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Wednesday, 26 February 2020

BAYELSA JUDGEMENT REVIEW APPLICATION: SUPREME COURT COMES DOWN HARD ON AFE BABALOLA AND OLANIPEKUN, EACH FINED N30M


CHIEF AFE BABALOLA (SAN)


The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, fined Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) and Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) N30 million each for agreeing to file an application for the review of the apex court’s judgment on Bayelsa election.

 Justice Amina Augie announced the fine while reading the judgment in the applications for a review of its February 13, 2020 judgment which overturned the All Progressives Congress’ victory in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State.

CHIEF WOLE OLANIPEKUN (SAN)

With tears in her eyes, the justice regretted that “very senior” lawyers were responsible for filing the applications.
Subsequently, the apex court awarded the costs of N10m to be personally paid by David Lyon’s lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), and APC’s lawyer, Olanipekun (SAN).


It ruled that each of the lawyers must pay the N10m to each of the three respondents – the Peoples Democratic Party, Governor Duoye Diri, and the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhruojakpo, bringing the total amount to be paid to N60 million.
She said the applications amounted to an invitation for the apex court to sit in appeal on its own judgment in violation of the Constitution.
A seven-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta described the applications filed by the APC and its governorship candidate at the poll, Lyon, as vexatious, frivolous, and constituted a gross abuse of court process.
Justice Augie held that it would amount to violating the finality of its judgment if the applications were granted.
She said granting the applications would open a floodgate for the review of decisions of the Supreme Court.

“There must be an end to litigation,” she said, adding, “the decision of the Supreme Court is final for ages in a matter” and only legislation could change it.


- THE PUNCH

Tuesday, 25 February 2020

ANOTHER NIGERIAN POLITICIAN JAILED- OLISA METUH GETS 7 YEARS SENTENCE





The Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria has found Chief Olisa Metuh, a former spokesman of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), guilty of money laundering.

Channels TV reports that Justice Okong Abang gave the judgement today, Tuesday the 25th of February. 2020 sentencing Chief Metuh to 7 years behind bars. In addition, he is to refund the sum of 375 million naira to the coffers of the Nigerian federal government.

Justice Okon Abang

He was found guilty of all seven counts charge of financial crime brought against him by the country's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

This judgement has further lent credence to the President Buhari led administration's anti -corruption crusade which has seen several high caliber convictions against Nigerians political elite. The most recent being the jailing of the former Governor of Abia State, South East Nigeria, and a serving senator, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu. But the main opposition is still of the opinion that the anti -corruption war is one sided and targeted at the opposition.

Chief Olisa Metuh