Court Strikes Out Forgery Charge Against Alleged Fake PFIPC DG

The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out an eight-count forgery charge against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who was described as the Director-General of the alleged non-existent Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Justice Mohammed Umar terminated further proceedings in the case on Monday following an application by the Federal Government to withdraw the charge.

The government was represented by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who informed the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation had reviewed the case file and identified issues that informed the decision to withdraw the charges.

Oyedepo told the court that the government planned to transfer the case to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory for a fresh arraignment.

He also argued that the alleged forged documents relating to the operation of the purported agency could be prosecuted at the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.

The defendant’s counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the application to strike out the charge.

Adeyemi was arrested on July 14 following a bench warrant issued by the court and had remained in detention since then. He was subsequently arraigned on allegations involving forgery, fraud and impersonation, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Following his plea, the court ordered his remand at Kuje Prison and scheduled further proceedings.

The defendant had also applied for bail, citing a contagious illness that he said required urgent medical attention from his doctors. However, the prosecution opposed the application, maintaining that government facilities were available to meet his medical needs.

The scheduled hearing of the bail application did not proceed following the withdrawal of the charge.

Among those previously listed as potential prosecution witnesses were the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; and Ituah Sylvester.

Other proposed witnesses included civil servants from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

The Federal Government’s stated plan to pursue a fresh arraignment at the FCT High Court means the withdrawal of the charge at the Federal High Court should not be interpreted as an acquittal on the allegations.

22-Year-Old South African Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Raping His Mother

A 22-year-old man in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to raping his 42-year-old biological mother at their home in Carnarvon.

The Carnarvon Regional Court handed down the sentence on Friday, August 28, 2026, following the man’s conviction for the November 2025 assault.

The incident occurred on November 23, 2025, while the victim and her life partner were asleep at home. Court proceedings revealed that the accused had returned from a friend’s house after consuming alcohol before sexually assaulting his sleeping mother without her consent.

The woman woke up during the incident and realised that her attacker was her son. She confronted him, prompting him to stop and flee the house.

She subsequently told her partner what had happened and reported the incident to the police, leading to an investigation by Detective Constable Leevirne Nathalie Raaf of the Carnarvon Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.

The investigation later produced DNA evidence linking the accused to the offence. Although he initially denied the allegation, prosecutors said the evidence, together with the victim’s testimony, eventually led him to plead guilty to rape.

The court also heard about the lasting emotional impact of the assault on the victim. She told the court that she had raised her son as a single parent and felt deeply hurt and betrayed by his actions.

She continues to receive counselling and has reportedly experienced ongoing trauma and difficulty sleeping since the incident.

The prosecution further informed the court that the accused had recently been released on parole after serving a sentence for a dishonesty-related offence. Prosecutors argued that his subsequent conduct demonstrated a serious disregard for the law and the opportunity for rehabilitation.

In sentencing the accused to 20 years’ direct imprisonment, the court also ordered that his name be entered into South Africa’s National Register for Sex Offenders and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

The National Prosecuting Authority described the incident as a serious violation of the victim’s dignity, bodily integrity and the fundamental trust between a parent and child.

Police authorities commended Detective Constable Raaf for her investigative work, while the prosecution encouraged victims and survivors of sexual offences to report such crimes and make use of available support services.

BREAKING: Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis Found Guilty Of Tupac Shakur’s Murder

Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been found guilty of the 1996 murder of legendary American rapper Tupac Shakur, nearly 30 years after the hip-hop icon was killed in Las Vegas.

A 12-member jury in Clark County, Nevada, returned the guilty verdict after less than three hours of deliberation, convicting the 63-year-old former gang leader of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon. The conviction marks the first time someone has been found criminally responsible in court for Shakur’s killing.

Davis had pleaded not guilty to the charge and is facing the possibility of life imprisonment without parole. He told the court that he plans to appeal the conviction.

Prosecutors accused Davis of orchestrating the drive-by shooting that claimed Tupac’s life on September 7, 1996. However, they did not allege that Davis personally fired the fatal shots.

Instead, prosecutors argued that Davis helped organise the attack, obtained the firearm and was inside the white Cadillac from which the gunmen opened fire on Tupac and Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight.

The prosecution said the shooting was carried out as retaliation after Tupac and members of his entourage attacked Davis’ nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, during an altercation at the MGM Grand following a Mike Tyson boxing match earlier that night.

According to prosecutors, Davis and three other men subsequently went looking for Tupac and Knight. When they eventually spotted their vehicle at a Las Vegas intersection, shots were fired from the Cadillac. Tupac was struck multiple times, while Knight was also wounded but survived.

Tupac, whose real name was Tupac Amaru Shakur, was rushed to hospital but died six days later, on September 13, 1996. He was only 25 years old.

The identity of the person who actually fired the shots has not been established in court. Anderson, who was Davis’ nephew and had long been associated with the case, died in 1998 without ever being charged with Tupac’s murder. The other men prosecutors linked to the Cadillac have also since died.

A major part of the prosecution’s case came from Davis’ own statements over the years. Prosecutors presented his interviews, a 2019 memoir and secretly recorded conversations in which he discussed his involvement in the events surrounding Tupac’s killing.

The defence argued that Davis had exaggerated or fabricated his stories for money, publicity and attention, and maintained that there was insufficient independent evidence placing him at the Las Vegas crime scene that night.

The trial began on August 17, 2026, with prosecutors calling 24 witnesses and the defence presenting three witnesses. After weeks of proceedings, the jury reached its decision in less than three hours.

The verdict brings a dramatic development to one of the most notorious unsolved cases in music history. Tupac’s death became one of hip-hop’s defining tragedies and remained surrounded by speculation and conspiracy theories for almost three decades.

Davis was arrested in September 2023 after investigators renewed the case and searched a home connected to him in Henderson, Nevada, earlier that year.

Now, almost 30 years after Tupac Shakur was gunned down at the height of his career, a Nevada jury has determined that Davis was criminally responsible for the rapper’s murder.

Davis is expected to appeal the conviction.

DSS Moves to Suspend Sowore’s Cyberbullying Case Until After 2027 Election

The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly directed its private counsel, Akinolu Kehinde, SAN, to take steps towards suspending the alleged cyberbullying case against African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore until after the 2027 presidential election.

The development followed a reported meeting involving DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi, the senior lawyer and senior officials of the agency’s legal directorate on August 20, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The meeting reportedly considered putting the case on hold to allow Sowore to participate fully in the 2027 presidential election without the court proceedings becoming a hindrance to his campaign.

Sowore is expected to contest the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

According to the source, Ajayi told the agency’s lawyers that, with the commencement of the presidential campaign period, it would be appropriate to pause the case and allow Sowore to participate in the electoral process.

The source further quoted the DSS Director-General as saying that the case had already remained before the court for almost a year and that suspending it for another four months would not make a significant difference.

The DSS is reportedly expected to communicate its position to the Federal High Court when regular court sittings resume from September 14, 2026, following the annual judicial vacation.

If the request is granted, the case would effectively remain in abeyance during the presidential campaign and the 2027 election period.

The case arose from social media posts made by Sowore on August 25, 2025, in which he referred to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal”.

Following the posts, the DSS reportedly gave Sowore seven days to delete the statements, but he declined to comply.

The secret police subsequently approached the Federal High Court seeking a determination on whether the statements amounted to cyberbullying and whether describing the President or another individual as a criminal without a prior court pronouncement was legally permissible.

The case has attracted attention because of Sowore’s political activities and his expected participation in the 2027 presidential election.

The reported decision by the DSS to seek a pause in the proceedings would mark a significant development in the case, although any suspension would ultimately depend on the position of the court.

As of the time of publication, the reported move remains subject to formal communication before the Federal High Court and any subsequent judicial decision.

Source: Punch Newspaper

Sowore Accuses EFCC of “Hunting Down” Citizens Over Alleged Cyberbullying

AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the detention and arraignment of two people accused of cyberbullying the agency.

Sowore said he attended two separate court proceedings involving the defendants before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, where he alleged that both individuals had spent close to 30 days in detention before being brought before the court.

According to him, rather than being allowed to return home while their cases continue, both defendants were remanded in prison custody.

Sowore identified one of the defendants as Maryam Isa Shehu, a final-year student of Bayero University Kano (BUK). He said she was remanded at Suleja Prison, while the other defendant was sent to Kuje Prison.

He said both defendants are expected to remain in custody until August 31.

Sowore described Maryam’s situation as particularly concerning because she is expected to begin her final university examinations on Saturday.

“What makes Maryam’s situation even more disturbing is that she is a final-year university student who is due to begin her final examinations this Saturday,” Sowore said.

“None of that appeared to matter.”

The AAC candidate accused the EFCC, under its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, of going beyond its anti-corruption mandate by pursuing citizens over criticism and alleged cyberbullying.

“The @officialEFCC under Ola Olukoyede is inherently evil,” Sowore said.

He questioned why an agency established to fight financial crimes would be involved in the detention and prosecution of citizens over alleged cyberbullying.

“An anti-corruption agency should be fighting corruption, not turning itself into an institution for hunting down, detaining and prosecuting citizens over criticism or alleged ‘cyberbullying,’” he said.

Sowore further questioned the decision to keep the defendants in prison after they had already spent nearly a month in detention before their arraignment.

“What kind of institution detains a university student for nearly a month, arraigns her for allegedly cyberbullying the agency, and then seeks to keep her behind bars while her final examinations are about to begin?” he asked.

The comments come as the EFCC continues to pursue cases involving alleged online offences, while concerns over the use of criminal proceedings in response to criticism and social media activity continue to generate public debate.

Sowore’s comments are his account of the court proceedings and the circumstances surrounding the defendants’ detention. The allegations against the defendants remain before the court.

Tupac Shakur Murder Trial Begins Nearly 30 Years After Rapper’s Death

The long-awaited trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the former Los Angeles-area gang leader accused of orchestrating the 1996 murder of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur, has begun in a Las Vegas courtroom.

The trial opened on Monday, nearly three decades after Shakur was fatally shot in Las Vegas and about a week after jury selection was completed.

Davis, who was arrested in September 2024, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge involving the use of a deadly weapon in connection with gang activity.

In his opening statement, prosecutor Binu Palal told jurors that Davis had a strong motive to target Shakur following an earlier confrontation involving Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, Davis’ nephew.

Palal alleged that the confrontation, which occurred before the fatal shooting, fuelled Davis’ anger towards Shakur and those around him. According to the prosecution, Davis obtained a firearm and handed it to Anderson, who was subsequently involved in the shooting at the vehicle carrying Shakur.

Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996, while travelling through Las Vegas in a BMW with Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight after attending a Mike Tyson boxing match. The rapper died six days later at the age of 25.

Palal told the jury that the case remained unresolved for years partly because of the culture of silence surrounding gang activity.

He argued that “silence means survival” in the world of gangs, but said Davis eventually broke that silence through interviews and a book in which he allegedly discussed his involvement in the events surrounding Shakur’s death.

The prosecutor also read from a passage attributed to Davis in which he allegedly described the attack as retaliation for the earlier confrontation involving his nephew.

Davis’ defence lawyer, Michael Sanft, presented a sharply different account, arguing that prosecutors were presenting what he described as fictional details as established facts.

Sanft attacked the police investigation that eventually led to Davis’ arrest, alleging that important investigative records were missing and accusing law enforcement agencies involved in the case of misconduct and incompetence.

The defence also questioned the handling and testing of the alleged murder weapon.

Sanft alleged that Los Angeles Police Department detective Long was provided with a “fake” gun to test, raising questions about the reliability of evidence connected to the firearm.

He also criticised the work of another detective, Clifford Mogg, describing the investigation as “biased, sloppy and incomplete.” Sanft alleged that Mogg failed to properly document some information received during the investigation.

The defence further challenged the credibility of prosecution witnesses, arguing that some had criminal records, financial motivations and histories of making inconsistent statements.

Davis has maintained his not-guilty plea as the prosecution and defence present competing accounts of what happened on the night Shakur was shot.

Tupac Shakur’s murder has remained one of the most prominent unsolved cases in music history. The rapper, whose real name was Tupac Amaru Shakur, was one of the most influential figures in hip-hop before his death at the age of 25.

For decades, investigators were unable to bring charges over the killing, despite numerous theories and years of public speculation.

Davis’ arrest in September 2024 marked a major development in the case and eventually paved the way for the current trial.

The proceedings are expected to examine the events leading up to the shooting, the alleged involvement of Davis and others, witness accounts, police evidence and statements Davis made about the case over the years.

The prosecution must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, while the defence will seek to convince jurors that the investigation and evidence presented against Davis are unreliable.

Nearly 30 years after Tupac’s death, the trial could provide the most detailed examination yet of the events surrounding the rapper’s final hours.

Former Syria President Bashar al-Assad Sentenced to Death for War Crimes

A Syrian court has sentenced ousted former President Bashar al-Assad and his younger brother, Maher al-Assad, to death in absentia over crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Syria’s 14-year conflict.

The verdict, delivered on Tuesday by the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, marks the first death sentences handed down against Assad or members of his inner circle since the Assad family’s decades-long rule came to an end.

During the court session, which was broadcast live on Syrian state television, Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan said Bashar al-Assad had used state institutions to carry out serious violations during the conflict.

“Bashar Assad used state agencies to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity,” the judge said while delivering the verdict.

Assad’s younger brother, Maher al-Assad, was also sentenced to death in absentia in the same case. Maher previously commanded Syria’s 4th Armored Division, an elite military unit that played a major role in the government’s response to opposition forces during the conflict.

Syrian opposition activists have accused the division of involvement in killings, torture, extortion and other abuses. It was also accused of operating detention facilities and becoming involved in illicit activities, including drug trafficking.

Also sentenced to death was Atef Najib, Assad’s maternal cousin and a former Syrian army brigadier general who headed the Political Security Branch in Daraa province in 2011.

Najib was convicted over his role in the security crackdown in Daraa, where protests against Assad’s government began before spreading across the country.

The case dates back to the early stages of the Syrian uprising, when a group of teenagers in Daraa were arrested and tortured after reportedly writing anti-government graffiti on a school wall.

The arrests and alleged torture became one of the catalysts for mass demonstrations against Assad’s government and its security forces.

The government’s response to the demonstrations was met with increasing violence, eventually transforming the uprising into a devastating civil war that lasted for more than a decade.

The conflict resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions of Syrians both within the country and abroad.

Najib was present in court when the sentence was announced. He reportedly stood inside a prisoner’s cage wearing a prison uniform as the judge read the verdict.

Security was tight around the courthouse in central Damascus, while a crowd gathered outside to hear the court’s decision.

Unlike Najib, Bashar and Maher al-Assad were not present during the proceedings.

The two brothers fled Syria following the collapse of the Assad government in December 2024 after a rapid rebel offensive brought an end to the family’s more than five decades in power.

Following their departure, Russia granted the Assads political asylum. Syria’s new authorities have since called on Moscow to hand the former president and his brother over to face justice.

The sentencing therefore comes at a significant moment for Syria, as the country’s new leadership attempts to address allegations of abuses committed during the Assad era.

Atef Najib, who was sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury in April 2011, is among the highest-ranking former Assad-era officials to face trial in Syria since the fall of the government.

His involvement in the Daraa crackdown has made him a significant figure in the prosecution of former members of the Assad security apparatus.

The Syrian conflict began with protests in 2011 as part of the wider wave of uprisings across the Arab world. What began as demonstrations against Assad’s government developed into a complex war involving government forces, opposition groups, extremist organisations and foreign military powers.

The war caused enormous destruction across Syria, with major cities and communities suffering extensive damage.

Millions of Syrians were also forced to flee their homes, creating one of the largest displacement crises in the modern world.

The fall of Assad in December 2024 brought the conflict’s central political chapter to an end, but questions surrounding accountability for alleged atrocities committed during the war have remained.

The death sentences announced in Damascus could therefore become an important test of how Syria’s new authorities intend to pursue justice against senior figures from the former regime.

However, because Bashar and Maher al-Assad are currently outside Syria, the sentences cannot immediately be carried out unless they are returned to Syrian custody.

The new Syrian authorities have repeatedly sought international cooperation in bringing former senior regime officials back to the country.

For many Syrians who suffered during the conflict, the court proceedings represent an opportunity to seek accountability for years of violence and repression.

For supporters and members of the former regime, however, the prosecutions are likely to remain highly controversial, particularly given the political transition and the circumstances surrounding the Assad family’s removal from power.

The latest verdict is nevertheless one of the strongest legal actions yet taken against the former Syrian leadership and could pave the way for further prosecutions of officials accused of abuses during the conflict.