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Two brothers bag 40 years jail term for killing Maltese journalist

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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“The courts are corrupt. Corrupt judges too… perhaps we’ll meet in hell.”

Two brothers bag 40 years jail term for killing Maltese journalist
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Crime

Police Foil Cult Initiation in Anambra, Arrest Six Suspects

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The Anambra State Police Command has foiled a cult initiation ceremony in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesperson for the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Awka.

According to Ikenga, the operation was carried out by police operatives around 9:30am on June 15, leading to the arrest of six suspects at the scene.

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Recovered during the raid were one Jojef pump action gun, two cartridges, and a golden-coloured Lexus SUV with registration number ATN 202 AE. Other items found include two cutlasses, two scissors, a cap bearing the inscription of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, charms, and substances suspected to be hard drugs.

“They are currently undergoing police interrogation to get more insight into their modus operandi, after which the case will be charged to court on the conclusion of the investigations,” Ikenga stated.

The police spokesperson reassured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to fighting cultism and other related crimes across the state.

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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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