A Lagos Federal High Court today, convicted and sentenced two men, John Kanu, and Obinna Eze, to four years imprisonment, for conspiracy and unlawful possession of 839.4kg of pangolin scales and 145kg of elephant tusks.
Both Kanu and Eze were given the jail-term, by Justice Nicholas Oweibo, after the pleaded guilty to the charges made against them by the Federal Operation Unit, Zone A, of the Nigerian Customs Services, Lagos.
The two convicts were arraigned alongside Anthony Onyebuchi and Monday Nnamanni, in an amended charge marked FHC/L/123c/22.
The Convicts and the two men had pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were formerly arraigned before the court.
However, art the resumed hearing of the charge today, the two convicts informed the court of their intention to change their plea, which was granted by the court.
Following the new development, the presiding judge, ordered that the amended charge be ready to them.
The two convicts pleaded guilty to the charge, while Anthony Onyebuchi and Monday Nnamanni pleaded not guilty to the charges. when the charges were read to them.
With the convicts’ guilty plea, the prosecutors, Mr. David Ereh, Michael Osong and Abidemi Aluko, while reviewing the case of the charge, told the court that the convict’s and others on February 2, 2022, conspired among themselves to warehoused the prohibited items, at Adeba in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State.
The prosecutors told the court that the convicts’ actions contravened sections contravened sections 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Section 7(3) of the National Environmental (Protection of Endangered Species in International Trade) Regulations, 20n and punishable under section 7(4) of the same Regulations. And section 5(1) of the Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) (Amendment) Act, 2016 and punishable under section 5(1)(a) of the same Act.
The prosecutors urge the court to convict those that have pleaded guilty to the charges according to the sections of the laws that they were charges with. While also asked the court for trial date against those that pleaded not guilty.
But their lawyer, Mr. Chukwu Agwu, in his allucutor, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy, in sentencing his client.
Mr. Agwu told the court that the convicts are first term offenders, who did not have previous conviction record. And that the court should consider that the convicts did not waste precious time of the court.
In his judgment, Justice Oweibo sentenced the two convicts to two years each on count one and two, while pardoned them on count tree.
The judge has adjourned till September 28, for the trial of the remaining two defendants.
NICN President orders Labour Minister, Registrar Trade Union to register LOAN as trade union
From Adelanwa Bamgboye
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) presided over by the President of the Court, Justice B.B. Kanyip has delivered judgment allowing the Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) to be registered as a Trade Union in Nigeria.
The Court yesterday held that the Registrar of Trade Unions and the Minister of Labour and Productivity were wrong to have refused the registration of LOAN in 2012 as a Trade Union.
The plaintiffs are LOAN President Barrister Yusuf Abdulkareem Abdulkadir and Joseph Olodiami Jebba esq and 15 others on behalf of LOAN members nationwide while the defendants are the Minister of Labour, Registrar Trade Union, Attorney General of the Federation and the President of JUSUN.
The court held that refusal to register LOAN as a Trade Union by the Registrar of Trade Unions as well as the ratification of same by the Minister of Labour and Productivity were quashed and accordingly declared null and void.
The Court further held that Registrar of Trade Union and the Minister of Labour and Productivity should register Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) forthwith as a Trade union in the country.
According to stakeholders in the justice sector, the NICN President have by this judgment released Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) from bondage since 2012.
In the suit, the plaintiffs are asking for a
declaration that the Law Officers who are members of LOAN are employees in the Executive Arm of Government and are not in the same employment or organization with the Judiclary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) who are employees in the Judicial Arm of Government in Nigeria
According to LOAN, there |s no correlation between the Law Officers and the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and the latter cannot, in anyway whatsoever protect, represent and/or fight for the interest of the Law Officers.
LOAN therefore prayed for an order of Certiorari quashing the refusal of the Minister of Labour and Empioyment and/or the Registrar of Trade Unions to register the Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) and consequently declare same unconstitutional, unjustifiable and therefore, null and void.
As well as an order directing the Registrar of Trade Unions to register the LOAN as a Trade Union having fulfilled all the prerequisite.
