Top 5 Court Cases In 2015 That Captivate Interest

As the year is about to get to the finishing lane, it is ideal to look back into some of the days of the year—days when news broke about those we had predicted to be arrested, arraigned, charged or jailed for years or for life. There were also some others we may not have envisaged would be facing the court of justice, the last resort for all.

Throughout this year, 2015, there had been several court cases of prominent Nigerians, but there were some of them that captivated the very interest of the generality of Nigerians. Below are the top five cases highlighted for discussion:

Colonel Sambo Dasuki

One of such persons is the embattled former National Security Adviser to the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan, Colonel Sambo Dasuki.

In retrospect, the current President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had come up with a committee to probe into the alleged embezzlement of $2billion supposedly meant for the procurement of military arms to help wage a war against the Boko Haram insurgents.

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The Department of State Services (DSS) had besieged the colonel’s resident for several weeks and was at alert to arrest him.

However, the court ordered the security agency to allow the former NSA to travel abroad for medical treatment, but it proved abortive when eventually, he was on December 1, 2015, arrested for allegedly stealing $2bn and accused of awarding phantom contracts to buy 12 helicopters, four fighter jets, and ammunition meant for the Nigeria’s military campaign against the Islamist militants—an issue which rubbed off on many other top politicians.

Lamido and sons

Recall that a federal court had in this year ordered a former Jigawa state governor, Sule Lamido, and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, accused of fraud, to be remanded in prison custody in Kano.

Lamido and sons

In their own case, the father and sons were arraigned for receiving N1.35 billion kickback from a government contractor.

The money was allegedly paid into accounts controlled by the governor and his sons, thus upsetting the beast in the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

EFCC former chairman

Next on queue is Ibrahim Lamorde, the former chaimrman of the EFCC. He had taken his battle against a Senate probe to the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Ibrahim Lamorde

Festus Keyamo, the former chairman’s attorney, had filed a suit claiming that it was illegal for the Senate to compel him to appear before it regarding issues concerning an office he has vacated.

Lamorde was under investigation for allegedly misappropriating over N1 trillion, being recovered proceeds of corruption, Sahara Reporters had reported.

The erstwhile petroleum madam

Nigerians at home and abroad were divided as the new broke on October 2, 2015, that Diezani Alison-Madueke had been arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) along with five other people on suspicion of bribery and corruption offences.

Diezani Alison Madueke

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Her family confirmed she had been arrested in London. Also in Nigeria, her home in Asokoro, Abuja was raided and sealed by anti-corruption agents of the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, soon after her alleged arrest in London. About £27,000 was confiscated.

The man of God

The founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Temitope Joshua (TB Joshua) had been taken to court on a trial over the collapse of a refurbished six-storey building inside his church premises in 2014.

TB Joshua

The building collapse killed 116 people, mostly South Africans. However, the man of God had constantly been absent from the court.

According to Premium Times, though Joshua was not directly named as a defendant in the trial at a Lagos state High Court in Ikeja, but as a member of the church’s board of trustees, he was expected to be in court.

There may have been other cases that captivated you more than the ones mentioned above, feel free to make them known at the comment session and tell us why you think they are more interesting.

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