Church recovers property after 99 years (Nation)
The Cathedral Church of St Jude Ebute Meta in the Diocese of Lagos Mainland Thursday recovered possession of a large expanse of land it leased to a Lebanese-owned firm G Ambrosini & Co, 99 years and 10 months ago.
The property, better known as Ambrosini Properties on No. 102 Borno Way, Ebute-Meta, Lagos, was returned to the church officials by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
AMCON had taken possession of the land sequel to a Federal High Court order, after buying a debt from the United Bank for Africa (UBA) as part of its debts recovery mandate.
Ambrosini, which signed the lease with the church on October 21, 1920 for a period of 99 years, transferred the lease to G. Cappa, on April 27, 1953, which in turn staked it as a guarantee for the UBA loan. Read more
75-year-old Lagos monarch, son arraigned for murder, armed robbery (Guardian)
A 75-year-old self-proclaimed traditional ruler of Oguntedu town in Satellite Town, Lagos, Lateef Olarinde, his son, Yusufu Lateef Olarinde, and three others were yesterday arraigned in court over alleged murder and armed robbery.
Others charged along with them for alleged multiple murders, armed robbery, illegal possession of fire arms and sundry crimes by the Lagos State police command are Sanni Olarinde, Kazeem Sadiku and Ayomide Babatunde.
Their arraignment, according to the police, followed the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mrs A.O. Adeyemi, that “a prime facie case of murder, armed robbery, grievous harm, unlawful of possession of fire arms were established against them.” Read more
Ekiti lady colludes with friend, fakes kidnap to extort money from parents (Punch)
The Police in Ekiti State have arrested a lady, Mary Idris, for allegedly faking her own kidnap on August 9, 2020, with a view to extorting money from her parents.
The state Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo, said the lady was “arrested alongside her accomplice, Victor Olawuse, in Akure, the Ondo State capital, where she had gone from Ekiti State to carry out the act.”
The commissioner, who was represented by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, during the parade of 18 suspects for various offences at the police headquarters, said Mary’s mother “came to our station and reported that her daughter, Mary Idris, left home on August 9, at about 4 pm and never returned.
“She said all efforts to reach her daughter via phone calls proved abortive. After a while, the younger sister of the suspect received a message through her phone that Mary had been kidnapped and demanded ransom to be paid to Access Bank Account number 11233209688. Read more
Stakeholders reject castration as measure against rape at WELA conference (Vanguard)
Director-General of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dame Julie Okah Donli, has rejected castration as punishment for rapists, saying the ideal penalty should be considered on a case by case basis.
She disclosed this during a webinar conference on gender-based violence organized by Women Empowerment and Legal Aid, WELA, a non-governmental organization, (NGO), in Lagos.
The convener of the programme and human rights activist, Funmi Falana who is also the founder of WELA, alongside other stakeholders who participated in the conference urged Nigerians to maintain a sustained momentum in the fight against rape, adding that rape and other related forms of gender-based violence should not be handled with levity. Read more
CAN rejects CAMA, urges Buhari to return law to National Assembly for amendment (Guardian)
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has rejected the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 that was recently assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
CAN describe the act as unacceptable, ungodly, reprehensible and an ill-wind that blows no one any good.
The association called on the Federal government to stop the implementation of the law until the religious institutions are exempted from it. Read more
Arotile: Kaduna court frees two suspects (Punch)
A Chief Magistrate Court 1 in Kaduna on Thursday set free two of the three suspected killers of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.
However, the first suspect, Nehemiah Adejor, who drove the car that killed the Air Force Officer, is to be charged for culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy in the State High Court.
When the case came up at the Magistrate Court 1 on Thursday, the prosecution counsel, Martins Leo, prayed the court to discharge the 2nd and 3rd suspects, as their investigation did not find them wanting. Read more
After lawyers outcry, NBA withdraws el-Rufai’s invite as speaker (Vanguard)
The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has resolved that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor,Nasir El-Rufai by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning committee be withdrawn and the decision communicated to the Governor.
The ongoing virtual NEC meeting of the NBA is the customary Pre-AGC NEC meeting and it will be the last of the Paul Usoro, SAN led NBA administration. Read more
Nigerian ballet dancer Anthony Mmesoma Madu gets scholarship following viral video (BBC)
Eleven-year-old Anthony Mmesoma Madu, Nigeria’s viral ballet dancer, has received multiple scholarships from around the world to pursue his passion.
One of those scholarships came from the prestigious Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in the US. Read more
Alexei Navalny: Russian opposition leader ‘poisoned’ (BBC)
Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny is unconscious in hospital suffering from suspected poisoning, his spokeswoman has said.
The anti-corruption campaigner fell ill during a flight and the plane made an emergency landing in Omsk, Kira Yarmysh said, adding that they suspected something had been mixed into his tea.
The Kremlin said that it wished Mr Navalny a “speedy recovery”.
Mr Navalny, 44, has been a staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin. Read more
Doctor in ICU with COVID-19 shares harrowing story (news.com.au)
A young doctor who spent days in a Melbourne intensive care unit with coronavirus has revealed the harrowing moment he realised he may not pull through.
Yianni Efstathiadis, 34, had spent months treating COVID-19 patients in the emergency department at Melbourne’s Northern Hospital when one day in July, he began to come down with some of the symptoms himself — muscle aches, lethargy, fever.
A test soon confirmed the worst: he had contracted COVID-19.
But unlike most young victims of the insidious virus, the fit and healthy doctor’s respiratory condition deteriorated quickly and he was hooked onto a ventilator for the fight of his life.
Now recovering from the virus, Dr Efstathiadis has shared his harrowing ordeal with ABC’s 7.30. Read more
Israel investigates alleged Eilat gang rape of teenager (BBC)
Police in Israel have launched an investigation into the alleged gang rape of a 16-year-old girl at a hotel in the southern resort town of Eilat.
Two people have been detained so far. One of the suspects said more than 30 men had sex with the girl, but denied rape, according to local media reports.
The men are accused of raping the teenager while she was intoxicated.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for those responsible to be “brought to justice”. Read more
Steve Bannon arrested, charged with fraud (news.com.au)
President Donald Trump’s former chief adviser Steve Bannon has been arrested and charged with defrauding hundreds of thousands of donors over a crowd-funding campaign to build a wall between the US and Mexico.
Bannon, 66, Brian Kolfage, 38, Andrew Badolato, 56, and Timothy Shea, 49, are alleged to have “funnelled hundreds of thousands of dollars” and profited from their role in the scheme according to the US Department of Justice.
The defendants were arrested on Thursday morning US-time. They area each charged with
one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Read more
High school student mase sexual advances during Zoom class (NYPost)
A frisky high school freshman in San Antonio turned a virtual art class into an unwanted peep show, pulling up his shirt and making sexual advances toward a teacher.
A Zoom class held by a female teacher Tuesday for more than a dozen students at Thomas Edison High School descended into chaos when at least one unidentified freshman exposed his chest during the session while saying he’d like to perform sex acts on her, KSAT reports.
“They were pulling their shirts off and saying like really disgusting stuff to the teacher, making her feel uncomfortable,” junior Eduardo Corpus told the station. Read more
Dad jailed for ‘sadistic’ disciplining of his kids (news.com.au)
A sadistic dad who forced his daughter to write “I am a liar, I’m a stealer” 1000 times as part of a brutal punishment has been jailed in the UK.
Shane O’Brien, 54, subjected his children to shocking physical discipline over a two-year period, including beatings, shaving their heads and pouring vinegar into their wounds, according to the Daily Mirror.
Mr O’Brien’s two children, who are now adults, told a court in Oxford the period between July 2014 and December 2016 left them feeling “less than an animal” and suffering from flashbacks.
Shane’s partner Denise O’Brien, 49, who turned a “blind eye” to the abuse was not sentenced to prison time. The pair both pleaded guilty to two counts of child cruelty and were sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday.
Prosecutor Alexandra Bull described the crimes as “physical abuse, sadistic punishment, emotional abuse and neglect”. Read more
Gerard Butler and Morgan Brown break up after 6 years of dating (PageSix)
It’s over for Gerard Butler and girlfriend Morgan Brown.
The longtime couple has broken up after six and a half years of dating, People reported Thursday. Butler, 50, and Brown, 49, were first spotted together in September 2014.
Butler’s rep didn’t immediately return Page Six’s request for comment. Read more
Buhari appoints ex-Super Eagles striker, Amokachi, SA sports (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed former Super Eagles striker, Daniel Amokachi, as a Special Assistant on Sports.
This was announced in a press statement by the Media Office of the Minister of Youth and Sports Development on Thursday.
The statement was titled, ‘PMB appoints Amokachi Special Assistant, Sports’, and signed by John Akanji, Special Adviser on media to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare.
The statement noted that Amokachi’s letter of appointment was issued on August 17, 2020 and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha. Read more
Benitez loses again in China as pressure grows (Guardian)
Rafael Benitez suffered another defeat in the Chinese Super League on Thursday to leave his Dalian Pro side bottom of their group and without a win this season in six games.
The former Real Madrid and Liverpool coach is under growing pressure after Dalian lost 3-2 to Shenzhen FC behind closed doors.
Former Napoli skipper Marek Hamsik and ex-Premier League striker Salomon Rondon scored in the second half as Dalian fought back from 2-0 down. Read more
Novak Djokovic says he felt a ‘responsibility’ to play 2020 US Open in New York (BBC)
Serbia’s world number one Novak Djokovic says one of the reasons he decided to play the US Open was to help the sport “keep going”.
Djokovic, 33, is in New York preparing for the Grand Slam event which takes place from 31 August in New York.
A number of players, including reigning champions Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu, have pulled out because of health and travel fears.
“I felt responsible as a top player to be here,” he told the New York Times.
“It’s important for our sport to keep going.” Read more
Everton target Allan and Doucoure for midfield rebuild (BBC)
Everton are in talks with Napoli over a deal for £30m-rated midfielder Allan and have renewed their interest in Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti managed Allan at Napoli and reports in Italy suggest the 29-year-old is set to reject interest from Atletico Madrid.
Doucoure, 27, wants to leave Watford after their Premier League relegation.
Ancelotti is determined to revamp Everton’s midfield after they struggled towards the end of last season. Read more
The ugly, expensive fallout after AFL star’s girlfriend broke into quarantine (NYPost)
Australian Rules Football star Elijah Taylor has been banned for the remainder of the 2020 season after he and 18-year-old girlfriend Lekahni Pearce violated COVID-19 protocols.
Last week, Pearce breached the Sydney Swans’ quarantine area to visit 19-year-old Taylor, allegedly jumping fences and crossing a golf course to reunite with her athlete beau. On Tuesday, Pearce apologized for the couple’s actions, calling their missteps “a really big mistake.”
“I am sorry for everything,” Pearce said, according to News.com.au.
Pearce, who also boasts over 3,000 Instagram followers, also dismissed claims she jumped fences to meet Taylor. Read more
Adama Traore: Wolves winger called up by Spain (BBC)
Wolves winger Adama Traore has been called up to the Spain squad for September’s Nations League fixtures against Germany and Ukraine.
The uncapped 24-year-old said in January that he was still undecided whether to play for Spain or Mali at international level.
He was called up by Spain in November, but had to withdraw with injury.
Barcelona’s teenage winger Ansu Fati and Manchester City duo Eric Garcia and Ferran Torres have also been called up. Read more
