Blog

Cosby lawyers seek to bar alleged victims from sex assault trial

NAN-ELS-7
Trial
Pennsylvania (U.S.), Nov. 1, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) Bill Cosby’s lawyers will ask a Pennsylvania State judge on Tuesday to keep more than a dozen women who have accused the comedian of sexual assault off the witness stand.

More than 60 women have accused the 79-year-old entertainer, once beloved by Americans as the father on the 1980s TV hit “The Cosby Show,’’ of sexually assaulting them.

He was alleged to have often done it after plying them with drugs and alcohol, in a series of attacks dating back decades.

Only one of those claims resulted in criminal charges, filed against Cosby days before the statute of limitations was to expire.

Andrea Constand, a former basketball coach at Cosby’s alma mater Temple University, said he gave her pills before assaulting her at his Pennsylvania house in 2004.

Prosecutors have asked Judge Steven O’Neill of Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania to allow 13 other women who have accused Cosby of sexual assault to testify at the trial.

By so doing they said it would go to show that it was a pattern the comedian had adopted over the years.

Cosby has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. O’Neill has scheduled two days of hearings on the proposed witnesses and other pre-trial matters.

In general, prosecutors are barred from introducing evidence of a defendant’s unrelated prior bad acts for fear it could prejudice the jury.

On rare occasions, however, judges will allow it if the evidence shows a clear and longstanding pattern of behaviour.

Prosecutors are also seeking permission to use Cosby’s sworn testimony from a deposition during Constand’s 2005 civil lawsuit, in which Cosby acknowledged providing women with medication and then having consensual sexual encounters with them.

Cosby’s lawyers have asked O’Neill to bar that deposition from the trial, arguing that Cosby only agreed to testify; after the then-Montgomery County district attorney assured him no criminal charges would be brought.

In addition, his lawyers have mounted yet another attempt to dismiss the case, this time based on the argument that prosecutors waited too long to bring the case.

In court papers filed last week, his attorneys said Cosby is legally blind and has memory problems, preventing him from fully participating in preparing his own defense. (Reuters/NAN)
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IGR: Plateau Govt rakes N6.6bn as revenue in 9 months

NAN-HE-15

Revenue

Jos, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) The Plateau Government on Tuesday said it generated N6.6 billion internal revenue from January to September in spite of the economic recession.

Mr Dashe Arlat, Acting Chairman, Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos.

Arlat, who described the feat as “very satisfactory’’ and “encouraging”, commended the efforts of his staff and the MDAs, whose collection during the period had tremendously improved.

The Chairman expressed happiness over the monthly collections which represented a sharp deviation from last year, having netted between N700 million and N800 million in spite of the biting economic recession.

“By keeping this tempo in nine months, we have succeeded in collecting what was realised in the whole of last year (2015) in the sum of N6.93 billion.

“We are pretty sure that by God’s grace before December ending, we should be clocking N9 billion as revenue collection for the year 2016,” he said.

Giving further analysis of the collection within the period, Arlat said that PSIRS garnered N5.05 billion while Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) realised N1.55 billion.

According to him, the lowest revenue of N597. 9 million was recorded in February while the highest of N855.5  million was recorded in March.

Arlat disclosed that very soon a service provider, engaged by the state government, would commence enumeration of all taxable adults through bio-metric capturing system.

He explained that the target was the informal sector under various ministries such as commerce, transport, tourism, agriculture, health and education aimed at harmonising the revenue collection and erasing double or multiple taxation in the state.

“By the time the service provider commences work around the state, we shall do away with multiple or double taxation, which have usually been the complaints of a sizeable number of tax payers,’’ he stated.

The chairman called for understanding and cooperation from all taxable adults and corporate bodies ensuring prompt payment of their tax to avoid the wrath of the law.

He said that for some months now, defaulters were being tried at the special court assigned to PSIRS by the government to ensure that what was due to the government was collected. (NAN)

TYC/ASS/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

NAN-H-40
Sentence
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) An Oredo Magistrates’ Court in Benin on Tuesday sentenced a teenager, Shegun Olamide, to one month imprisonment for stealing a Samsung telephone.

The Magistrate, Mrs P.E Foy-Yamah, convicted the accused after he pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of theft and begged for leniency.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Ada Johnbull, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on Oct. 21, at about 4:00 p.m., in Benin.

Johnbull said that the accused stole a cell phone valued N5,000 belonging to Amen Kingsley.

The offence contravened Section 390 of the Criminal Code. (NAN)
AJOM/DEB/OFN
Edited by Debo Oshundun//Felix Nwadioha

Ondo 2016: AD to challenge Oke’s eligible in court

NAN-H-19
Election
By Tayo Ikujuni

Lagos, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) Mr Kehinde Aworele, the National Legal Adviser of Alliance for Democracy (AD), says he will go to court to challenge the eligibility of Chief Olusola Oke as the party candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo .
Aworele told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday that Oke did not meet the party’s requirements to contest on its platform.
“Although, there is a pending suit before a Federal High Court in Akure which I do not want to pre-empt, but as the national legal adviser of AD, I will challenge Oke’s eligibility to contest on the platform of our party in court anytime from now.

“Obviously, for anybody to contest on the platform of AD, the person must have spent a minimum of 10 weeks as financial member, the requirement Oke did not meet.

“Besides, the process of presenting such candidate must be tabled at the quorum of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party and not just by three leaders as they did in his case.

“Chief Olusola Oke is a senior lawyer; he should go and read the party’s constitution and should not be deceived by few leaders.

“Personally, I have nothing against him, but he cannot not join the party through the back door,’’ he said.

Aworele alleged that the party had been factionalised since Oke joined it on Oct 3.

Oke had in 2012 contested the governorship election in the state on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, but lost.

He defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) where he vied for governorship ticket on Sept. 3, but was unsuccessful and defected to AD on Oct. 1, claiming to have picked its gubernatorial mandate for the election.

The AD National Organising Secretary, Mr Ibrahim Abdollah, had in a communiqué after the party’s NEC meeting on Oct. 14 in Akure, said the party was unaware of Oke’s candidature. (NAN)
IKU/TA
Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-ELS-1

Award

By Yinka Olawale

Lagos, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) For their outstanding performances in the art industry,  authorities of the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos on Tuesday, honoured 12 alumni of its School of Art, Design and Printing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the award would be a big boost to attract youths to embracing art industry, which is showing positive contribution to the nation’s GDP.

Despite a contraction in Nigeria’s second quarter GDP, activity in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector contributed 0.26 per cent, a rise from the 0.24 per cent in the second quarter of 2015.

NAN also reports that the alumni are Olumide Oresegun, Abass Kelani, Folami Rasaq, Ejiro Amos-Tafiri, Ngozi Schommers and Taiye Idahor.

Others include Richardson Ovbiebor, John Adeyemo, Sonde Ibukun, Stanley Ohikhvare, Ayodeji Balogun and Soji Kuforiji.

The awardees displayed several genre of articulation at the maiden edition of the Home Coming Exhibition holding from Oct. 31 to Nov. 30 at the Yaba Art School.

Rector of the college, Dr Margaret Ladipo, said the old students were honoured for upholding the teachings and legacies of the college all over the world.

Ladipo described the students as worthy ambassadors of the college.

“The ensemble is a canon of the entire range of creative geniuses from this institution.

“The Yaba Art School is an established centre of excellence over the ages.

“These ambassadors, not only benefited from the teaching experience of several legends, but from a study of the virtues and shortcomings of contemporary works.

“Their works have won them prizes at home and abroad, and we are very proud of their achievements, individually and collectively.

“By global acclamation, we contrived to preserve continuity by hosting these works, so that Nigerian audience can also savour their quality, temperament, illumination and tap from their inspirations.

“Every work on display here demonstrates probably the greatest conceptual power of these ambassadors of Yaba art school,’’ the Rector said.

Ladipo said the current economic recession across the globe called for firm resolutions among youths to embrace new learning, new thinking, and new search for doing things better.

“This period offers planners, educators and all well meaning Nigerians the opportunity to go back to the drawing board, if we are to change the destiny of the country for good.

“My appeal to the Nigerian youths is that if these 12 skilful performers could excel locally and internationally, through dint of hard work and creative genius, we can improve their performances.

“Searching for paid employment now is like shopping for a dinosaur at a shopping mall,’’ she said.

Some of the awardees who spoke to NAN commended the college for creating the award as platform to display their works to the college community.

Mr Oresegun Olumide, a 2006 graduate of the college, told NAN that the training received from the college made him an exceptional artist.

He commended the management for the honour and promised to remain a worthy ambassador of the institution.

Olumide, who majors in hyper realistic painting with oil on canvas, urged upcoming artist to remain focus.

His paintings went viral in March 2016 on Facebook and had received international recognitions.

Miss Amos-Tafiri, also a 2006 graduate, thanked the rector and the management of the college for the award.

Amos-Tafiri, who is a renowned fashion designer and the 2016 face of Vlisco fabric, said the college gave her a platform to excel. (NAN)
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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Morayo Omolade

NAN-ELS-6
Fashion
By Vezi Isike
Lagos, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) Prince Ogaga, Co-convener, Ajegunle Fashion and Design Week (AJFDW), has blamed the sluggish growth of the fashion industry on lack of tutoring and networking between experts and upcoming designers.

Ogaga told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that exchanging ideas was important to developing the industry.

According to him, the gap between experts and amateurs has created an unbalanced structure that has become detrimental to the growth of the sector.

“Growing the industry is dependent on how much the already existing and recognised brands are willing to help startups with guidelines on how to start and ideas on best practices.

“Money is not the basis of success in this industry but creating solutions to very pressing issues that can easily crumble the fashion business,’’ he said.

Ogaga urged the government to invest in the sector to enhance rebranding as well as generating revenue by building factories that will locally produce and sell the much-needed raw materials.

“It is so true that our people and even the westerns love our fashion style and crave for our productions.

“This gives us an edge because there is a ready market for anything we produce.

“Unfortunately, most of the people in the industry do not have the resources or even the equipment to mass produce wears that can yield reasonable profit.

“If we have a hub where we get subsidised materials and machines to boost production, we will generate more money than we do now,’’ the convener said.

NAN reports that the fashion show will hold its second edition from Nov. 24 to Nov. 26 in Ajegunle, Lagos.

The event is intended to facilitate conversations with key players from the African and International Fashion Industry to create sustainable change in the sector.

The maiden edition of Blast Media AJFDW held from Aug. 11 to Aug. 15, 2015 and was intend to lead the way with initiatives that supports, strengthens and develops the fashion industry in Ajegunle, a suburb of Lagos.

The event provided a physical platform that gradually repositioned fashion as a useful tool for commerce and creativity in Ajegunle and Nigeria. (NAN)
VOI/FLP/PDE
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(Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Peter)

NAN-AE-4
Threat
By Ajibola Olaniyi
Ile-Ife (Osun), Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) A researcher, Dr Olayinka Ajala, on Tuesday urged government at all levels to protect Nigerian environment by making cooking fuel affordable to discourage use of wood and logging.

Ajala, a senior lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo Univeresity (OAU), Ile-Ife, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ile-Ife.

The researcher, who identified desertification as a big threat to the environment, stressed the need for the protection of the environment and healthy habitation.

According to him, one of the major causes of environmental degradation through acute flooding was desertification, “which simply implies the encroachment of the desert with adverse effect of loss of vegetation.’’

“Desertification is presently peculiar to the north east and the north west of the country; so, flooding set in as a result of loss of vegetation in that part of the country.

“The South West zone of the country is located in humid tropical region, which make the environment very prone to flooding and erosion as a result of the slash and burn system of farming.

“Unless the government is proactive enough to engage experts in the area of land –use planning and mapping of the soil resources through inventory, the situation might get worse,’’ he predicted.

Ajala also mentioned logging as one of the practices, aside farming system that expose the soil to run-off and give room for Chloro-carbon gases to be emitted into the space.

The don attributed the menace of flooding and ocean surge in all the coastal strips of the country to the emission of these gases that always bring about climate change.

Ajala called for aggressive forestation programme and sustainable development to control and prevent future occurrence of this calamity.

The researcher insisted that the government should also look inward and tackle flooding through conversion of waste that are blocking the water channels to synthetic materials through the policy of ‘Waste to Wealth’. (NAN)
DOO/AOM/AFA
Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Felix Ajide
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Kevin-Prince Boateng cautious on potential Ghana return

NAN-S-7
Boateng
Berlin, Nov. 1, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has said he would like to return to play his National team but admitted negotiating an end to his suspension from the squad will not be easy.

The 29-year-old Boateng was sent home from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil for disciplinary reasons but retains the hope of returning for Russia 2018 – which would be his third finals.

“It is for every player a big dream to play a World Cup,’’ Kwese Sports quoted Boateng as telling CCTV Africa.

“If there would be a chance to play a third World Cup I would not say no.

“There are not a lot of players who can say they played in three World Cups.

“But before this happens we have to have a lot of talks because I don’t want to go back with a bad spirit.

“If I would go back, I want everything to be perfect so we can work perfectly together.’’

Boateng was suspended from the team in 2014 for refusing to apologise for insulting then coach, Kwesi Appiah.

The half-brother of Germany’s World Cup winning defender Jerome Boateng, Kevin-Prince has often struggled to fulfil his potential but is currently playing well for Las Palmas in Spain.

His former clubs include Italian giants AC Milan, with whom he won the Serie A title in 2011, and perennial German underachievers Schalke. (dpa/NAN)
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Report: Klose to join Loew’s Germany coaching team

NAN-S-6
Loew
Berlin, Nov. 2016 (dpa/NAN) Germany’s record goalscorer Miroslav Klose is set for a return to the National team as part of Joachim Loew’s coaching staff, a report said on Tuesday.

Klose is set to work alongside Loew and Germany staff for the upcoming World Cup qualifier in San Marino on Nov. 11 and the friendly with Italy in Milan four days later, according to the Bild newspaper.

The arrangement is then set to continue for the games with England and Azerbaijan in March 2017 and the Confederations Cup in Russia.

Neither the German Football Association (DFB) or Klose confirmed the deal on Tuesday. On Monday, the DFB announced Loew had extended his contract as coach to 2020.

The 38-year-old Klose scored a record 71 goals in 137 caps for Germany and retired from international football after winning the 2014 World Cup.

He is the record scorer at World Cup finals with 16 goals.

Klose played for Serie A outfit Lazio until the end of last season but has since been without a club.

He has said previously that he would considering becoming a coach upon ending his playing career. (dpa/NAN)
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NAN-HE-2
Industry
By Muhammad Nasir Bello
Sokoto, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) Alhaji Bello Goronyo, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Natural Resources Development, says the ministry is facilitating the establishment of a mini cement company in the state.
The commissioner disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Tuesday.
He described Sokoto State as one of the states in Nigeria which were blessed with vast deposits of limestone and gypsum.
“In this light, the ministry is currently facilitating the establishment of a cement company in Kware in partnership with Messrs Brewtech Germany and Saboo Industries of India.
“At the initial stage, the capacity of the cement plant was for 100 tons per annum, but now it is being expanded to 300 tons per annum,” Goronyo said
He said that the total cost of the firm would be over 26.9 million dollars and N2.334 billion.
“The financial services agreement has been signed with NEXIM Bank which is to serve as financial adviser and fund raiser to the company.
“It is also expected to source the foreign contents of the loan from Indian EXIM Bank,” Goronyo, said.
Goronyo also disclosed that the state government had since planned to establish a mining and processing company in the state.
”The company is to serve as a project vehicle through which the ministry can acquire licenses for exploration and mining of the available mineral resources in the state.”(NAN)
MNB/BRM/TA
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Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi