Apo Six - Judge Grants Last Adjournment

An Abuja High Court judge, Justice Ishaq Bello yesterday granted what he described as last adjournment in the trial of the six policemen accused of killing five traders and their female companion in Abuja in 2005.

Those standing trial for the killings are DCP. Danjuma Ibrahim, ASP Othman Abdulsalami (still at large), Corporals Nicholas Zacharia, Emmanuel Baba, Emmanuel Acheneje and Sadiq Salami.

They were alleged to have killed Ifeanyi Ozo, Chinedu Meniru, Isaac Ekene, Paulinus Ogbonna, Anthony Nwokike and Tina Arebun, while they were returning home from a night-out.

The deceased were between 21 and 25 years of age.

At the resumed hearing, Bello who adjourned the matter to July 6, said it was done at the instance of counsel to Acheneje, Malam Isa Ibrahim, in order for him to get all the records of proceedings to prepare for defence.

Ibrahim had asked for an adjournment to enable him get the record of proceedings and exhibits as he was just coming into the matter today.

He said that he needed time to also meet with his client.

Facing Acheneje in the dock, Bello warned Acheneje against any further stalling of the proceedings by his constant hiring and firing of counsel at will.

The judge, who did not hide his anger, warned the accused to stop the "hiring and firing" of counsel.

"Since this trial started in 2005, you have changed six counsel, the last one was Mr Olu Otitoju sent by the Legal Aid Council, whom you fired in January.

"This cannot continue, you cannot keep holding us back. We have to make progress. We are being watched by the public.

"Once we resume in July, the matter must continue untill it reaches its logical conclusion this year. So all counsel in thismatter take note," he warned.

The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Mamman Usman (SAN), who did not object to the application of Acheneje's counsel, said that he was ready to resume trial. Also counsel to Danjuma, Mr Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, and that of Zacharia, Malam Musa Tola did not object to the adjournment but counsel to Baba and Salami, Mr Anthony Agbolahan and Deborah Akor had prayed the court to take note of the attitude of hiring and firing of lawyers by Acheneje.

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Televangelist rapes 13 year old girl in church

A popular tele-evangelism Pastor of the Celestial Church of God (CCC) Deliverance Parish, Ajangbadi, Ojo Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos State, Isaac Adejumobi, is currently telling police detectives at the Lagos State Police Command Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, Yaba, all he knows about the rape and assault case for which he has been fingered. Police spokesperson in Lagos, Samuel Jinadu, who confirmed the arrest and detention of the "man of God" to LEADERSHIP in Lagos yesterday, added that the behaviour of the Pastor could only be described as animalistic.

He said, "it is pitiable and sympathetic what people who parade themselves as servants of God could do. No wonder therefore, God said judgment shall start from the temple. The action of the Pastor could only be described as animalistic."

It was gathered that the incident happened right inside the Church auditorium at about 7.30pm of penultimate Friday. "The girl's father who reported the incident to the Police, at Ajangbadi Police Station said that Friday is usually for all night prayer vigil. He stated further that, his daughter, (name witheld) was at the Church for the prayer meeting."

LEADERSHIP learnt that, it could not be explained why the girl should be in the Church at that time when the prayer meeting was scheduled to start at 12midnight. Though, the victim had told the Police that, she had earlier been informed by the Pastor that she should come early because there would be some special prayer for her as she is about starting her Junior Secondary School (JSS) examinations, which she obliged.

The Police said, it was between the period the girl arrived the Church for her supposed prayer session with the pastor, "that he pounced on her and deflowered her. I think it was the scream of the girl that alerted passers-by who decided to rush into the Church to find out what has gone wrong. It was a vulcanizer in front of the opposite building that noticed that blood was dripping down the legs of the victim."

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) stated that the randy Pastor would soon appear in court, "because the Police SCID at Panti, Yaba are compiling his case file and as soon as it is ready he would be taken to court for trial. He lamented the high incidence of rape cases in the State, since the beginning of this year and stressed that, the police authority was worried.

According to statistics made available to LEADERSHIP at the Police Headquarters, Ikeja, over 134 reported cases of rape has been recorded in the State since the beginning of this year.

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No Messi for Nigeria vs Argentina on June 1

Nigeria football enthusiasts looking forward to seeing top Argentine stars in action for the June International friendly against the Eagles, would have to settle for less as Argentina will field a B string team at the National Stadium Abuja.

The players chosen by coach Sergio Bastista for the June 1 cracker are mostly under-25 players based in Europe. They are been given the chance to prove themselves worthy being in the Argentine team for the Copa America. Some of the players are making their international debut.

The organisers of the international had made Nigerians fans believe that top performers like Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel D' Maria, Javier Mascherano, Carlos Tevez and others would be coming. However, according to Argentine Football officials they attach much importance to the game as it would help their players and their preparation for the Copa America.

On the other hand Eagles coach Samson Siasia stated that he was looking forward to the match. This is because in all his encounter with the Argentines he had been on the losing side as a player and a coach.

" It is going to be a very serious match and we need good preparation. It is going to be a big challenge and I like big challenges," Siasia said.

South Africa-based former international Mohammed Lawal noted that the match could be a dicey for the Eagles notwithstanding the calibre of players coming. He urged the Eagles to be focused on beating the Argentines not matter what team they are bringing.

" What is important is that we play to win no matter which team they bring. Because this will boost the confidence of the players."

Argentina Squad

Goalkeepers:

Oscar USTARI (Getafe)

Augustin MARCHESIN (Lanús)

Defenders:

Mateo MUSACCHIO (Villarreal)

Nicolas OTAMENDI (Porto)

Ezequiel GARAY (Real Madrid)

Pablo ZABALETA (Manchester City)

Marcos ANGELERI (Sunderland)

Federico FAZIO (Sevilla)

Emiliano INSUA (Galatasaray)

Midfielders:

Tino COSTA (Valencia)

Nicolas BERTOLO (Zaragoza)

Mario BOLATTI (Internacional)

Fernando BELLUSCHI (Porto)

Alejandro CABRAL (Legia Varsovia)

Diego PEROTTI (Sevilla)

Mauro FORMICA (Blackburn)

Strikers:

Pablo PIATTI (Almería)

Marco RUBEN (Villarreal)

Jonathan CRISTALDO (FC Metalist Kharkiv)

Nicolas GAITAN (Benfica)

Messi will be better than Maradona, Pele - Ardiles

World Cup winning player Osvaldo Ardiles has stated that Lionel Messi will be the best ever.

"I think there is only one player you can compare with Messi and that is Diego Maradona, and in many ways they are very similar."

"For some time I thought that Diego could never be surpassed, and nor could Pele, but no longer. I would now say that Messi will go down in history as the number one player of all time, the best that there ever was.

"The big difference is that Maradona played in Argentina, then in Italy, while Pele stayed in Brazil, and during their time the pressures were less intense than they are now.

"Messi is under pressure all the time, and has to play in incredibly high-intensity games all of the time, the Champions League being the perfect example.

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Man Kills Mother in Church

Tragedy struck in Benin City, the Edo State capital as a 29 year-old son of a pastor, Abraham Ovie ,brutally murdered his own mother inside a Pentecostal church located in Uselu part of the City.

Ovie, who was apprehended after committing the dastardly act by Police with the assistance of youths in the area, is currently cooling his heels in police custody.

The Edo Police Public Relation Officer(PPRO), Assistant Superintendent of Police(ASP) Peter Ogboi who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said men of the command were on top of the situation to unravel the puzzle behind the murder. The incident occurred at the Chapel of Glory International Church in Uselu area of Benin City.

Police say that Ovie whose arrest was influenced by the presence of his pair of shoes at the church compound located in Uselu area of the ancient city, had in the past reportedly accused his mother of hindering his prosperity.

It was gathered that Ovie, a Computer Technician was earlier arrested, detained and released on bail by the Police Area Command in the city, over these altercations with his mother, who appeared helpless in the absence of his father who pastors the church branch at Ozoro in Isoko South Local Government area of Delta from where they hail.

Sources said that the incident took place at about 2 am yesterday, after the youth tracked his aged mother to the Church where she had gone and locked herself in ,seeking refuge after several assaults by his son, who gained entrance into the church through the window after beating the men of the Vigilante group on the street.

The scream from his mother who he was mutilating with a broken plastic chair and repeated stabs to the face and other parts of her body attracted residents of the area who thought the Pastor of the church was conducting deliverance for one of his members.

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