₦airaland Forum

seunmsg:


I will be very disappointed if the Supreme Court refused to impose a hefty fine on Ihedioha and his lawyer.

Me, too.

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famology:
Some fools were hoping for a reversal after seeing what happened in the case of bayelsa?
some people are so dumb.

Yours truly couldn't have put it any better or more charitable.

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hisexcellency34:
We warned this stubborn goat called Ihedi... not to waste his money. Anyone who listens to what the judges said in the case of Bayelsa will know that there is no hope for him

Very well said.

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I have just encountered and read through the thread to this point.

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Built2last:
Can anyone name any top Northern politician who is a MUSLIM who has been convicted and sentenced by Buhari.....

Mention any former governor or federal Minister.

Before some of you will come here to rant like an ant.

I am not against jailing corrupt politicians. I dont know Metu or Orji Kalu.

I just wonder why No Northern Muslim of such status is in Jail. 2 former governors tried and jailed are christians

Note: I have no time to reply all low lives replying me. I said mention anyone convicted and people are screaming Dasuki. Was Dasuki convicted? Is Jolly Nyame a Nothern Muslim?

People are asking me if Buhari is the judge, No He is not the judge...No judge brings the accuse to court its the machinery with an agenda that charges them to those courts not the judges.

Those of you saying my post is divisive should know that Nigeria has been divided by Buhari already. Its a matter of time. Its a matter of time.

LOL... Olisa Metuh was first arrested by the EFCC on this matter on January 5, 2015 while Jonathan was still in power - way before Buhari got into power. That's probably all those arguing like you need to know regarding the case.

And, in most cases, even as you go through the conspiracy pains you so profess here, just console yourself with the truism that the wheel of justice grinds slooooowwwwwly anyways; so, what goes around, comes around...

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Staro:

Justice Okon Abang is a mad man.

Olisa Metuh should have long request him to recuse himself
for a different judge to take charge

Olisa Metuh did ask the judge to recuse himself, IIRC. The matter/application got to the Chief Judge who ruled against it and mandated Judge Okon Abang to continue hearing the case.

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Why judge convicted Olisa Metuh for money laundering, other crimes
February 25, 2020 Halimah Yahaya

https://i2.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2020/02/Olisa-Metuh-Punch.jpg?w=547&ssl=1
Olisa Metuh (Photo Credit: Punch)

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday found a former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, guilty of a seven-count charge of laundering N400 million.

Justice Okon Abang who delivered the judgement, which lasted for about five hours, found Mr Metuh guilty in a trial that started in 2016.

Mr Metuh was arrested on January 5, 2015, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was arraigned by the anti-graft agency alongside his company, Destra Investment, on an amended seven-count charge of diversion of the money received when Sambo Dasuki who was the National Security Adviser.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported, in April last year, how Mr Metuh told the court that the N400 million was spent on a “special national assignment.”

The prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, said the convict violated Section 17(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, and was liable to be punished under Section 16 of the same Act.

Apart from the N400 million, which he was accused of laundering, the former PDP spokesperson was also accused of transacting with the sum of $2 million without going through a financial institution, in violation of a provision of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

The defendants had on February 18, 2016, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

In the course of the trial, the prosecution called eight witnesses while the first defendant (Mr Metuh) called 14 witnesses and himself as the fifteenth witness, while the second defendant called one witness.
Metuh’s defence

In defending himself, Mr Metuh tried to call two key witnesses: a former president, Goodluck Jonathan, and Mr Dasuki. His legal team believed the statement of either or both witnesses would vindicate him.

The former PDP spokesperson said Mr Jonathan was the one who, as president, authorised the NSA to give out the contract, although this was when Mr Jonathan himself was running for reelection.

Mr Dasuki, as the NSA, was supposed to testify in favour of Mr Metuh by confirming that the contract was legally awarded and payment made. He was to also confirm that the contract was executed based on its terms.

But Mr Dasuki was himself enmeshed in a matter with the State Security Service, the domestic intelligence outfit whose agents arrested the former NSA in December 2015 and kept him in custody for several years until December 2019.

Mr Dasuki had been facing charges of illegal possession of arms with the SSS. But despite several court orders, the agency declined to release Mr Dasuki, citing national security implications.

In a case of civil disobedience to force compliance with his fundamental rights, Mr Dasuki withdrew his participation in the trial until SSS had complied with the court order to free him on bail.

The stalemate made it difficult for Mr Dasuki to stand as a witness for Mr Metuh for nearly two years. When he eventually testified in November 2017, while still in custody of the SSS, Mr Dasuki said he would not be able to confirm or deny anything relating to Mr Metuh’s case unless he had access to his own records.

On the same day, Justice Abang scoffed at the defence team’s attempt to persuade the court to adjourn hearing in Mr Metuh’s matter until Mr Dasuki regained freedom from the SSS and laid hands on his records.

Earlier in October 2017, the trial had dominated headlines after Mr Metuh tried to get the court to compel Mr Jonathan to testify in the matter, insisting the former president’s appearance in the witness box was essential for his extrication.

On October 27, Mr Abang ordered Mr Jonathan to appear before the court for his testimony, signing a subpoena to be served on the former president.

For several months, however, efforts to get the former president to appear in court proved impossible. Mr Jonathan did not appear in court throughout the trial.

In December 2019, both prosecution and defence teams concluded their filings before the court, prompting the judge to fix February 25 for ruling.

Conviction

In his judgement on Tuesday, Justice Abang found Mr Metuh guilty and convicted him of all the seven charges filed against him by the EFCC.

On count one, “It is my view that Metuh took possession of the N400 million from the office of the NSA without contractual agreement; he is guilty of money laundering and is hereby convicted on count one.”

On count two, the court found the former PDP spokesperson, guilty of converting the N400 million which was meant for national security, to fund activities of the PDP.

Justice Abang further said that Mr Metuh also used the money to acquire a property at Banana Island in Lagos.

In his explanation, the judge noted that this was contrary to the e-payment mandate which stated that the money was meant for security services, whereas Dextra Investment was not a registered security outfit.

He insisted that the evidence before the court pointed out the fact that the money was deliberately laundered to support the PDP during the 2015 general elections in the country.

The judge said that Mr Metuh failed to explain the transfer of N50 million from the N400 million to the joint account of himself and his wife

“It is, therefore, manifestly clear that the defendant converted the money for PDP campaign activities and I find him guilty and is hereby convicted accordingly,” the judge declared.

On count three which bordered on concealment of funds, Justice Abang held that the e-payment mandate showed that the money was released for security services but was concealed and used for PDP campaign activities and personal use.

“I hereby find him guilty and convicted on count three,” Mr Abang ruled.

On count four, which bordered on the allegation of illegal disbursement of funds, the judge said the prosecution placed credible evidence before the court, which showed some of the unlawful acts of Mr Dasuki as the NSA while in office.

According to the judge, “The first defendant was desirous of repositioning the PDP and he deployed the funds for that purpose and personal use.”

Mr Abang also noted that the meeting wherein Mr Jonathan allegedly authorised the payment was tagged a ‘security meeting’.

The judge said he wondered why only the former NSA and top PDP officials attended the meeting, yet Mr Metuh claimed the money was expended on special national assignment.

Mr Abang stressed that the first defendant was not a witness of truth.

In furtherance, he said, “I agree with the prosecution that Metuh’s claims are tissues of lies hurriedly put in place to divert the attention of the court from prying into the disbursement of the N400 million received from the office of the NSA through an under the table agreement.

“It is a case of public funds filtering into private hands for selfish reasons.”

The judge then held that the N400 million was never released for a special national assignment based on the evidence before him.

“Therefore, I find the first and second defendants guilty on count four,” he ruled.

In his judgement, Justice Abang said he has considered the arguments of the defendants on counts five and six which deal with making cash transactions above the statutory threshold of N5 million for individuals and N10 million for corporate bodies.

He said, “I agree with the prosecution that the defendants committed the offence by handing over raw cash of $2 million dollars to a Bureau de Change (BDC) operator to change same into naira.

“From the evidence placed before me, the BDC is not even a registered operator. The transaction is, therefore, undocumented and runs contrary to the Anti-Money Laundering Act.”

“I agree with the prosecution that the $2 million and part of the N400 million received from the office of the NSA was used to acquire properties in Lagos,” he added.

According to Justice Abang, the transaction as regards counts five and six was clearly in excess of the statutory threshold, whether the money belonged to the defendants or not, and Mr Metuh failed in his defence to disclose the source of the $2 million.

“I hereby find the first and second defendants guilty on counts five and six,” he held.

On the count seventh of the charges which bordered on the transfer of funds to a PDP official, Tony Anineh, the judge held that the transfer of N21.7 million to Mr Anenih for a special national assignment directly represented the illicit nature of the fund.

“I have again considered the position of the prosecution and found that the prosecution proved the transfer of N27.7 million to Chief Anthony Anenih, and I hereby find the first and second defendants guilty on count seven and are hereby convicted,” the judge ruled.

The judge was yet to sentence Mr Metuh at the time of this report.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/378974-why-judge-convicted-olisa-metuh-for-money-laundering-other-crimes.html

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Donaldoni:
The bolded is all I need to confirm that you are/were a kid especially during Obasanjo's tenure...

Damn!!

I first graduated (UI) in 1978, underwent my NYSC assignment during the 78/79 session and was blessed with my first child in 1981. You can continue to embarrass your parents and curse the way you were brought up all you wish, na you sabi.

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Donaldoni:
How was Nigeria like when Obasanjo took over

Please state your "facts," or you answer the question yourself nau., since you're the one making/selling a claim?

How much was crude oil selling when Obasanjo was in power

How much was crude oil selling for prior to Obasanjo coming to power? It was cheaper, of course. Crude oil has always been on an historical rise in price, thus it would be higher in price after Obasanjo's years in power [power that just fell on his lap following the unfortunate political treatment meted out to his kinsman Abiola and which inhumanity he (Obasanjo) has refused to be circumspect about, till tomorrow.] So, what's your point about the selling price of crude oil, exactly?

How many power stations did Obasanjo build

So, how many did he build and actually put to real work, where, and at what cost per KW?

Were the refineries working or not

They were not working; that was partly why Obasanjo purported to have sold them off/privatized them; fortunately, Yar'Adua reversed the purported sale/privatization the moment he took over from Obasanjo.

Was the country secure or not

No, the country was NOT secure - militancy everywhere in the Niger Delta and no peace, just to cite one instance. At one point, Obasanjo had to wipe out the entire village of Odi and most of its inhabitants, in the name of containing militancy. It took Yar'Adua coming to power and his Amnesty program for some measure of peace to reign. Besides, the basis for Boko Haram rising - the killing of their then leader Shekau(?) during Obasanjo's reign - brought BH to its infamous life, actually.

What was the Naira - Dollar exchange rate during his tenure

So, what was it?

I know for sure the exchange rate was better (in favour of the Naira, that is) before Obasanjo came to power than when he left or had to leave power. IIRC, Obasanjo devalued the Naira and increased the pump price of a litre of petrol at least twice.

Did our economy experience massive growth or not

What "massive" growth, for Pete's sake? Can you please define massive growth?

Was privatisation largely successful or not

What success? Even the seemingly successful singular - the GSM "revolution" - was because it was financed by the private sector. If ever there were others, please formally state them. Or do you mean the likes of our public assets and patrimony he and his then deputy sold off to their cronies, especially through the BPE?

Did we have USD60bn u=in our foreign reserves or not

So what? I believe this current regime has brought back our FR even more than that, in real terms, and under a more dare set of circumstances.

Who established EFCC and ICPC

Obasanjo's regime did; and someone had to do it, anyways; but the man Obasanjo ended up blatantly using the bodies (and especially Ribadu of the EFCC) mainly to torment and reign in his political enemies. Otherwise, I cannot, in all fair conscience, point to any major recoveries of the pilferage of our common patrimony that occured before and during his regime, by the bodies. And the ICPC was a totally obscure and toothless bulldog, to boot.

So, in your voice, Guy, remove your head from Obasanjo's/PDP assss.

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olaolaking:
They pay 150 naira every day to council

Good for them...they can now keep their 150 Naira every day, or invest it in other genuine human endeavors.

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sulaak:
The government approach is correct! It's the Lagosian approach that is wrong, they continue to support the like of Tinubu and his cohort that have capture the revenues of the states for their self-interest, what kind of people in a "democracy" will tolerate the state of Lagos roads, the lack of mass transit infrastructures and not protest on the street.

LOL, some of you will become extinct on this "Tinubu" matter... Which other parts of Nigeria have been better developed than Tinubu's Lagos, especially in terms of public infrastructure, that you're basing this your drivel on?

In any case, why don't you lead the street protest? And if you don't live in Lagos, what gives you the right to think you can dictate to Lagosians how their assets are managed? Why do you feel joy in badmouthing and goading other people towards disaster? Is your own private space Utopia?

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hisexcellency34:
Leave Opay alone..they are not reckless

Funny you. How do you know OPay riders have not been reckless? Are you riding with each and every OPay motorcycle driver all of the time?

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yarimo:
IHEDIOHA lawyers are not through with him , by the time they are done with him he can't afford councillor ship foam.

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budaatum:
We must pay our debt! It will teach us to borrow wisely in future, and teach us the electorate to hold the borrowing government accountable when they loot the borrowed funds!

Well said.

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solmusdesigns:




All thanks to Childish Seyi Makinde and his media people who rushed the commisioning of the of Opreational Vehicles to post and claim some online likes and shares, even when Amotekun doesnt have a legal framework, reached a salary scale or even recruited personell

Thanks to Bola Ahmet Tinubu for steping in and dousing the tenssion and Osinbajo for cooling the polity heated up by the Social Media Audio Governor

.

Well said.

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jmaine:
You will Learn...ASUU members aren't perturbed one bit... Dem no dey use stoppage of salaries threaten the union..

Like I said, keep it up, chest-beater.

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pmoye:
Just like some of you said about Ruga, come to stay.

Just like some of you were boasting, "no ASUU member would register on IPPIS," and are now saying about UTAS, come to stay.

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jmaine:
... that illuminating peace ...

That's your opinion, to which you're perfectly entitled, chest-beater.

And it is, "piece," lol.

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ejibaba:
Pls, don't quote me again...

Lol, this tells me all I need to know about your level of reasoning in Cyberspace, kindergarten poster. No more dice with you.

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chukel:
when people shout unemployment, I tell them government isn't the cause. The average Nigerian is wicked to the bone marrow. Yet he comes out to blame buhari. Buhari is the best thing that has happened to us. Imagine with ippis, the number of people who will be employed to cover up the theft that has gone on in the system for years. Our problem has never been buhari. We are just very wicked.

Well said.

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ejibaba:
ASUU have proposed an alternate platform that captures their peculiarity and is not against the Constitution....AG agreed to integrate the UTAS from ASUU to the IPPIS to form a uniform system but last minute they change it to no pay or register....who is fooling who in this country??

You're believing too much in your own false news and ASUU propaganda. There's been no time the Auditor General agreed to integrate ASUU's so-called UTAS into IPPIS.

BTW, who says UTAS is blemish or crisis-free? Where and when has it ever been dry-run to warrant the AGF as much as considering it? How many other "UTASses" from other interest groups can you disabuse from gate-crashing the IPPIS system in the future if "UTAS" were to be allowed?

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Potch:
What you need to understand
1. University management is run by the Vice Chancellors, DVCs, Registrars, Bursars and principal officers. ASUU members do not run universities but are critical members in Nigerian university system. If there are recruitment irregularities, the university management and the governing councils should be held responsible and not ASUU.

2. ASUU like any other organisations has some bad eggs but they're insignificant and this cannot erase what ASUU has achieved over the years in in making sure that university education is accessible to everybody. In fact, the reason why the government-ASUU negotiations have broken down is that the federal government through its representatives are proposing school fees of between 300k-500k for students in tertiary institutions. ASUU is currently fighting this!

3. The issue of IPPIS is complex. IPPIS is not owned by the government. It is owned by some people and in fact, the AGF is alleged to have some stakes in it. IPPIS too is not immune to irregularities. However, ASUU is not against IPPIS but wants some issues to be addressed and federal government is currently engaging and studying the alternative template designed by the ASUU.

4. More than eighty percent of university lecturers are yet to be enrolled into IPPIS. If salaries are stopped this month, ASUU will invoke NO PAY, NO WORK . I pray the circular is fake!

I call BS propaganda. Medicine after death. IPPIS, even with its imperfections, has come to stay. Deal with it.

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heywhya:
ASUU cannot just join IPPIS because its a scam

I beg to disagree. I think people such as yourself who can't recognize real scam when they see one, are the scam on themselves and their world view.

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jumper524:
my department in unibuja had just 3 active lecturers.
5 innitialy, 2 went for study leave.
1 among the two doesn't seem interested in the job again cos since my 2015 till date she hasn't return.

When they came to accredit the dept, they had to borrow staffs and claim we had 26 lecturers.
I mean from 5 to 26 how comes

Cheezuz.

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bahaushe1:
The Union made a submission to the President of the country, he then directed the minister of education to act on the submission and report back to him. The minister has been having meetings with the Union and all of the sudden someone is bringing this on.

Someone in the Villa is not happy with the progress been made in resolving the issues by minister of education.

Hmm, I think this is more like a narrative from the point of view of the non-complying membership of ASUU.

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Ramon92:
Sentiments aside, one thing I like about this govt is they understand and know how to use power..

It better be even more so, because it's one of the best ways to inculcate sanity in a chaotic society such as we have in Naija.

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BitCraftman:
I heard the universities were caught red handed recruiting staffs to fill the spaces ghost workers used to occupy. Buhari will nail them with that alone.

Correct.

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Sacramento85:
Mother of all strikesss
I pity the students, because once the strike is over, ASUU will receive their salaries.

...Yes, of course — via IPPIS, with the policy and period of "No work, no pay," followed to the letter.

This recalcitrant set of members of the ASUU gang's shiyt just dey smell more and more with passing days; IPPIS ain't going nowhere and won't budge an inch.

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Witchersunited:
Carrying his deputy everywhere like homeless people, you are dead politically, I feel sorry for you, ambode got nothing on how your story will go, ungrateful goat, oshiomole moved heaven and Earth to make you governor, iyamo had more supporters and network, they did everything, forced you on people and you bit the finger that helped you, anybody that knows Edo politics knows what I'm saying, it's really painful to see, how this person was elevated to what he is now and he is acting like he got to where he is on his own, he didn't even talk during campaigns, it was oshiomole that kept telling people that they should vote him to continue his work

All the plaques of Egypt fall on your ungrateful head idiot

This is a very factual and sensible write-up.

The part I've put in bold characters got me rolling on the floor laughing, though.

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DaBullIT:
I heard stupidity is cheap , but today i confirmed it from this thread


How many times has this ''prophet of doom'' visited Aso villa or Buhari ? ( not too long ago , we remember a swagger pastor who always visit ASO in bling bling and private jet )

when did he attend APC caucus meeting ??

or are you saying they called him announce the victory ? these days that phone call recording is 2 for 5 naira ? I just don't get it you people have completely ignored the fact that 300+ wards / polling units had their elections removed from the result sheet, was that Buhari's doing or Mbaka's doing ? abi it's a lie ?

Well said; those who are determined to remain blind, can never be persuaded to open their eyes. Honestly, they can't be helped.

But, it's their "inside life," make dem dey carry dey go!

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garfield1:
He will soon get impeached for his disloyalty and backstabbing.

ON THE IMO STATE CASE, I FINALLY AGREED THAT THE SUPREME COURT GOT IT RIGHT!
For simple analogy, read this:

So that you crying lots can understand, I will break the judgment down for you in a layman way. Hope Uzodinma went to court, he told the court; I was rigged.

The court asked 'Can you prove your case', he answered, 'Yes', the court said 'Okay, Prove your case'.

Hope said no problem, he called 54 witnesses, he presented results of 388 polling units across the state where his votes were excluded. At the final INEC collation centres, INEC merely write 'Not Available' in the 388 columns where the votes of APC and Hope should be recorded, whereas, the column were filled and signed by all party agents, INEC and Police at the polling units.

Hope was smart, he gather the form EC8A his agents received at the 388 polling units where his votes were recorded and signed by all party agents, he also got form EC8B in all the 388 wards where his votes was unrecorded and was not therefore signed by his (APC) party agents. He presented all of that to the court and ask the court to explain why votes recorded at the PU went missing at the Ward, Local and State collation centres.

The Court said okay, we've heard you. They turn to the PDP and Ihedioha and asked him, did you hear what Hope said and see what he presented? Ihedioha said Yes. Court now asked him, do you agree with him?, he said No. Court then asked, what do you have to say.

Ihedioha called just 1 witness, he said what Hope presented and said was false. The Court said okay, but present the truth. Ihedioha said although I don't have any form or paper to present and I don't have more than 1 witness to call, but I know what Hope said is false. The court said Okay, hold on.

The court turned to INEC, did you hear what Hope said? They said Yes. Is it true? they said we don't know. The court asked if the form EC8A presented by Hope, where his votes were included and signed by all party agents and INEC was truly issued by INEC, INEC said Yes. They ask again, do you have any other contrary results or forms from the one Hope presented, INEC said No. The court said Okay. We are coming.

The court turned to the Police, who provided security for the election, do you hear what Hope said? Police said Yes, the court asked further, were you given the form EC8A at polling units level as provided for by the law? Police said Yes. Court ordered them to present it and they did, court cross-checked if it's the same with the one presented by Hope and alas it was.

Court then called Ihedioha, come and check it and juxtapose, he did, they asked if the form EC8A presented by INEC and the one presented by Hope which Ihedioha has just seen are the same, he said Yes. They asked him, what do you have to say? He insisted, it was forged

Court then told Ihedioha, you are a thief, Hope has proved his case and they declare hope the winner.

ME? I REST MY CASE.

Brilliant! Even an Okada man, woman, or a street sweeper, even a street urchin, will understand this treatise.

Kudos, garfield1.

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Officialgarri:
Point of correction, Deji is not smarter than what he posted.
Deji and Reno Omokiri are fond of misleading the public since many wailers don't verify whatever bullshit they post

I fully agree.

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