Edo High Court Judge Discontinues Theft Case Against Ex- NBA Secretary


































Edo High Court Judge Discontinues Theft Case Against Ex- NBA Secretary, Ogbankwa

Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin 

Wonder they say shall not cease as the theft case against Mr. Douglas Ogbankwa, the former Publicity Secretary of the Benin, Edo State branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has been discontinued by Justice Rachael Ogbevoen of a Benin, Edo High Court, following a letter by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), which signalled the government's intention to stop the case.

Mr. Ogbankwa and others at large were accused of damaging door keys belonging to one Sandra Palmer-Kelvin and stole a stabilizer belonging to her, also forcefully ejecting her from her matrimonial home in uptown Ugbor Road, Benin City.

The former publicity secretary, who was docked at Wednesday, September 24, 2025 seating was charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, forcible entry, willful damage, theft, forceful ejection, and aiding and abetting forceful ejection.

The NBA secretary equally pleaded not guilty to the offenses filed against him.

The offences contravened sections 412, 56(1), 353, 294(1) of the Criminal Law of Edo State 2022 and section 14(3) of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law of Edo State 2021.

Justice Rachael Ogbevoen justified the decision by the DPP to discontinue the case, noting that it fell under Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution, which gives the Attorney-General the power to discontinue a matter at any stage before judgment is delivered.

When the lawyer appeared before Justice Efe Ikponmwonba on March 28, 2024, his plea was not taken as one of the defense counsels, Mr. Emmanuel Usoh, passionately pleaded with the court to give his client more time to resolve the issues.

The prosecution counsel, Orobosa Okunbor, however, did not oppose the application.

Subsequently, Justice Ikponmwonba adjourned the case to July 6, 2024 for a settlement report.

More so, the case, which suffered several hiccups at the instance of the prosecution. was reassigned to Justice Williams Aziegbemhin.

It was a war of words between the accused and Justice Aziegbemhin when the case came up on April 2 this year as Mr. Ogbankwa had promptly protested the fresh charge, arguing that he had just been served the amended charge and couldn't take his plea.

Justice Aziegbemhin, also cautioned the Benin ex-NBA scribe not to turn the court into a marketplace.

The judge eventually excused himself from the case, and ordered that the case file be returned to the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, who reassigned it to Justice Ogbevoen.








Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bishop Of Auchi, Dunia Blames Edo Police For Death Of Seminarian

Image
Bishop Of Auchi, Dunia Blames Edo Police For Death Of Seminarian  By Editor  The Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Dunia has described as false a report which quoted him as blaming Edo State Government for not doing enough to effect the release of the abducted priest, Rev. Philip Ekweli and a seminarian, Andrew Peter, 21, who was reportedly murdered. The priest was released at about 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2025, close to Amughe village, a few kilometres from Okpekpe town, North Ibie in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, ending ten days of captivity in the hands of his abductors. He is now receiving appropriate medical attention. Speaking on his mobile phone from his base in Auchi, Bishop Dunia said that the state government did it very best in handling the crisis situation but however had harsh words for men of the Edo State Police Command, who he accused of bungling the rescue efforts. He said: "I never criticized Edo State ...
Read more

Return To Clay Vessels 'll Save Nigeria Billions In Healthcare, Says Don

Image
Return To Clay Vessels 'll Save Nigeria Billions In Healthcare, Says Don  BY Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin  Nigeria and Africa must return to the use of clay vessels for cooking, eating and drinking if the continent is to tackle rising public health challenges and reduce billions spent on disease treatment, a university don has said. Delivering the 134th Inaugural Lecture of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, Professor Emmanuel Eghe Egbon, a scholar of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, urged Nigerians to embrace clay as a multifunctional earth material that promotes healthier living and sustainable communities. The lecture, titled “Drinking and Eating with Clay Vessels, Renewed Hope: Dynamics of Multifunctional Earth Material," stressed that water stored in clay pots contains up to 200 times more oxygen than bottled water, which he described as “dead water” due to plastic storage and processing. “Drinking from earthen vessels improves digestion, prev...
Read more

Benue Village Names Cemetery After President Tinubu For Helping Killers’ Herders In Protest

Image
Benue Village Names Cemetery After President Tinubu For Helping Killers’ Herders In Protest  By Editor  YELWATA community in Benue State has erected a signpost reading “Tinubu Cemetery” in protest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s insensitivity for slumbering the community during his visit to the state capital, Makurdi. It would be recalled over 200 people were killed in the midnight attacks on the 14th of this month, which lasted for several hours without intervention from the nation’s docile security agencies. The signpost is a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, with residents demanding action and accountability for the government’s failure to protect its citizens. The protesters are citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” They are calling for the government to prioritize the safety and well-being of its citizens and bring...
Read more