News
R. Kelly is back in court to answer to new allegations
Disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly, who is serving a 30-year sentence for sex offenses, is back in court this week facing further charges.
Jury selection began on Monday in the latest case, which is being tried in the 55-year-old´s hometown of Chicago.
Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was convicted in New York in September.
Also facing charges are Kelly´s former manager, Derrel McDavid, and an ex-employee, Milton “June” Brown. The trial is expected to last around four weeks.
As jury selection began, Kelly´s attorney Jennifer Bonjean filed a motion asking that anyone who watched a documentary called “Surviving R. Kelly” be disqualified from service.
Kelly also faces prosecution in two other state jurisdictions.
The jury of 12 regular members and six alternates was sworn in by U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber, who questioned more than 100 potential jurors on Monday and Tuesday, nearly half of whom he dismissed for “cause.”
The makeup of the regular jury is: Four white women, four Black women, two white men, and two Black men. They include a former attorney who is now a stay-at-home mom and a library worker who said she knew about the case from the headlines in the newspapers she puts on the shelf.
Another female juror, a retiree whose two children are lawyers, said during questioning that she’d never seen the high-profile docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly,” but that her brother had told her “If I watched (it) I’d probably get kicked off” the jury.
Many of those on the panel said they’d heard of Kelly and the accusations against him before, but could remain fair. Some even said they’d seen parts of “Surviving R. Kelly” but had formed no opinion about Kelly himself.
One of the Black women selected for the jury said she thinks she’d seen all 12 episodes of the series, but insisted it would not affect her ability to be fair — a comment that prompted some audible snickers from a few Kelly supporters watching from the courtroom gallery on Monday.
The final panel was selected after prosecutors and attorneys for Kelly and his two-co-defendants used their peremptory strikes to further pare down the jury pool.
Things got testy when Kelly’s lead attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, successfully challenged three of the prosecution’s strikes of Black jurors, alleging they were based solely on race.
She said prosecutors were displaying a pattern against Black jurors that was “quite disturbing,” though Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeannice Appenteng said they had reasons to remove the jurors unrelated to race.
On the flip side, nearly every single peremptory strike by the defense involving the regular jury makeup was of a white person — 12 in all. The defense also moved to strike one Asian woman and one Black woman. Prosecutors, however, did not raise any challenges based on that racial breakdown.
The panelists were sworn in just before 6 p.m.
“It’s been a long day,” Leinenweber said from the bench after jurors were excused for the night. “Have a nice evening. I’m going to have a martini in a short while.”
Kelly, 55, was charged with child pornography and obstruction of justice in a 2019 indictment alleging he conspired with others to rig his Cook County trial years ago by paying off a teenage girl whom he sexually assaulted on a now-infamous videotape.
Also facing trial are Kelly’s former business manager, Derrel McDavid, and another associate, Milton “June” Brown, who, according to the indictment, schemed to buy back incriminating sex tapes that had been taken from Kelly’s collection and hide years of alleged sexual abuse of underage girls.
The trial is expected to last about four weeks.
A total of 41 potential jurors were questioned Tuesday. Among those excused was a woman who suffered from a dizzy spell just as Leinenweber was asking her how long she had lived in her current address. Emergency responders were summoned to the building, and the woman was dismissed from jury duty.
Throughout the selection process, Leinenweber’s questions for each potential juror focused on what they might have seen or heard about Kelly in the news, and whether they’ve watched the Lifetime docuseries that detailed many of the sexual misconduct allegations that are part of the indictment.
Seated at the defense table, Kelly took an active part in the selection process, putting headphones on to listen to sidebar conversations and whispering often with his attorneys.
The singer also visibly reacted to many prospective jurors’ answers, including one woman, a retired teacher, who had him laughing out loud when she proudly said she’d filled out the questionnaire “all by myself.”
Attorneys for McDavid, meanwhile, filed a motion late Monday arguing that the indictment should be thrown out altogether, saying prosecutors waited an “inexcusable and unnecessary” amount of time to bring the charges.
In the decades since the alleged conduct occurred, the filing states, key witnesses who could help McDavid’s case have died. And important evidence related to Kelly’s 2008 trial in Cook County Circuit Court were destroyed after the standard seven years had passed, McDavid’s attorneys argue.
Federal authorities have known about the central videotape for years, and about at least one agreement to try to take back another incriminating tape, the filing alleges.
“(Prosecutors) did nothing while being fully aware (of) the allegations and possessing evidence for decades. As a result, they let substantial pieces of evidence get lost to time,” the filing states.
Leinenweber said Tuesday he would defer ruling on the request.
Potential jurors’ identities are being shielded from the public during the jury selection, and very little was revealed about them as Leinenweber asked each person to clarify answers they gave on a written questionnaire.
Business
Businesses count losses amid power outage in Bauchi, Gombe, and Jigawa
Business owners in Bauchi, Gombe and Jigawa are recording losses due to week-long blackout ocassioned by vandalism of the power transmission line in parts of northern Nigeria.
The sudden disruption in electricity supply in the past days, also affected essential services such as water, sanitation, street lighting and healthcare delivery as most hospitals have been operating without light.
Some of the affected businesses including shop keepers, millers and artisans, who spoke while reacting to a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), described the situation as “pathetic”.
The survey examined the perennial collapse of national grid and the need for alternative power supply in the country.
Rice millers in Gombe had decried the impact of the erratic power supply on their businesses.
A Miller, Musa Arab, at Nassarawo Industrial Layout in Gombe, said the trend was crippling their operations as they relied on electricity supply from the grid to process paddy.
He said the mills were not operational power outage as they could not afford exorbitant pump prices of petrol or diesel to run their machines.
This, he said, reduced the volume of rice supply to the market and posed serious challenge to food security.
“We must invest in power because it is the biggest determining factor for industries to thrive.
“I have over 20 workers in my mill, and we have 100 mini rice mills here, so you can imagine those who have no jobs for the past 10 days.
“Government must go tough on those responsible for the perennial grid collapse because some persons may be benefitting from it,” he said.
Also, Yusuf Ibrahim said the situation might trigger the already fragile inflation, as prices of local varieties would shot up ocassioned by the diminish supply.
He said that some had jerked up their charges to cover the expenses on diesel thereby affecting rice prices.
A check by NAN at the Gombe Main market showed that a 100 kilogramme of rice was sold for between N120,000 and N160,000, as against N110,000 and N150,000, before the blackout.
Mr Usman Sani, a rice dealer, attributed the hike in price to low supply of the produce to the market in spite of the number harvest recorded this cropping season.
He said the prices had decreased slightly at the onset of the harvest, however, it showed sprawling increase due to power outage.
“The price of rice is already dropping as a result of harvest but the trend reverse since the blackout in the past days “ he said.
Ugochukwu Daniel, a bartender in Bauchi, decried the epileptic power supply in the country, adding that lack of durable energy supply would retard Nigeria’s quest to attain social and economic greatness.
Daniel said that she spent much on fuel to run power generator for refrigrator and lightening the beer parlour, to enable her to keep the business running.
He said that businesses could only thrive in an enabling environment with stable electricity supply, to enhance wealth creation and reduce poverty among Nigerians.
“My trade is about chill drinks and it survives on electricity to operate otherwise you will out of bussiness.
“Without electricity there is nothing you can do, and not only business but about everything. We depend on it,” he said.
Similarly, Samuel Adamu, said the persistent power outage had forced him to patronised charcoal for ironing clothes in spite of its high cost and cumbersome processes.
He said that most cleaners in the area had resorted to fabricated iron charcoal in spite of hike in its prices which suddenly jumped from N5,000 to N15,000.
Adamu said the situation also encouraged division of labour in laundry to cut cost and make some gains.
“Presently, I do wash the cloth, and engage someone for ironing. The charge is N300 per set as against N150”.
While advocated development of renewable energies to enhance power supply in the country, Adamu urged security agencies to entensify efforts towards electrical installations in the country.
In the same vein; Mr Muhammad Adamu, Chairman, Jigawa State House Assembly Commitee on Power and Energy, said the Jigawa Electricity Law 2024, made sound provisions to improve power generation and distribution in the state.
This, he said, was an offshoot of the devaluation brought about by the 5th alteration of the constitution, where removed power from the executive legislative list and to the concurrent list.
“It empowered the state houses of assembly to enact laws on power.
“The committee has also carefully pursued the bill and reviewed its structure and the promise it holds for the state power sector, infrastructure and the overall economy of the state.
“The new law will pave way for the establishment of Jigawa Electricity Commission, to regulate the state’s electricity market,” he said.
According to Adamu, the law will protect residents and investors in the energy sector through ensuring prepaid meter installation and possibility of recouping investor’s funds as well as address vandalism.
“The law will lead to provision of reliable, affordable and sustainable power, essential for development of all sectors of the economy, particularly in rural areas,” Adamu said.
“Vandalism will be over because we pay Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) money for powered supplies, but whenever there is problem of damages or broken down transformers, it is either the communities or individuals that pay for the repairs”.
Headlines
Power Outage: Phone charging spots in Jos recording high patronage
Owing to the prolonged power outage in parts of Nigeria including Jos, phone charging spots in the town and environs have been recording high patronage.
The correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited some of the charging centres reports that residents were trooping in their numbers to charge their phones.
NAN reports that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), who attributed the fault in its 330KV Ugwaji-Apir transmission line, however, said that efforts were on top gear to fix the problem.
Most owners of such charging spots largely sell phones accessories.
Mr John Greg, whose charging spot is located at Tudun Wada community of Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau, said that the power outage had increased patronage.
‘’As you can see, I sell phone accessories and also charge phones for those who don’t have electricity at all.
‘’But with the current power outage affecting most states in the northern part, patronage has increased; I charge more than 700 phones daily.
‘’Before now, I charged each phone for N100, but since we also use generators and with the hike in price of fuel, we have also increased the price of our services to N200 per phone,’’ he said.
Greg explained that the hike in price of charging had not affected the level of patronage, insisting that his services were crucial particularly for phone users who can’t afford generators in their homes.
Also, Mr Sunday James, who owns a charging spot at Hwolshe community of Jos South LGA, said that he collects N150 per phone and power banks for his services.
James, who explained that he uses a generator to provide the service, said he attends to more than 600 customers daily.
‘’I am particularly not happy that this is happening in a country with abundant human and capital resources; a country that God has so blessed.
‘’But this is the situation we have found ourselves in and we are taking advantage of it to make money.
‘’This is not stealing or cheating, but providing services to those in need,’’he said.
James, however, said that the charging business required time and presence, and added that it had stopped him from attending to other businesses.
Headlines
NDLEA Hits Back at Senator Ashiru’s ‘Corruption’ Claims, Calls Allegations a Personal Vendetta
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has responded strongly to allegations made by Senator Oyelola Ashiru from Kwara South, labeling his recent attack on the agency’s integrity as a vendetta rather than an expression of public interest.
During a press briefing at its National Headquarters in Abuja, the NDLEA addressed Senator Ashiru’s claims that “the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency is corrupt and compromised…”
In a statement signed by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy for the NDLEA, the agency characterised Ashiru’s remarks as “unfortunate.”
Babafemi stated, “The NDLEA is compelled to call this press briefing today because of an unfortunate development earlier last week during plenary in the Nigerian Senate when some uncomplimentary, unfounded, defamatory remarks were made against the Agency.”
While acknowledging the Senate’s contributions toward national development, the NDLEA insisted it must respond to the senator’s comments made during discussions on a new bill for establishing the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation on October 15, 2024.
The agency expressed disappointment that after waiting a week for clarification from Ashiru, it felt compelled to set the record straight for the Senate, its partners, and the public.
Babafemi noted, “There is no doubt that setting up another agency is within the power of the Senate… Yet, for a member of the upper chamber to have made such an unfounded and unwarranted categorical statement against the Agency led us to look inward.”
The NDLEA alleges that Senator Ashiru’s attack is rooted in personal grievances linked to prior raids on his residence, where drugs and illicit substances were reportedly recovered, leading to the arrest of his aides.
Babafemi detailed, “Based on credible intelligence… the house was raided by our operatives at 1:30pm on February 4, 2024… two aides were arrested, while a third suspect escaped arrest.”
Despite Ashiru’s attempts to discredit the agency, the NDLEA highlighted its numerous achievements in combating drug trafficking and substance abuse, receiving international accolades and support.
“In the past three years, NDLEA has emerged as a regional leader among national drug law enforcement agencies,” Babafemi asserted.
The agency reiterated its commitment to continue dismantling illicit drug networks across the country, including those allegedly connected to the senator.
Babafemi concluded, “If Senator Ashiru has a personal grudge against NDLEA, it shouldn’t be cloaked as a matter of public concern.”
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