Court acquits Femi Fani-Kayode of money laundering charges

A federal High court sitting in Lagos today discharged and acquitted former Aviation Minister Femi Fani Kayode of money laundering charges leveled against him by the EFCC.

Delivering her judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia,​ said the charges brought against Fani-Kayode was 'feeble' and EFCC failed to provide 'copious evidence' that linked him to money laundering.

Fani-Kayode's trial began in 2008 when he was accused of laundering about N100 million while he was minister of culture and tourism and later Aviation minister. The money was later reduced to N2.1million in Nov. 2014 after the court dismissed 38 of the 40-count charge leveled against him. Above is a photo of him during a prayer session by friends and family.

Exonerated Angola prisoner dies after nearly 30 years in solitary confinement

A man who was exonerated after spending nearly 30 years on death row in Louisiana died just over a year after his release. Glenn Ford died Monday June 29th after a battle with lung cancer. He was 65. 

Ford was convicted of first-degree murder in 1984 but was exonerated in March 2014.

Ford would have still been on death row if not for a confidential informant who told police in 2013 that someone else confessed to him about the murder that Ford was accused of committing.

Lawyer and friend William Most told ABC News Ford was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer several months after being released from the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Most said that it quickly progressed to stage 4 and spread to his bones.

"He was a really inspirational person and ... I'd even heard that he inspired people that had no connection to him," Most said.

Ford was featured on ABC News’ ”Nightline” in April and agreed to meet with the prosecutor who put him behind bars, who wrote an open apology letter after Ford was exonerated. But Ford said at the time that he was unable to forgive him.

When he left prison in 2014, Most said Ford, then 64, only had $20 to his name. He had been living in a home provided by Resurrection after Exoneration, a group dedicated to helping prison exonerees.

Ford was involved in three lawsuits at the time of his death, two federal suits for which Most was representing him and one state suit. The federal suits were for compensation for his wrongful imprisonment and inadequate health treatment, and the state suit was a separate compensation suit.

Though he never married, the suit will continue and his children could stand to benefit from any rewards from the court, Most said.

Ford had several children, many of whom live in California, and more than 10 grandchildren at the time of his death. Most said Ford was able to visit California since being released from prison and one of his sons came to Louisiana to see him before he died.

Though they were located in the same prison and overlapped by several decades, Ford was not a member of the Angola Three, a group of three prisoners who were put in solitary confinement ranging from 29 to 43 years.

Ford spent 29 years, three months and five days in solitary confinement in the prison, Most said in a news release confirming Ford's death

ABC News

Nigerian man jumps to his death during police chase in Malaysia (graphic photos)

A Nigerian man simply identified as Chinedu (pictured above) died this week after jumping from the 3rd floor of his apartment building at Mutari Sadangi in Malaysia as immigration/Malaysian police invaded his building. 

Chinedu, said to be from Ani Oma in Delta state, was rushed to the hospital after landing head first. He later died in hospital from internal injury. His friends sent in the photos so people can know what's happening to some Nigerians in the country. They sent photos of Chinedu after he'd been certified dead. 

Anxiety, Tears, As Lagos Shuts Down Ladipo Market

Ladipo Auto Parts Traders In Shock As Market Gets Shut Down Yesterday

LAGOS - It was frustration, anger and tears at the Ladipo Spare Parts Market yesterday as traders scampered to salvage the little wares they could find following the demolition of some of their shops and the eventual shutting of the market by “officials of Mushin local council.

The officials claimed that the exercise was to make way for “redevelopment.” When The Guardian visited the market, the entrance gate was sealed and the roof of the shops demolished, with a banner from the council, which was strapped to the gate, informing the traders that a developer would rebuild the section into an ultra-modern market.

Traders said yesterday morning that they met “hoodlums” vandalising the market with bulldozers escorted by policemen and SARS operatives. Others, who were visibly devastated, shed tears uncontrollably, saying that there was no prior notice from the authorities to vacate their shops for a redevelopment. Grieving over their loss, they cursed that this was not what they bargained for while casting their votes earlier in the year. Some said they have just paid their rents, the most recent being two days ago.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the market, Kanayo Okonkwo, said there was no notice to prepare the traders beforehand, adding, “as it stands, we are in raining season. If it rains, it will spoil all our goods. That would take us back to square one. “They didn’t tell us anything. I don’t know where they want us to go. We don’t have other shops. Assuming they gave us some kind of notice, we would know what to do, we came today to sell but found the a lock on the gate.” He added: “We want to know why they vandalised a section of the market.

If they have any issue within themselves, let them sort it out. We came here to look for daily bread, not to disturb anybody. If they really planned to develop the market, they should have at least informed us. “The governor of Lagos State should come to our aid. If they want us to leave, we will do that. But they should do what is right.” (Guardian)

Isis beheads two women in Syria for witchcraft

Islamic State beheaded two women over the weekend accused of witchcraft and working with elves in eastern Syria

The 2 women have become the first to be beheaded by Isis after being accused of witchcraft, sorcery and working with elves by the Islamic extremist group, according to reports emerging from eastern Syria.

The executions, for a supposed breach of sharia law, were carried out on Sunday and Monday respectively, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in Britain, said.

In separate executions, both women were put to death alongside their husbands in Deir ez-Zour province - the first in Deir ez-Zour city on Sunday, the second in Mayadin on Monday after being accused of using un-Islamic medicine by the extremist group.

The group says that this would be the first time the self-styled caliphate has killed women in this way.

Previous executions of women have involved stoning or firing squads, mostly for adultery.

The SOHR said this week in an audit of the year since the declaration of the ‘caliphate’ that Isis had executed 3,000 people in the past 12 months, 1,800 of them civilians, 86 of them women and 74 of them children.

Source: Daily Surge

Oshiomole replies Okonjo-Iweala, says 'I don't want to say she knows how to lie with statistics'

Edo state Governor Adams Oshiomhole has replied former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who yesterday denied allegations he made that she she spent N2.1 billion from the Excess Crude Account without authorization from members of the National Economic Council.

Speaking on Channels TV this morning, Governor Oshiomole said;

"I think with all due respect to former Minister Okonjo Iweala, she knows how to play around, I don't want to say lie with statistics. I have made this point that she keeps opening only parts of the pages and not the entire book. The logic of transparency is that the honorable minister must publish in full what is accruing to the federation account month to month and what is distributed to who?

What she has been publishing is what went to the Federal government, state government and Local government. What she has never published simultaneously is what is it that accrued during the period out of which this said some was distributed so we can net what is distributed from all that was collected so we can see what was left in the Excess Crude. Now you can see her changing the goal post. Okonjo was a member of the National Economic Council, I was a member and we have asked her and I am on record at asking her , don't give us verbal report on matters of federation account. Give us written report and the power to spend is not vested in Commissioners, she knows that. You look at the constitution and tell me what section gives the commissioners of finance presided over by the Finance Minister all not elected by Nigerians. The membership of NEC is clear-the governors chaired by the Vice President representing the President, the CBN governor and other federal relevant ministries such as the ministry of National Planning. How would she avoid this level of responsibility? When people are abusing governors today nobody is talking about Finance commissioners.Sometimes not even finance Minister. Why will she rather have the conversation with Commissioners of Finance and not the governors? So she has some explanation to do."he said

source: LIB

HAPPY NEW MONTH TO ALL MY READERS.

Welcome to the month of July to my faithful readers.

The 7th month and the beginning of the 2nd half of the year 2015. The number 7 is a symbol of COMPLETION and REST. You will rest from all struggles. Amen.
You will rest from any battles the enemy has brought your way. Amen. You will rest from anxiety and most of all may you find rest in Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God who has said..
."Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"...Matt.11:28. All that God has started in your lives, He'll complete, starting from this month.
All this I have declared in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Shalom (Peace)