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Court reserves ruling in case against NLNG, former MD
A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has reserved ruling in a case of alleged obtaining by false pretence brought against the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), its former Managing Director, Mr. Tony Attah, and General Counsel, Akachukwu Nwokedi, till February 7, 2022.
Arguments commenced at the Magistrate Court, Port Harcourt, before her Lordship, Blessing Vick-Jumbo, in respect of the preliminary objection filed by the NLNG, Attah, and Nwokedi, regarding the criminal summons, issued against them by one of its vendors, Macobarb International Ltd and its Managing Director, Mr. Ogboru Shedrak, as complainants.
The preliminary objection, dated December 8, 2021, was supported with an affidavit and a further affidavit dated 8th and 20th December 2021 respectively.
Arguing the objection in court, Dr. Bayo Adaralegbe submitted that the complaint was based on a contract awarded by NLNG to the vendor, which NLNG terminated due to lack of performance.
The vendor had petitioned no fewer than 10 federal and state government agencies, characterising the dispute between the parties as one of breach of contract.
He submitted that the facts could not have given rise to the offence as obtaining by false pretence under the Criminal Code of Rivers State as alleged by the complaint.
But the counsel for the NLNG argued further that the complaint failed to satisfy Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Rivers State, which stipulated that there had to first be a police investigation before the court could deal with private prosecution.
He argued further that based on Section 92 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, the complaint was statute barred, having been filed outside the maximum six years permitted by law and urged the court to quash the charge.
Responding, Mr. M. Uzoma, who appeared for the complainants, argued that despite the objection, the court should proceed with prosecution.
An oil services firm, Macobarb International Limited and two others, had dragged the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited and two others – Attah and Nwokedi –before a Rivers State Magistrate Court over an alleged breach of contract.
It read: “Complaint has been made this day by Macobarb International Limited and Ogboru Shedrack, that you, Nigeria LNG Ltd, on the various dates inclusive the month of April, 2018 and December, 2020 and at various fora, inclusive in Bayelsa and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, of the above mentioned Magisterial District did.
“By way of false pretences, fraudulent tricks and misrepresentations ‘which you knew to be false working in conjunction with NIGERIA LNG LTD and Mr. Tony Attah, prompted the complainants to mobilise both equipment and personnel to the contract site at their expense on false representation that they would be paid on ‘work done’ as defined in your contract documents with monetary valuation of ‘work done’ assessed at various sums inclusive that of N32, 079, 723. 10, N33, 588, 401, 76 amongst other monetary sums incurred by the complainants and of which the complainants were tricked and not paid,”
But, an affidavit filed in support of its preliminary objection by Mr. Toochukwu Nwankwo, of the law firm of Babalakin and Co, on behalf of the defendants, said the counter affidavit deposed to by the 2nd Respondent, Ogboru Shedrack, was false and calculated to mislead the court.
The Kaduna State Water Services Regulatory Commission (KADWREC) says it is partnering media practitioners towards revamping water services in the state.
Mr Dogara Bashir, the Executive Chairman of KADWREC, disclosed this on Monday at a one-day workshop organised for media practitioners on regulation of ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ (WASH) activities held in Kaduna.
Bashir said the commission was aware of the importance of the role media practitioners played in the society.
He stated that the workshop was to provide an avenue to liaise with them as important stakeholders on water supply and sanitation services in the state.
Bashir said: “As media practitioners, we believe you are a gateway to the citizens so, the workshop would acquaint you with some of the regulations already in place so that you can in turn transmit it to the public
“The state of water services in Kaduna State is in dire need of attention and the State Water Corporation and KADWREC were established towards addressing the seeming challenges.
“The commission is mandated to ensure better service delivery and regulation of water and sanitation services in the State.
“The idea is that once the regulations are developed, we send them to the State Ministry of Justice to gazette and then we get the state government to endorse and give the go ahead to commence the implementation of the regulations
“We intend to implement them fully come January, 2025 God willing, as we have embarked on advocacy activities having gone to zones 1 and 2 where we talked to traditional rulers, security agencies and the Judiciary.”
He disclosed that a special Court has already been attached to the commission by the Chief Judge of the State for service providers who may likely violate regulations.
The chairman further said that amongst the commission’s objectives include ensuring security, reliability and quality of service in the production and delivery of water to the consumers as well making regulations to control the sinking of boreholes.
Others included; maximising access to water services by promoting and facilitating consumer connections to distribution systems in urban and rural areas.
According to Bashir, they also include ensuring that regulatory decision-making has regards to all the relevant health, safety, environmental and social legislation applying to the water sector.
Bashir further said that the commission collaborate with the relevant state and federal agencies on water policies.
The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.
Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.
They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.
He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.
He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Monday, sentenced a 37-year-old driver, Ahmad Umar to six months in imprisonment for attempting to steal a car.
The Magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos in his judgment, ordered the convict to pay an option of N30, 000 fine or spend six months in prison.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on Oct. 10, at the Area Command Police station through a distress call by one Sydney Peacemorie the complainant.
Gokwat said the complainant parked his Toyota RAV4 in front of Access Bank and went inside to carry out some transactions, only to return to find the convict inside his car.
“The convict unlawfully opened the car and was in the driver’s seat when the complainant raised alarm and he was apprehended, but his accomplice escaped.
“The convict was severely beaten by a mob but was rescued by the police,” said Gokwat.
“The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the Plateau Penal Code Law.
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