Manslaughter: Nollywood star, Ibinabo jailed

OLATUNBOSUN SOWEMIMO


Nollywood actress, Miss Ibinabo Fiberesima was yesterday convicted of murder manslaughter and sentenced to seven years imprisonment by the Igbosere division of the Lagos Magistrate Court.

The presiding magistrate, Mr. A.O. Isaac however gave her an option to pay N100,000 fine, which Saturday Champion gathered she did yesterday.

Fiberesima was last year arraigned on a one-count charge of man slaughter which she pleaded not guilty.

She was alleged to have killed a male medical doctor identified as Suraju Giwa while driving carelessly and under the influence of alcohol along Lekki/Epe Expressway in Lagos, last year.

Ibinabo was said to have been seriously drunk while driving the vehicle ( a jeep) belonging to her erstwhile lover, Daniel Wilson, in which she was with some other girls.

Confirmed sources said the deceased’s family members had last year dragged her to court, following her non-challant attitude to the issue.

Though the actress pleaded not guilty, the prosecution called five witnesses during the trial to prove its case, and all the five who, included two eye witnesses, gave detailed account of how the offence was committed, to the court.

The magistrate thus held he was totally convinced that the actress committed the offence, having looked at the circumstances surrounding the matter as well as the account of the prosecution witnesses.

He found her guilty as charged and convicted her, accordingly.

Though, she had, after making few telephone contacts, raised the N100,000 fine, the fact now remains that Ibinabo Fiberesima is a convict.

When contacted by our reporter, the convict admitted having raised and paid the fine, but on further enquiry about her trial, she banged the phone on us.

By her conviction, Nollywood now records its third stars convicted in just six months.

Saturday Champion recalls that a popular Yoruba film actress, Mrs Yetunde Taiwo Akinwande was convicted for drug trafficking in February this year, while just two weeks ago, James Oduputa was also convicted for hard drug and sentenced to eight month imprisonment, without an option of fine.

these so called Nolywood stars shld be brought to book - the r getting out of hand.

As far as am concerned she
should have never been given
a option of fine, like they
say the law is an ?

As far as am concerned she should have never been given
an option of fine. I wonder at times whose side the is at times,
She be sent to JAIL and licence withdrawn.

you do the crime--you do the time! Justice is good!

our legal system is messed up. that wasnt the first time she drove under the influence, and the judge probably didnt even withdraw her licence. she's still going to kill other people

hope the family are well advised and slam her for damages. Let them take her down for all she's worth financially, she has gotten away very lightly indeed.

American legal system is almost as flawed as Nigeria's. Case in point, Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton are 2 of the examples of celebrity, receiving favorable treatment by the law.

na waaaooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

simply_me:

these so called Nolywood stars shld be brought to book - the r getting out of hand.

Just like some Hollywood stars. Famous people get special treatments just because of their status in society. It's wrong and unfair.

Na wa o

Why say she was jailed whne she wasn't? She paid fine and she's home free.
The presiding magistrate is a bastard.
She killed a human being, and he thinks the punishment for that is 100k? That's how much the doc's life was worth? The man's family shoul deal with this lady, and file civil charges.

Arise o compatriots,

So it is 100k per life now? O ma se o.

As a follow-up,


Manslaughter: Court sentences ex-beauty queen to five years
By Tony Amokeodo
Published: Monday, 23 Feb 2009

JUSTICE Deborah Oluwayemi of a Lagos High Court has sentenced a former beauty queen and popular actress, Ms. Ibinabo Fiberesima, to five years imprisonment for manslaughter, involving the death of a medical doctor, Mr. Suraj Giwa.

Delivering her judgment in an appeal by the Lagos State Government against the verdict of an Igbosere Magistrate‘s Court on Friday, Justice Oluwayemi held that the N100,000 fine imposed by the lower court on Fiberesima was tantamount to judicial recklessness.

According to the judge, it is unreasonable for a magistrate to give an option of N100,000 fine to someone who has taken the life of another person through dangerous driving.

The judge added that Section 28 of the Road Traffic Law, Cap R10 Laws of Lagos State, and 2003 on which the convict was found guilty, did not give an option of fine.

Justice Oluwayemi held that the magistrate misdirected himself and might have been confused by the allocution (plea for leniency) by the lawyer to the convict that the ex-beauty queen was a working mother.

She added that when the term of imprisonment was mandatory, the court could not change it.

She said, “I hold that the magistrate exercised judicial recklessness in giving her option of fine when such is not contained in the traffic law.

”I wonder why the magistrate regards N100,000 as an option for someone who caused the death of another person by dangerous driving. Discretion should be exercised judicially and not recklessly.

“The nature of the offence is so grave that I do not know how he (the magistrate) came about with an option of fine. Justice is a three-way affair.

“N100,000 fine is not a reasonable judgment for someone who has taken the life of another person.

“I hereby set aside the judgment of the magistrate‘s court and impose five years imprisonment on the convict.

“I also order that the N100,000 fine paid by the convict should not be returned to her.”

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, had in 2005 charged Fiberesima to the Igbosere Magistrate‘s Court on a two-count charge of dangerous and reckless driving on the Epe Expressway, Lagos, that led to Giwa’s death.

In his judgment, Magistrate Isaacs found Fiberesima guilty on the two -count charge and sentenced her to seven years imprisonment for count one and two years imprisonment for counts two.

The magistrate, however, gave the convict the option of paying N100,000 fine to regain her freedom. The ex-beauty queen reportedly paid the fine and was let off the hook.

But the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olasupo Shasore (SAN), was dissatisfied with the sentence of Magistrate Isaacs and filed a notice of appeal at the Lagos High Court.

The Lagos AG added that the magistrate‘s court had wrongfully exercised its discretion in a matter that attracts seven years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.

The Lagos AG, therefore, urged the court to set aside the lower court’s verdict and give an appropriate sentence.

But Fiberesima had in her statement of defence by her lawyer, Mr. Lanre Lambo, argued that the lower court had the opportunity to impartially observe her demeanour throughout the trial period before given her the option of fine.

Meanwhile, Fiberesima‘s friend, also an actor, Mr. Fred Amata, has denied the conviction.

Amata, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, said he was not aware that his friend had been sentenced.

Another source who described himself as her lawyer also denied the report.

“The matter has currently gone beyond the High Court. It is not for the High Courts to decide as things stand now,” he said.

The President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Mr. Ejike Asiegbu, when contacted, expressed surprise at the turn of events and promised to confirm the story.

Fiberesima could not be reached as her phone was switched off most of the weekend.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200902233414420

Justice must take its full course

maybe she has already done some pole dancing for the judge

She has been freed.

@Moderator

This thread is past it's prime.

so when will our justice system benefit the poor, am sure the judge must have been bribed to have sentenced a lady who cut short the life of a doctor who must have saved quite a lot of life himself with an option of just 100k (a convenience fee next to nothing), atleast the doctor beign alive was beneficial to the society but what does the society benefit from a reckless, drunkard star, who is most likely to re-offend, and enjoy life at the expense of others. let her wait for the judgement of god that is impartial and incorruptible! no sinner will go unpunished.

so when will our justice system benefit the poor, am sure the judge must have been bribed to have sentenced a lady who cut short the life of a doctor who must have saved quite a lot of life himself with an option of just 100k (a convenience fee next to nothing), atleast the doctor beign alive was beneficial to the society but what does the society benefit from a reckless, drunkard star, who is most likely to re-offend, and enjoy life at the expense of others. let her wait for the judgement of god that is impartial and incorruptible! no sinner will go unpunished.

@detective1

I hate to break it for you man but there is nothing like justice in this world (maybe in after life).What happened with her happens EVERYWHERE else in the world.Perhaps you need to read some books written by Machiavelli,Karl Marx and a few others to really understand what's going on around you.

no sinner will go unpunished.

Since when did man become the true judge?Not in this world brother.Visit this site and read up a little (www.jesus-is-savior.com).

There is a lot of hypocrisy going on in the world man.Get used to it or get crushed by it.

Nuff said!

slap on the wrist