CRIME & PUNISHMENT

Davido, Sophia in Messy Legal Fireworks over Child Custody

Wale Igbintade

Ending a long-term relationship is always hard, but sometimes, it gets really unpleasant. This is the case with Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, and the mother of his first child, Sophia Momodu, over who takes custody of their child, Imade.

For the duo, this is not the first time the issue of child custody has been thrown into the air. On January 3, 2016, when Imade was barely seven months old, Sophia and her uncle, the renowned journalist Otunba Dele Momodu, raised the alarm and alleged that Davido and his family were trying to “smuggle” the child, Imade, outside the country without her mother’s consent.

According to the then-21-year-old Davido, he alleged that cannabis was found in their daughter. But Sophia, six years older than the ‘Unavailable’ crooner, fired back in a series of tweets revealing how Davido was disrespectful to her and her family.

To douse the tension, well-meaning Nigerians waded in, and the problems were resolved.

But the anger of eight years ago resurfaced recently when Davido approached the Lagos high court in a suit marked LD/1587PMC/2024, again seeking custody of the daughter.

The suit has been assigned to Justice Abisoye Bashua of the Sabo Division of the Lagos High Court. In an originating motion filed by his team of lawyers led by Dr. Olaniyi Arije at the Lagos High Court, dated April 17, 2024, Davido is praying to the court for “an order granting joint custody of Miss Imade Adeleke to the applicant.

In the alternative, the singer prayed to the court for “an order granting to the applicant unfettered and unrestricted access to Miss Imade.”

The originating motion was supported by a 44-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Davido himself.

He narrated that though he had a relationship with Momodu that led to the birth of their child on May 14, 2015, the relationship had ended some years ago “while we resolved to take care of our child as biological father and mother.”

Davido said it was on record that “I have been responsible for the payment of all the school fees of my daughter to provide her with the best education possible and to meet all her educational needs without a hitch.”

The singer said that because of his love for Imade, he purchased and offered the mother a N200 million apartment in a gated condominium community with a swimming pool and 24-hour power and water supply at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos. He claimed the offer was turned down.

He said, “The respondent rejected the offer to stay and live at the above-described secured Oniru apartment, which had been purchased already, but demanded that I continue to pay N5,000,000 annually for a rented facility as my own contribution towards my daughter’s accommodation.”

Davido said to ensure that the interest of Imade was well-catered for, he bought a Range Rover SUV for the use of the child and the respondent to meet the transport needs, including transportation of the child to and from school.

He added that sometime last year, he received a call from her daughter’s school that Imade had been absent for two weeks, and upon his inquiry from Momodu, “She began to make excuses and complained that the Range Rover SUV was not in a good condition, however, she refused to inform me about that.”

He added, “That sequel to the information about the said condition of the vehicle, I provided another vehicle, Highlander SUV, and in addition, the sum of N5.8 million as requested by her for the repair of the Range Rover SUV, making it two vehicles in the custody and use of the respondent and our daughter.”

According to Davido, to further ensure that the interest of their child was adequately taken care of, he made commitments to pay for living expenses, the fees of the nanny to our child, provide medical and health care, insurance, periodic international travel expenses and tickets.

“That notwithstanding my efforts in the overall interest of my daughter, the respondent has continued to make outlandish and Utopian demands to frustrate me,” the singer added.

Davido claimed that despite his contribution towards ensuring a better life for their daughter, “the respondent has continued to show me unwarranted cruelty, inflicting so much pain on me.”

Responding to Davido’s lawsuit through her legal representative, Punuka Sttorneys & solicitors, Momodu, refuted the allegations the singer levelled against her.

Momodu stated that she only denied being intimate with the music star.

“David Adeleke and Sophia Momodu were in a relationship from 2014-2017 and 2020-2022. During this time, David provided financial support for their daughter, covering school fees, rent, and other living expenses, including the cars mentioned in the article,” said a court document submitted by Momodu’s attorneys. “Sophia ended the relationship with David in July 2022. Since then, David has repeatedly threatened to make Sophia’s life miserable if she does not make herself available to him sexually.”

The document added, “Sophia has never denied David access to their daughter, only access to her body and intimacy, which he has taken issue with. David is in a publicly known relationship, and Sophia wishes him well. She seeks to move forward in her life free from harassment and verbal abuse.”

Momodu further alleged that the 31-year-old singer chose not to see their daughter or honour special events.

“David has not seen our daughter since July 2022 by his own choice. Sophia has never denied him the opportunity to see his daughter,” said the court document. “He has not reached out on special occasions, such as her birthday or Christmas, for the past two years, which has left his daughter distressed and questioning why her father has cut contact with her. Despite this, David posts images of her on social media to falsely portray himself as a supportive and active father.”

Ex-Punch Staff Remanded in Prison over Alleged N998m Fraud

Funke Olaode

For alleged fraud of N998 million, the former employee of Punch Nigeria Limited, Olusegun Ogunbanjo, was arraigned before the Ikeja Division of the Special Offences Court.

Earlier, the prosecution informed the court that the defendant, along with others still at large, allegedly committed the offences between January 2017 and December 2022 in Ikorodu, Lagos.

Ogunbanjo was arraigned on eight counts bordering on conspiracy to commit felony, including obtaining under false pretence, stealing, and forgery.

The prosecution said the defendant’s offences were contrary to sections 411 (2) 314, 285, 287 and 365 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015

But he pleaded not guilty to all the counts charged before Justice Ismail Ijelu.

Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, Mrs. Q.T. Shomade, prayed the court for a trial date and that the defendant be remanded in prison, pending the hearing and the determination of his bail application.

Responding to her submission, the defendant’s counsel, Mr. T.E. Okeke, told the court that he was appearing for the first time in the matter and that he needed time to file the bail application.

He urged the court to set a short date for him to file and move the bail application on behalf of his client.

After listening to their submission, Justice Ijelu ordered that the defendant be remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.

The court said he would have looked into the bail application if it had been ready.

“If you had your application, the court would have looked into it but while we wait for it. The defendant should be remanded at the correctional facility,” he said.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case to October 16, 2024, for the commencement of trial.

The prosecution said that the defendant fraudulently obtained N417 million from one Mr. Durodola Balogun on the pretext that he was going to use the money to purchase stationery and supplies to finance a Local Purchase Order from Punch Nigeria Limited.

The defendant was also accused of fraudulently obtaining N581 million from Mr. Olusola Ikuyajesin under the guise of purchasing stationery and supplies to finance a Local Purchase Order from Punch Nigeria Limited.

The prosecution alleged that the defendant stole and converted thousands of US dollars, Ikuyajesin’s property, to his personal use and forged Punch Local Purchase Orders.

The defendant’s offences contrary to sections 411 (2) 314, 285, 287 and 365 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015

Meanwhile, on June 19, Ogunbanjo was remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Facility after the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested him and brought him to court.

The court issued a warrant of arrest against the defendant, Ogunbanjo, on May 28, 2024. He had refused to appear in court to answer the criminal charge against him since November 2023.

Court Remands Traders For Selling Unregistered Cosmetics

Wale Igbintade

The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court d, presided over by Justice Yelin Bogoro, today ordered the remand of two traders, Friday Emmanuel Chieze and Nnam Ifeanyi Kingsley, in prison custody until July 1st, 2024, when the court will rule on their bail application.

The defendants, Chieze and Kingsley, were arraigned by the National Food For Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, for allegedly selling cosmetics, including Riggs Body Spray, without registration.

When the matter came up for trial today, NAFDAC’s counsel, Ngozi Emma-Afoke, told the trial judge that the prosecution has a three-count charge before the court and urged the trial judge to allow the charge to be read.

Consequently, the three counts were read, and the defendants pleaded not guilty to the same.

Following the defendants’ not-guilty plea, the prosecutor, Ngozi Emma- Afoke urged the court to remand the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, pending trial and for a trial date.

However, the defence counsel, Kingsley Oyemaechi, informed the court that he had a bail summons filed on behalf of the defendants and pleaded with the court to allow him to move the bail application.

After moving the bail application, which was not opposed by the prosecution, Justice Yelin Bogoro adjourned ruling on the bail application until July 1, 2024.

She further ruled that the defendants be remanded in the facility of the Nigeria Correctional Services.

The charge sheet said, “That you, Friday Emmanuel Chieze, Male, 28 Years old of Brono Plaza, D007, Balogun Business Association, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, and Nnam Ifeanyi Kingsley, Male, Adult, of No A27, Imo Plaza, Balogun Business Association, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, on or about the 18 January, 2024, at the above-named address, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did sell cosmetics to wit: Riggs body spray, without registration and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) of the Food, Drugs and Related Products (Registration, ETC) Act, Cap. F33, LFN, 2004 and punishable under Section 6 of the same Act.

“That you, Friday Emmanuel Chieze, Male, 28 Years old of Brono Plaza, D007, Balogun Business Association, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, on or about the 18 January, 2024, at the above-named address, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did store cosmetics to wit: Riggs body spray, which products contain substance that may cause injury to the health of the users ‘ when used, for such purpose and by such methods of use as are customary and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (4)(a)(ii) of the Food and Drugs Act, Cap. F32, LFN, 2004 and punishable under Section 17(1) of the same Act, Cap F32, LFN 2004, and punishable under section 17(1) of the same Act.”

For Kidnapping, Defiling Minor, Court Sentences Driver to Life Imprisonment

Funke Olaode

The Ikeja Division of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced a 24-year-old commercial driver, Abdul Hudu, to life imprisonment for defiling and abducting a 10-year-old girl (name withheld) for three days.

Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt the two-count charge of adduction and defilement against Hudu.

The court sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment on count one while he was sentenced to life imprisonment on count two Oshodi, in his judgment, said that the facts of the case were distressing as Hudu cruelly abducted the 10-year-old victim from the safety and care of her parents, for three agonising days.

The judge said, “Her father could not eat and her mother cried incessantly, sick with worry over their missing child. The callous disregard you showed for a child’s well-being and the emotional torment inflicted on her parents is shocking, and worse still, during those three days, you repeatedly defiled and sexually assaulted this vulnerable young girl at the tender age of 10. She experienced unthinkable trauma and violation at your hands, which no child should ever have to endure, and her innocence was stolen.”

The judge added, “Throughout this trial, you have shown no remorse. You lied blatantly in your testimony, denying the clear evidence against you, including your prior statement to the police. The web of falsehoods you spun to evade responsibility only compounded your culpability.”

Oshodi held that it was a severe case of child abduction and defilement, and the law viewed the offences as deserving of severe punishment to reflect society’s abhorrence to punish the offender and to protect other children from suffering a similar fate.

He held that the fact that the convict was a first-time offender did not deflect the preceding.

He said, “In light of the gravity of the offences, the aggravating features and the absence of remorse, I sentence you as follows: On count one, the offence of abduction contrary to section 141, I sentence you to two years imprisonment, and it shall commence on the date of your arrest, July 23 2019, as shown in exhibit A-A1.

“On count two, the offence of defilement contrary to section 137, I sentence you to the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, and you shall also be registered as a sex offender. The sentences are to run concurrently. You will serve your custodial terms at the Maximum-Security Custodial Centre or wherever the Nigerian Correctional Service may direct you.”

The judge further said that he had brought the punishment upon himself through the convict’s wicked actions.

“I hope you will use your time in custody to reflect and reform,” Oshodi said.

Lagos government’s lead counsel, Mr Babajide Boye, called three witnesses (the victim, her father, and Ms Oluchi Nwoke-Okoi, a nurse with the Women at Risk International Foundation), while the convict testified as the sole defence witness.

Certified copies of his extra-judicial statement dated July 23 2019 were received and marked as exhibit A-A1.

The prosecutor submitted that the convict committed the offences on June 30, 2019, on Adekunle Street, Idi Araba, Mushin, Lagos.

The prosecutor had told the court that the survivor was returning from an errand in the night when the convict hit her and put something on her face, causing her to lose consciousness, and she woke up in his room.

According to the evidence before the court, the convict slept with the survivor  multiple times over three days in different  locations, and he dropped her off near her house after three days.

She narrated the events to her father, who took her to the hospital and police station.

The prosecution told the court that as the convict could not be found, the child’s father placed a N50,000 bounty on the convict.