days for that to be obtained.”

Ms Ayas told the court that most of the alleged offences took place in the UK.

The Ekweremadus, who were arrested two days ago, have been remanded in custody to appear at the same court on 7 July.

A University of Lincoln spokesman, where Senator Ekweremadu was recently made a visiting professor said: “We are deeply concerned about the nature of these allegations but as this is an active police investigation, we cannot comment further at this stage.”

An investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Team took place after detectives were alerted to potential modern-day slavery offences.

Organ-harvesting involves removing parts of the body, often for commercial gain and against the will of the victim.

BBC/Maxwell Oyekunle

Lifestyle

Covid-19: Nigerian High Commission In London Shuts Down

By Web News 545

The Nigeria High Commission In London will shut down for the next 10 days as part of precautionary protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This is contained in a statement issued by the commission after two officers tested positive for COVID-19.

The affected officers have gone on immediate isolation while those who tested negative to will be in isolation for the next 10 days in adherence to the rules and regulations of the host country.

The commission regrets any inconveniences that the sudden closure might cause and apologizes in advance to those who might be affected.

Maxwell Oyekunle/Micheal Ogundare

Transportation

UK’s Prosperity Fund Pledges Technical Support to Ogun Govt on Transport System

By Web News 615

United Kingdom’s Prosperity Fund has pledged to offer technical assistant to Ogun State Government in its efforts to put in place an efficient and sustainable transportation system.

Speaking at the presentation of the report of the Committee on Transportation at Governor’s office Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Head, Prosperity Fund Nigeria, Mrs  Martha Bostock, said the Fund would help to fast track  the socio-economic development of the state.

In his presentation, a transportation expert, Dr. George Banjo, who

said the transport sector would contribute to the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, called for the establishment of state transport authority.

On his part, Professor Olayinwole Solanke of the Department of Transportation, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, called for the restriction of motorcycles from major highways with dedicated lanes for trucks and heavy duty vehicles as part of safety measures.

Responding, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun gave the  assurance that the report of the committee would be fully implemented, adding that rapid bus transit would commence operation  soon in Mowe Ibafo area of the state.

Bolanle Adesida

Lifestyle

Covid-19: Family Announces Death of 1st Victim in Nigeria

By Web News 736

Our family is deeply saddened to inform you of the sudden death of our beloved Father, Uncle, Brother, and friend, Engineer Suleiman Achimugu.

The former Managing Director of Pipelines and Product Marketing Company of Nigeria, PPMC) died of COVID-19 on 22/03/2020 some days after he arrived in Nigeria from the United Kingdom.

He was in self-isolation upon his return from the UK and personally called the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, after experiencing some discomfort that are related to COVID-19 symptoms. 

He tested positive and was promptly evacuated to the specialist hospital and died while receiving treatment.

We implore the general public to pray upon his soul and the recovery of infected persons.

Your thoughts and prayers would be appreciated.

Please maintain the public social distancing and restriction advice as we all walk through this very difficult time.

He has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

May Allah SWA have mercy on him.

Ameen

Abubakar Achimugu for the family

Health

No “Confirmed” Case of Coronavirus in Oyo State – Commissioner

By Web News 774

Oyo state government says there is no confirmed case of outbreak of coronavirus in the state contrary to speculation making round.

Addressing journalists in Ibadan, Commissioner for Health, Dr Bashir Bello stated this while addressing journalists in Ibadan.

Dr Bello explained that an individual who just returned from the UK was self-isolation pointing out that the investigation was ongoing to run tests on samples collected from the individual at the National Reference Laboratory, LUTH, for Southwest.

On the outbreak in neighbouring states, Dr Bello said Oyo state Ministry of Health has activated surveillance system while the contact tracing was ongoing.

He said adequate resources had been deployed to all facilities in case of unforeseen circumstances. 

Dr Bello implored member of the pubic to remain calm and ensure strict compliance to hygiene practices of regular hand washing (with soap and running water or use of alcohol-based sanitizers) and observe good respiratory hygiene.

The commissioner equally implored individuals arriving Oyo State and other parts of Nigeria from countries with ongoing COVID-19 outbreak to notify the Ministry of Health on arrival, and undergo supervised self-isolation for at least fourteen days before moving around. 

Iyabo Adebisi