Akinlabi Olatunde John

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Apo on Tuesday convicted and sentenced a former member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan, for demanding a bribe of $3m and receiving $500,000 from businessman, Femi Otedola. The court found Lawan guilty of the three charges against him and sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment for the first count; seven years for the second count; and five years for count 3. The jail terms will run concurrently. The court also ordered him to return the $500,000 bribe. While delivering the judgment, Justice Angela Ataluka, stated that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and found the ex-lawmaker guilty of the charges. In Suit No. FHC/HC/CR/76/2013, Lawan, a former representative of the Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency of Kano State between 1999 and 2015 and former Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy in 2012, was brought before the court over a $3m bribery charge filed ...

    R. Kelly has been transferred from prison in Chicago to a jail in New York ahead of his sex crimes trial next month, records showed Wednesday. The singer is now being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. The artist born Robert Sylvester Kelly was arrested on sex-trafficking charges in July 2019. He is accused of systematically recruiting girls for sex while touring and coercing them into sexual activity. Kelly, 54, faces charges including racketeering, sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery and forced labor. They span from 1994 to 2018. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to all charges and jury selection is due to start on August 9. The singer known for hits like “I Believe I Can Fly” has a decades-long history of abuse allegations, especially of underage girls. He also faces federal charges in Chicago linked to his alleged sexual abuse of minors. Chicago prosecutors say Kel...

Gospel singer Tope Alabi has thanked her fans for their support and understanding during the saga that followed her criticism of counterpart  Adeyinka Adesioye’s song ‘Oniduro Mi.’ Tope’s comment about the song had sharply divided opinions on social media. Although she has apologised for her stance, the Yoruba singer on Sunday prayed for her fans who stood by her in the past few days. The songstress who recited a poem on her Instagram handle captioned the post, ‘Appreciation To Everyone.’ “I register my unreserved appreciation to you all for standing by and for me through the past week. The Lord will never leave us all in Jesus’ name,” she wrote. “Thank you all and may the good God bless you all in Jesus’ name.” Ms. Tope was captured in a viral video earlier in the month criticising Adesioye’s song which describes God as ‘My Guarantor,’ saying the word does not totally explain God’s nature. “Look at the enormous things God has done and somebody now came out to say Oniduromi e seun. God...