• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • Mohammed Idris Malagi, Honorable Minister of Information and National Orientation

      FG Reaffirms Non-Interference in ICPC, EFCC Operations

      ICPC Secures Conviction of Rector for Running Unaccredited Degree Programmes

      Engr Abba Babagana Dalori

      Engr Dalori Forfeits Galaxy Hospital, Petrol Station, Properties & Cash

      Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Customs, Defence Bureau Unveil Airboat for Smuggling War

      Customs Begins Live Operations of Automated Excise Register System

      Still on the “National Single Window” Project By Abdulsalam Mahmud

      Minister of Finance Wale Edun and the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi decorating OP Olaniyan

      Customs Generates N3.7trn in H1 2025 as FG Targets Enhanced Private…

      Customs Gets 4 New Deputy Comptrollers-General, 12 ACGs, Promotes 3,312 Officers

  • National
    • Customs Board Approves $300 Duty-Free Limit for Imports to Boost Commerce

      ICPC, State Information Chiefs Forge New Alliance to Combat Grassroots Corruption

      ARASE! I Will Forever Cherish your Kindness and Love -Good Night…

      Founder Image Merchant Promotion Ltd, Yushau Shuaib, Nigeria Customs CG, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the IPRA representative during the 2024 GWA awards in Belgrade, Serbia

      Again, ​IPRA Shortlists Nigeria Customs, IMPR for Golden World Awards, Celebrates…

      Army Neutralize Notorious Bandit Leader, Others, Rescue Victims, Recover Weapons in…

    • Government
      • ICPC, State Information Chiefs Forge New Alliance to Combat Grassroots Corruption

        Shettima Condemns Borno Attack, Assures Perpetrators Won’t Escape Justice

        ​DSS Demands Retraction, Apology from Sowore Over Comments on Tinubu

        JUST IN: NNPP Expels Reps Member Abdulmumin Jibrin Days After Visiting…

        Ganduje: A Lifetime of Service Beyond Politics By Garba Yusuf Abubakar

  • Security
    • CP Ajao Saka Adewale

      FCT Police Warn Residents Against Bribing Traffic Officers

      Customs Board Approves $300 Duty-Free Limit for Imports to Boost Commerce

      ​DSS Demands Retraction, Apology from Sowore Over Comments on Tinubu

      A Group of Terrorists/Bandits

      Borno Village Attack Leaves Dozens Dead, UN Condemns Violence

      NDLEA Logo

      NDLEA Busts Drug Cartel, Arrests Kingpins, Seizes N6.4bn Worth of Narcotics

  • Features
    • PRNigeria logo fearured image

      Recollecting a Media Dialogue on Words and Extremism in Abuja

      ARASE! I Will Forever Cherish your Kindness and Love -Good Night…

      The road accident scene

      Nigeria’s Deadly Roads and the Menace of Trailer Accidents, By…

      Ganduje: A Lifetime of Service Beyond Politics By Garba Yusuf Abubakar

      ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi

      DCP Olumuyiwa Adejobi: The Spokesperson Who Redefined Police Communication

  • State
    • CP Ajao Saka Adewale

      FCT Police Warn Residents Against Bribing Traffic Officers

      A Group of Terrorists/Bandits

      Borno Village Attack Leaves Dozens Dead, UN Condemns Violence

      NDLEA Logo

      NDLEA Busts Drug Cartel, Arrests Kingpins, Seizes N6.4bn Worth of Narcotics

      PHOTOS: BUK Alumni Association Launches Digital Hub to Unite Global Graduates,…

      Military troops

      Army Neutralise Scores of Bandits as 8 Security Guards Killed in…

  • Event
    • PHOTOS: BUK Alumni Association Launches Digital Hub to Unite Global Graduates,…

      Founder Image Merchant Promotion Ltd, Yushau Shuaib, Nigeria Customs CG, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the IPRA representative during the 2024 GWA awards in Belgrade, Serbia

      Again, ​IPRA Shortlists Nigeria Customs, IMPR for Golden World Awards, Celebrates…

      BUKAA Announces 2025 AGM at BUK New Campus: Join In-Person or…

      Vice President Kashim Shettima and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

      Shettima at 59: Tinubu Hails VP’s Loyalty, Commitment to Service

      Erasmus Ikhide damaged Vehicle and Dangote Cement Truck

      Erasmus Ikhide Narrowly Escapes Death in Collision with Dangote Truck

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home Anti-Corruption Judge Accepts EFCC’s Apology on Media Trial, Lifts Embargo on Ashinze’s Case
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Security

Judge Accepts EFCC’s Apology on Media Trial, Lifts Embargo on Ashinze’s Case

By
Prnigeria
-
May 4, 2017
Colonel Nicholas Ashinze
Colonel Nicholas Ashinze

Colonel Nicholas Ashinze
Colonel Nicholas Ashinze

Judge Accepts EFCC’s Apology on Media Trial, Lifts Embargo on Ashinze’s Case

Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja has lifted the embargo placed on hearing of criminal cases brought before him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over false dissemination of court proceedings by the commission.

The judge who had refused to entertain cases from anti-graft agencies accepted the apologies tendered by EFCC for misleading the general public in the trial of a case involving a serving Army Colonel Nicholas Ashinze and four others.

The EFCC through its counsel Mr. Ufem Uket promised the judge that his client will learn lesson and will no longer subject defendants in its cases to media trial any longer.

Before the apology was taken, EFCC had tendered newspaper publications where the offending EFCC press statements were refuted as directed by the court.

Also Vanguard Newspaper Editor and the Judiciary Reporter summoned in respect of the offending publication were let go following their defence that their report was based on a press statement issued by one Mr. Wilson Uwujare on behalf of EFCC.

Uwujare who is the head, media and publicity department in the EFCC had in a statement claimed that the serving colonel Ashinze had been indicted over a N36.8bn public fund diversion whereas, the defendant was charged with N1.5B public fund diversion.

The offending press release also referred to Ashinze as a Retired Colonel.

Following the acceptance of the apology, Justice Kolawole agreed to resume the trial of the case but warned the media and the EFCC to always report court proceedings accurately and to avoid unnecessary sensation in the interest of justice.

The Judge warned that extra caution must be observed by the media and EFCC so as not to pollute the mind of the general public on pending trials against the defendants.

Read Also:

  • FCT Police Warn Residents Against Bribing Traffic Officers
  • Customs Board Approves $300 Duty-Free Limit for Imports to Boost Commerce
  • NAF Establishes Forensic, Digital Crime Lab to Tackle Insecurity

Justice Kolawole had at the last adjourned date insisted that the trial of Colonel Nicholas Ashinze, a former aide to Colonel Sambo Dasuki and 7 others in alleged N1.5b fraud would not be resumed until the EFCC retracts fully the misrepresentation of the court’s proceedings that the defendants are being tried on N36.8b fraud.

The judge had dismissed the oral claim by the counsel to EFCC, Mr. Ofem Uket that the anti-graft agency had retracted the offending publication because the lawyer failed to produce any document or evidence before the court to ascertain its claim.

Justice Kolawole had on March 21, warned EFCC to stop media trial of Nigerians being put on prosecution for any offence and ordered that the alleged N36.8b fraud contained in the EFCC Press Statement issued by one Mr. Wilson Uwujare to media houses in the country be refuted to correct the court proceedings.

The Judge also ordered the news media involved in the alleged offending publication to appear before it and show cause why they should not be disciplined for misrepresenting the court’s proceedings by dishing out falsehood to the general public through the EFCC press statement.

When the matter was then to resume, counsel to EFCC informed Justice Kolawole that his client had already retracted the offending press statement as contained in some national dailies of April 12, 2017 but however failed to present a copy of the retraction to the court as demanded by the judge.

Justice Kolawole had disagreed with the oral evidence of the EFCC Counsel, lamenting that the counsel as a minister in the temple of justice has not shown any seriousness or do enough to protect the integrity of the judiciary from being unjustly rubbished.

The judge said that “No responsible judge will sit down and allow his court to be rubbished with falsehood as in the case of the EFCC that has been engaging in feeding the general public with falsehood

“It is a fact that the defendants in criminal matter will be prejudiced when they are unjustly subjected to media trial through publication of falsehood and misrepresentation of the court’s proceeding.

“Since the court cannot act in vain, it is hereby ordered that the EFCC must show compliance in the appropriate way with the retraction of the offending press statement it issued out in respect of the proceeding of this court.

“Let it be understood that the press as the fourth Estate of the realm has the responsibility of holding all arms of government accountable to general public but the press has no business in misrepresenting the court so that defendants in criminal matters would not be prejudiced and would not be found guilty though false media trial before the real court trial.”

By PRNigeria

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Colonel Nicholas Ashinze
  • efcc
  • Justice Gabriel Kolawole
Previous articleNPS Vaccinates 29,164 Prisons Inmates Against Meningitis
Next articleStill on Alleged Disparity in 2015 Kano Elections Result- An Insider’s Account
Prnigeria
Prnigeria
https://prnigeria.com
PRNigeria is the pioneer Press Release Distribution agency in Nigeria. A member of image Merchant Promotions limited, PRNigeria encourages individuals and organisations to be more transparent in their information management. with dedicated Editorial staffs, the PRNigeria ensures that information provided on its platforms are timely, factual and authoritative Read more at: //prnigeria.com/about/
Facebook Twitter

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

CP Ajao Saka Adewale

FCT Police Warn Residents Against Bribing Traffic Officers

Customs Board Approves $300 Duty-Free Limit for Imports to Boost Commerce

​DSS Demands Retraction, Apology from Sowore Over Comments on Tinubu

A Group of Terrorists/Bandits

Borno Village Attack Leaves Dozens Dead, UN Condemns Violence

NDLEA Logo

NDLEA Busts Drug Cartel, Arrests Kingpins, Seizes N6.4bn Worth of Narcotics

ARASE! I Will Forever Cherish your Kindness and Love -Good Night Boss

Army Neutralize Notorious Bandit Leader, Others, Rescue Victims, Recover Weapons in Kogi

Military troops

Army Neutralise Scores of Bandits as 8 Security Guards Killed in Katsina

Troops Neutralise Gunrunner, Armed Militia, Recover Weapons in Plateau

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai after successfully foiling an ambush by Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists

Troops Neutralise Militia After Failed Attempt to Disarm Soldier in Plateau

NAF, Ground Troops Neutralise 30 Terrorists in Joint Operation at Dar Jamel

Kano Police Arrest 9 for Setting Patrol Van Ablaze, Probe Murder Case

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Log in to leave a comment

Recent Posts

  • FCT Police Warn Residents Against Bribing Traffic Officers
  • Customs Board Approves $300 Duty-Free Limit for Imports to Boost Commerce
  • NAF Establishes Forensic, Digital Crime Lab to Tackle Insecurity
  • ICPC, State Information Chiefs Forge New Alliance to Combat Grassroots Corruption
  • Recollecting a Media Dialogue on Words and Extremism in Abuja
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
FCT Police Warn Residents Against Bribing Traffic OfficersCustoms Board Approves $300 Duty-Free Limit for Imports to Boost CommerceNAF Establishes Forensic, Digital Crime Lab to Tackle InsecurityICPC, State Information Chiefs Forge New Alliance to Combat Grassroots CorruptionRecollecting a Media Dialogue on Words and Extremism in AbujaCustoms, Defence Bureau Unveil Airboat for Smuggling WarShettima Condemns Borno Attack, Assures Perpetrators Won’t Escape Justice​DSS Demands Retraction, Apology from Sowore Over Comments on TinubuBorno Village Attack Leaves Dozens Dead, UN Condemns ViolenceNDLEA Busts Drug Cartel, Arrests Kingpins, Seizes N6.4bn Worth of NarcoticsARASE! I Will Forever Cherish your Kindness and Love -Good Night BossMilitary Plants Trees, Donates Relief Items to Orphans in PlateauPHOTOS: BUK Alumni Association Launches Digital Hub to Unite Global Graduates, Drive University DevelopmentAgain, ​IPRA Shortlists Nigeria Customs, IMPR for Golden World Awards, Celebrates 70th Anniversary in AfricaArmy Neutralize Notorious Bandit Leader, Others, Rescue Victims, Recover Weapons in Kogi
X whatsapp