Crime
Two brothers bag 40 years jail term for killing Maltese journalist
Two brothers accused of murdering Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia were sentenced to 40 years in prison on Friday after they dramatically admitted to the crime hours after their trial began.
The accused, George Degiorgio, 59, and Alfred Degiorgio, 57, pleaded guilty to six major charges, including willful homicide and detonating an explosive with intent to kill.
The two brothers switched their plea just hours after a nine-person jury had been sworn in to hear the case, and did so without explanation.
They had previously refused to cooperate with investigators and have spent almost five years behind bars since they were first arrested in December 2017.
Galizia was blown up in her car as she was driving away from her family home in October 2017.
The bomb was placed under the driver’s seat and sent her body parts flying “everywhere when the bomb exploded”, a court heard.
A third man who was also charged alongside the Degiorgio brothers, Vincent Muscat, pleaded guilty to charges in February 2021, he was given a 15-year prison sentence.
Prosecutors alleged that the trio was hired by a top Maltese businessman, Yorgen Fenech, who had ties to the government of former prime minister Joseph Muscat.
At the time of her murder, Galizia was investigating a data leak of documents related to a project Fenech was a shareholder in, her son has testified.
Fenech, who is coming before the courts separately, denies all charges.
The brothers had unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a pardon in exchange for naming bigger alleged conspirators, including a former minister whose identity hasn’t been revealed.
They also sought to have the trial postponed after their lawyer resigned from the case in August and they were unable to find a replacement.
Alfred Degiorgio went on a hunger strike, saying he was being denied fair representation.
However, that attempt failed, and on Friday George Degiorgio launched into a tirade before the court hearing began.
“You know who killed Daphne. Those who were rubbing shoulders with you,” he told prosecutors.
“The courts are corrupt. Corrupt judges too… perhaps we’ll meet in hell.”
Two brothers bag 40 years jail term for killing Maltese journalist
Crime
Trader bags 9 months jail term for attempted theft
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Monday sentenced a 20-year-old trader, Darwang Chung, to nine months in prison for attempted theft.
Chung, who resides at Gyel in Jos South, pleaded guilty to the one count charge of attempted theft.
The Magistrate, Mr Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos, in his judgement, gave the convict an option of N30,000 fine, or to risk six months in prison and a compensation of N15,000 or another 3 months in prison in default.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Labaran Ahmed, told the court that the case was reported on Oct. 6, at the”B” Division Police Station by one Yohanna Dalyop, the complainant.
Ahmed said the convict jumped over the fence into the house of the complainant and was caught.
He said that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code Law.
Crime
Special Fraud Unit arraigns suspect for cybercrime
The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Police, on Tuesday arraigned a defendant before a Federal High Court in Lagos, over alleged unlawful interception of digital infrastructure.
The defendant, Ayodeji Oyenekan, was charged before Justice A. Aluko, on a three-count charge bordering on cybercrime.
He, however. pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Mr M. Y. Bello, told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in February 2022.
He, alleged that the defendant intentionally and without authorisation, intercepted digital infrastructure server hosted by Amazon Web Services, property of Meplaylist Classic Entertainment.
According to the prosecution, the defendant caused the said Meplaylist Classic Entertainment Ltd. loss of property, by altering Amazon Web services, which restricted the rightful owner access to its server.
He alleged that the defendant inputted his email address ayodeji.oye@meplaylist.com, and allegedly built a mobility startup called Hellobikee, for purposes of conferring economic benefits to himself.
The defendant was also alleged to have fraudulently made use of the electronic unique identification feature of Meplaylist, through his email, for purposes of conferring economic benefits to himself.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 12(1), 16(1), and 22(2)(a) of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
The court granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum.
The court held that the defendant shall remain in the correctional facility, pending perfection of all conditions of bail as spelt out by the court.
He adjourned the case until Jan. 21, 2025, for trial.
Crime
Security guard docked for allegedly stealing N10m cocoa beans
A security guard, Hamodu Shaibu, 25, on Tuesday, was brought before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N10 million cocoa beans.
The defendant, whose address was not provided, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.
The Prosecutor, Insp Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendant and others at large committed the offence sometime between March and Oct. 14, in Ilumoba-Ekiti.
Oriyomi alleged that Shaibu stole the cocoa beans valued at N10 million belonging to Mr Olubodun Arinde, a cocoa merchant.
The prosecutor said that the defendant, who was a security guard at the cocoa warehouse, had been tampering with the cocoa beans, until he was eventually caught.
According to him, the offence contravened Section 302(1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
He urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him study the file and assemble his witnesses.
Defence Counsel, Mr Ademola Richard, urged the court to grant the defendant bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abayomi Adeosun, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1.5 million with two sureties in like sum.
He adjourned the case till Nov. 19 for hearing.
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