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Prosecutors Oppose Releasing Search Evidence – Trump’s case

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Prosecutors Oppose Releasing Search Evidence - Trump's case

The US Department of Justice says releasing details about the warrant used to raid Donald Trump’s Florida home last week could cause “irreparable damage” to its investigation.

It wants to keep the affidavit, a court document showing the evidence required to obtain the warrant, under wraps.

FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago to find out if Mr Trump improperly handled government records when he left office.

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It was the first time an ex-president’s home was raided in a criminal probe.

Eleven sets of classified files were recovered from the search one week ago at the estate in Palm Beach, according to the warrant, which was released on Friday.

Now, several news organisations have applied to have the affidavit unsealed.

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But prosecutors said on Monday that such a move would “cause significant and irreparable damage to this ongoing criminal investigation”.

“If disclosed, the affidavit would serve as a roadmap to the government’s ongoing investigation, providing specific details about its direction and likely course, in a manner that is highly likely to compromise future investigative steps,” they wrote in a court filing.

They also said the affidavit must stay sealed because the inquiry involves “highly classified materials”.

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On Monday, Mr Trump said the FBI took three of his passports during the raid – a step that would ordinarily only be taken if investigators deemed a suspect a flight risk.

“This is an assault on a political opponent at a level never seen before in our Country. Third World!” Mr Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.

A law enforcement source later confirmed to CBS News – the BBC’s US partner – that passports belonging to Mr Trump had been taken by investigators on 8 August.

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In an email from the justice department to Mr Trump’s team, an official said: “We have learned that the filter agents seized three passports belonging to President Trump, two expired and one being his active diplomatic passport” – and that they had been made available for pickup on Monday.

US media reports suggest the passports have now been returned.

The FBI search has triggered an angry backlash from Trump allies, with many demanding the affidavit be publicly unveiled.

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Republican Senator Mike Rounds told NBC on Sunday: “The justice department should show that this was not just a fishing expedition, that they had due cause to go in and to do this, that they did exhaust all other means.”

Congressman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, told Fox News that 14 FBI agents had come forward to him to blow the whistle on purported politicisation at the justice department.

 

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READ ALSO: Expert advocates health insurance coverage for fertility treatments

 

Search warrants typically must be signed off by a judge, once prosecutors have demonstrated they have probable cause to believe a crime has been committed.

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The warrant used in the Trump raid was made public on Friday – a highly unusual move during a criminal investigation, which Attorney General Merrick Garland said was down to “substantial public interest”.

In Monday’s court filing, prosecutors cited threats against the FBI as another reason to keep the affidavit from public view.

“Information about witnesses is particularly sensitive given the high-profile nature of this matter and the risk that the revelation of witness identities would impact their willingness to co-operate with the investigation,” said the court filing.

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The FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a memo on Friday night to law enforcement around the country noting an “increase in violent threats posted on social media against federal officials”.

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Crime

Court remands 2 over alleged attempted murder

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Court discharges man accused of burning father’s house in Abuja

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, remanded two persons, Olaitan Fasasi and Kehinde Tobiloba in a correctional facility over alleged attempted murder.

Fasasi, 40, and Tobiloba, 26, whose addresses were not provided, are being charged with conspiracy, attempted murder and membership of a secret society.

The Magistrate, Mr L.A Owolabi, did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.

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Owolabi directed the police to forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

He thereafter adjourned the case until May 31 for mention.

The Prosecutor, Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendants committed the offences at about 5.02p.m on Feb. 15, at Mushin, Lagos.

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She said that Fasasi, Tobiloba and others now at large, attempted to commit murder by shooting at a resident, Alfred Ademola.

“They armed themselves with a locally made gun. They belong to Eiye Confraternity, a group proscribed by law,”, she said.

Ikhayere said that the offences contravened Sections 230(1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2012.

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He said that the actions of the defendants also contravened Section 2(3)(a)(b)(c)(d) of the unlawful societies and Cultism Law of Lagos State Law.

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Crime

Man jailed 3 months for stealing mobile phone

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An Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced one Jeptha John, to three months imprisonment for stealing a Redmi mobile phone valued at N165, 000.

The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced the John after he pleaded guilty to the offence.

The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine and N50, 000 restitution to the complainant.

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Bokkos said that if the convict defaulted in paying the restitution, three months should be added to his sentence to make it six months imprisonment.

Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Monday Dabit, told the court that the case was reported at the B Division Police Station, Jos, on Dec.  1, 2024, by Ms Nerat Danjuma.

He said that the complainant alleged that the defendant trespassed into her house and stole her mobile phone valued at N165, 000.

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The prosecutor further told the court that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code, Law of Northern Nigeria.

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Crime

Army apprehends 15 over suspected oil theft in Niger Delta

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Troops of the Nigerian army have apprehended no fewer than 15 persons over suspected oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta.

Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, the Spokesman, Nigerian Army, 6 Division, Port Harcourt, said in a statement on Monday that the operations were carried out in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers recently.

Danjuma said that the army apprehended 15 persons, dismantled 32 artisanal refineries and seized 14 boats during operations.

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He further said that during the operations, conducted between Jan. 6 and 12, the troops confiscated no fewer than 60,000 litres of various petroleum products

The spokesman said that the operations were part of a broader collaborative effort with other security agencies to combat oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

Danjuma said that the raid commenced in Bille, Degema Local Government Area, and Rivers, where soldiers dismantled seven illegal refining sites, confiscated 20,000 litres of crude oil, and destroyed two boats.

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“We also deactivated ten illegal refineries, several crude oil cooking pots, and receivers, and recovered about 19,000 litres of stolen petroleum products along the Imo River.

“In Odagwa, Etche, our troops intercepted three boats carrying about 12,000 litres of stolen crude oil and arrested three suspects in the process.

“Similar operations were carried out in Abiama, Asa, Obuzor, Okoloma, Ozaa, Ukwa, and Oyigbo” he added.

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He stated that the soldiers advanced to Nkisa in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers, where they confiscated 1,600 litres of crude oil and 1,200 litres adulterated diesel.

Danjuma said that along Ndoni Road, the troops intercepted a Toyota van transporting an estimated 1,200 litres of stolen condensate.

The spokesman said that in Buguma, Asari-Toru, Rivers, the troops dismantled two illegal refineries, seized 1,500 litres of stolen crude oil, and apprehended five suspects.

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“In Baberegbene, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa, our soldiers dismantled an illegal artisanal refinery and intercepted a wooden boat carrying no fewer than 1,500 litres of stolen

“Similarly, an illegal refining site containing an unquantified quantity of stolen petroleum products was deactivated in Emago-Kugbo and Oluasiri communities in Nembe, Bayelsa.

“The operations continued in Akwa Ibom and Delta, where troops maintained a strong presence and effectively denied economic saboteurs the liberty to operate,” he said.

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