Murder Charge: Court aquits Chidi Lloyd

Mr Chidi Lloyd, Majority Leader of the Rivers House of Assembly, was on Thursday discharged and acquitted by a High Court in Port Harcourt over the charge of attempted murder.
Justice Ledan Nyordee, who delivered the judgment, said there was nothing the court could do in the matter as the police was not willing to prosecute the case.
Lloyd was arrested and charged with attempted murder of Mr Michael Chinda, (PDP- Obio/Akpor 11) in the state legislature.
Lloyd was alleged to have hit Chinda on the head with a mace during a fight between the supporters of Gov. Chibuike Ameachi and anti-Amaechi legislators in July 2013.
NAN also recalls that the state legislative complex was closed down after the free-for-all.
The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice had written the court to inform it that the police did not send the case file to his office.
Justice Nyordee said the court was handicapped in the matter as the police was not willing to prosecute the case and cited the relevant section of the constitution to support the court’s decision.
NAN further recalls that the matter had suffered several adjournments due to the police “inability’’ to make the case file available the attorney-general.
Mr. Beluolisa Nwaofor (SAN), counsel to the accused person, told reporters that “my client is free as far as this matter is concerned.
“You will recall that the attorney-general and commissioner for justice had written the court to inform it that the police did not send the case file to his office,’’ Nwaofor said.

NJC suspends Rivers Chief Judge

 
The National Judicial Council (NJC) on Thursday announced the suspension of the Chief Judge of Rivers, Justice P.N.C. Agumagu.
This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the office of the Acting Director of Information, NJC, Mr Soji Oye.
It said that the Council took the decision at its emergency meeting on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Agumagu, a former president, Rivers Customary Court of Appeal, was sworn-in as substantive Chief Judge of the state on March 18.
The statement said Agumagu’s appointment did not comply with the provisions of Section 271 of the 1999 Constitution which stipulates that a state governor must appoint a Chief Judge “on the recommendations of the NJC’’.
According to the statement, the NJC did not recommend Justice Agumagu to the governor of Rivers for appointment as the state Chief Judge.
“The National Judicial Council did not at any time make any recommendation to the Governor of Rivers State that Justice P. N. C. Agumagu, President, Customary Court of Appeal, be appointed the substantive Chief Judge of Rivers State.
“That the National Judicial Council does not and will not recognise Justice P.N.C. Agumagu as the Chief Judge of Rivers State.
“The general public and all concerned in the matter, particularly the governor of Rivers, the state assembly and the judiciary, be notified and informed that the NJC will not deal with Agumagu as the Chief Judge of Rivers.
“In the meantime, Council in exercise of its powers under paragraph 21 (d) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, has suspended Justice P. N. C. Agumagu from office as a judicial officer with immediate effect,” the statement said.
The statement further said the NJC had directed that a query be issued to Agumagu to explain in writing within four days “why he should not be removed from office as a judicial officer.
This, according to the statement, “is due to his failure to abide by his oath of office to uphold the Constitution and Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’’.

Anambra tribunal rules in favour of Ngige

The Governorship Elections petitions tribunal sitting in Awka, Thursday ruled that Mr. Edwin Onoja from the Policy And legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) has the right to testify on the November 16, 17 and 30, 2013 Governorship election held in the state.
The ruling was reserved for Thursday by the tribunal chairman, Hon Justice Ishaq Bello after heated argument between the legal teams of both the petitioners and the respondents.
Delivering the 15 minute ruling, Bello said that the objection raised by Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu SAN counsel to Governor Willie Obiano and Patrick Ikwueto SAN for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) were misconceived.
The witness who was subpoenaed having been invited by the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cover the election through Nigeria Civil Society Election Situation Room (NCSESR) was halted by the opposition counsels when Senator Chris Ngige’s lead Counsel, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu SAN introduced him.
The reasons for Ikpeazu SAN and Ikwueto’s SAN objections stemmed from the fact that the reports sought to be tendered were not authored by the witness, and were not signed.
But Akeredolu SAN said that the admissibility of the documents was generally guided by three main entries firstly, whether the document was pleaded, whether it was relevant and whether the documents were admissible in law.
He said the petitioner had pleaded election observers including  (NCSESR), adding that they were going to rely on them noting that whatever report they bring was very relevant.
But Ikpeazu SAN and Ikwueto SAN maintained that the witness was not the author, adding that the author was one Clement Nwankwo who Ikwueto described as his friend and school mate.
However, when the argument lasted for so long, the tribunal chairman deferred the ruling till Thursday which he eventually ruled in favour of the petitioner.
Meanwhile, over eight other witnesses appeared before the tribunal including Anaekwe Kenneth who showed his voter’s card, showing that INEC registered them while their names did not appear on the voters register.

Mechanic in court over alleged assault

A mechanic, Tayo Adedeji, on Wednesday appeared before an Itire Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over alleged assault on a man who quarrelled with ladies.

Adedeji, 22, who resides at No. 27, Itire Road, Lagos, was charged with conspiracy and assault.

The Prosecutor, Insp Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the accused and others at large committed the offences on Feb. 13, at 11p.m. at Akanro St., Ilasamaja, Lagos.

He said the accused caused bodily injuries on Mr Lukman Busiriyu, who had asked some ladies to go out of a commercial bus.

Shonibare said the ladies had, after the clash with the complainant, brought the accused and three others to attack Busiriyu with broken bottles.

Shonibare submitted that some young men nearby apprehended the accused before he took off with others.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 409 and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Gbajumo, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case to April 8 for mention.