Jigawa court sentences wife, her husband, sister and brother to d3ath by hanging for k!lling woman over witchcraft

A Jigawa State High Court, presided over by Justice Ado Yusuf Birnin-Kudu, has convicted and sentenced a wife, her husband, her brother and her sister to d3ath by hanging over a case of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

The convicts were arrested in 2019 after being investigated and prosecuted before the court in connection with the offences of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide. They conspired and beat one Salamatu Musa, a 30-year-old woman, to death with a stick, leading to her demise.

Earlier, the convicts were found guilty of accusing the deceased of witchcraft. They alleged that her supposed “evil acts” caused the d3ath of their son.

The convicts, identified as Hassan Isah (55 years old), Adama Yahaya (42 years old), Abdullahi Yahaya (35 years old), and Maryam Daso Yahaya (28 years old), were said to be living with the deceased at the same address in Kwan-Dole Village of Mallam-Madori Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

During the prosecution, the court heard testimony from five witnesses, reviewed a medical report, and considered the confessional statements of the convicts.

The court found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, offences punishable under Sections 97 and 221(b) of the Penal Code Laws.

In his ruling on Wednesday, Decmber 4, 2024, Hon. Justice Ado Birnin-kudu said that the court having found them guilty for the offence committed with a full knowledge that the probable consequence is a death sentence.

Therefore, “the court is hereby convicted and sentenced them to Six (6) years imprisonment each for the offence of criminal conspiracy and death by hanging for the offence of culpable homicide.”

They have 90 days right of appeal. 

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Bitcoin Breaks Record, Surges to $102K

Bitcoin hit over $100,000 for the first time on Wednesday, surging to a new record after US President-elect Donald Trump unveiled administration picks believed to usher in crypto-friendly policies when he takes office in January.

Among the picks by Trump is Paul Atkins, whom Trump intends to nominate to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which regulates cryptocurrency.

Atkins, a crypto advocate and former SEC commissioner, is expected to regulate cryptocurrency with a lighter touch than Gary Gensler, who leads the commission under the Biden administration. Gensler, who aggressively fought the industry’s expansion in the US, is set to resign on Inauguration Day.

Bitcoin hit over $100,000 just hours after Atkins was announced as Trump’s choice for SEC chair.

The new milestone builds on the shocking crypto rise since Trump was projected to win the presidency on November 6, which fueled a $6,000 one-day spike in bitcoin that brought it to a new record above $74,000. A week later, it hit $90,000.

Bitcoin is up 130% for the year so far, with the post-election rally accounting for a significant portion of its gains. Its performance far outpaces the S&P 500, which is up 28% over the same period.

Trump, once a crypto skeptic, had called it “not money,” labeling it “highly volatile and based on thin air.”

But he took a rapid switch in the months leading up to his reelection as he sought to attract younger male voters, who tend to own more crypto compared to other demographic groups.

In July, Trump headlined the largest crypto convention in Nashville, where he vowed to create a “strategic national bitcoin stockpile” and to hold on to bitcoin the government seizes from criminals rather than auctioning it off, which is the current practice.

“If crypto is going to define the future, I want it to be mined, minted and made in the USA,” Trump said.

Then in September, Trump launched his own cryptocurrency business called World Liberty Financial.

That month, he also purchased burgers from a Manhattan bar frequented by crypto enthusiasts using bitcoin. “History in the making,” he declared.

Additionally, Trump’s media company, which owns Truth Social, is reportedly in talks to buy crypto trading forum Bakkt, according to the Financial Times.

“If you like bitcoin at $100,000, you’re going to love it at $1 million,” Anthony Pompliano, a well-known crypto supporter and founder and CEO of Professional Capital Management, an investment firm, said in a post on X Wednesday night.

The cryptocurrency industry threw its weight behind Trump and the Republican Party during this election cycle, with leading super PACs donating around $131 million to elect pro-crypto candidates in congressional races.

The Trump campaign, which began accepting crypto donations in May, raised millions from the move.

In addition to Atkins, Trump nominated Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, a prominent cheerleader for Tether, the company behind one of the world’s biggest crypto assets.

Additionally, Trump is considering creating the first-ever White House role solely dedicated to crypto policy, Bloomberg reported.

US judge denounces President Joe Biden's pardon of his son saying he misrepresented the criminal case

The judge who presided over Hunter Biden's federal tax case in Los Angeles rebuked President Joe Biden for pardoning his son this week, saying he misrepresented the facts of his son's criminal case when he announced the move.

In a brief order, U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi also called out the president for maligning law enforcement and the justice system in his rationale for issuing the clemency, and the judge even indicated that part of the pardon may be unconstitutional.

The criticism of a sitting president from a federal judge adds to the condemnation by both Republicans and Democrats of the president's extraordinary decision Sunday to give the "full and unconditional" pardon after repeatedly saying he wouldn't.

Scarsi, who was nominated to the federal bench by then-President Trump, took issue with the claim of unequal, biased treatment that the president invoked to spare his son prison time in the tax case. The pardon, which absolves Hunter Biden of any and all federal offenses in an 11-year period, also wiped away the verdict by a Delaware jury that convicted him of illegally purchasing a handgun.

"The President asserts that Mr. Biden 'was treated differently' from others 'who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions,'" Scarsi wrote.

The judge explained what he sees as the flaw in that thinking: Hunter Biden had pleaded guilty to tax evasion that occurred after he became sober, when he misclassified personal expenses like luxury clothing, escort services and his daughter's tuition as business expenses.

Scarsi also questioned Biden's assertion that no "reasonable person" could reach "any other conclusion" than Hunter Biden was singled out because of his last name.

"But two federal judges expressly rejected Mr. Biden's arguments that the Government prosecuted Mr. Biden because of his familial relation to the president," Scarsi wrote.

"And the President's own Attorney General and Department of Justice personnel oversaw the investigation leading to the charges.

"In the President's estimation, this legion of federal civil servants, the undersigned included, are unreasonable people," the judge wrote

Millions of immigrants might be forced to leave Canada next year

Nearly five million temporary permits in Canada are set to expire by the end of 2025, raising significant concerns about the future of visa holders in the country. 

Immigration Minister Marc Miller addressed these concerns earlier this week during his testimony before the Commons immigration committee. The permits in question include those for temporary foreign workers, students, and asylum claimants engaged in employment.

Conservative MP Tom Kmiec raised concerns about the government’s preparedness to manage the expiring permits, questioning how Canada would ensure that the 4.9 million visa holders leave the country if required. 

In response, Minister Miller emphasized that the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) is actively enforcing immigration laws and that most individuals are expected to leave voluntarily. He also addressed the issue of 766,000 study permits expiring by December 2025, stating that many students would either renew their permits or apply for post-graduate work permits to extend their stay.

Key statistics from Statistics Canada reveal that work permits under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP) are significant components of the temporary foreign workforce. In 2021, 87% of TFWP permit holders and 69% of IMP permit holders for work purposes were employed. Temporary residents, particularly international students, make up a considerable portion of the workforce in Canada, but their growing numbers have raised concerns about the strain on infrastructure and social services.

The Canadian government, responding to mounting criticism of strained resources, has announced changes to immigration policies aimed at reducing the intake of both permanent and temporary residents. By 2025, the target for permanent residents will drop from 500,000 to 395,000, a 21% reduction. The number of temporary foreign workers is expected to decrease by over 40% by 2026, and the number of international students will also reduce by 10%.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the economic pressures caused by rapid immigration growth, particularly following the pandemic. While temporary foreign workers are vital to Canada’s economy, the pace of immigration has overwhelmed housing, healthcare, and social services. The new immigration caps are designed to balance the need for workers with the country’s infrastructure capacity.

Immigration analyst Darshan Maharaja noted that the growing influx of temporary residents, which now make up 7.3% of the population, is exacerbating the housing crisis, with high rental costs and overcrowded living conditions becoming more common. He also highlighted the strain on Canada’s healthcare system and the rising cost of living. Maharaja suggested that Indian workers, who make up a significant portion of Canada’s immigration landscape, may want to consider opportunities in other countries due to these growing challenges.

Nigerian man accused of beating his wife to d3ath breaks silence; says she d!ed after childbirth, alleges negligence by her mother who forced her to deliver at home

 

A forensic auditor from Amaokwe Item in Bende LGA of Abia State, Mr. Samuel Chukwu, who is being accused of beating his wife, Jessica Olua, to d3ath, has denied the allegation, saying it is a false narrative to tarnish his image. 

 

Jessica, 24, d!ed on August 21, 2024, shortly after childbirth and was laid to rest on November 29. 

 

However, speaking with ABN TV, Mr. Chukwu said Jessica d!ed as a result of alleged negligence by her mother who he claimed “forced” her to give birth at home even though he had sent N25,000 to them to convey her to the hospital when she went into labour. 

 

He also alleged that his in-laws assaulted him and his brother when they travelled to Aba to find out what led to Jessica's d£ath.

 

According to Chukwu, Jessica's mother allegedly deprived her of proper prenatal care during pregnancy, labour and delivery.

 

Chukwu, who got married to his wife in March 2023, said there was no form of spousal abuse in their union. 

 

Narrating what happened, Mr. Chukwu, who resides in Lagos said immediately after their marriage, he took his wife along with him to Lagos and even invited her mum in January 2024 to stay with them to look after her during her first and second trimesters.

 

According to him, when she took in, he registered her at a renowned medical centre in Lagos, where she was undergoing antenatal care with clinical attention. 

 

He claimed to have paid in full throughout her pregnancy antenatal period along with adequate care he gave her.

 

He narrated that Jessica's mother sometime in May 2024 prior to her return trip to Aba where she lives, demanded that her daughter be brought home, when the pregnancy was at its 7th month (which fell on June 2024) so that she can take adequate care of her.

Mr. Chukwu said he was reluctant to let her embark on the journey to Aba to meet her mother, but later obliged and supported the request by making all necessary arrangements and even accompanied her to the in-laws house in Aba. 

 

The journey was made through GUO Jibowu branch transport service on 28 June 2024.

 

While she was in Aba, he said he ensured that he took care of her by providing basic things she needed. 

 

She stayed in Aba within the period of 28 June 2024 until 21 August 2024.

 

"I sent feeding money monthly, amounting to N47,000, which can be verified through bank statements. I also sent toiletries and body health products in bulk from Lagos,” he explained. 

 

According to Mr Chukwu, on August 21, 2024, Jessica went into labour but instead of taking her to the hospital, her mother forced her to give birth at home. 

 

“Even though I sent N25,000 to Jessica Olua as a transport allowance to convey her to where she would deliver her child. Due to the deceit and negligence of my mother-in-law, both her and Jessica Olua stayed back at home for delivery,” he said. 

 

Complications, however, arose as reports had it that the baby's placenta refused to come out.

 

Chukwu said that his wife had not disclosed that she was in active labour throughout their phone conversations the previous night, which was 20 August 2024. 

 

Apparently, this was done to conceal their intention of not utilising the transport allowance for the intended purpose.

 

He was shocked when his in-laws informed him that Jessica died shortly after delivery. 

 

He insisted that he had no quarrel with the wife and could not have been beating her from Lagos while she was in Aba from the month of June to August.

 

“All our communication before her death showed no signs of conflict or distress. I have WhatsApp chats and call logs as evidence, and they will be presented in court,” he said.

 

“Jessica and I had a peaceful relationship. There were no issues of violence or abuse (you may verify this from the tenants where I reside in Lagos). My wife’s passing was a tragic medical event, not a result of my foul play,” he maintained.

 

He wondered why autopsy was not requested and conducted by his in-laws before her burial.

 

Following Jessica’s death, Mr. Chukwu said he travelled to Aba to find out the circumstances surrounding his wife's death.

 

He met with hostility as the family of his late wife allegedly attacked him and his brother. 

 

“My in-laws attacked me and my brother. I sustained various degrees of wound, including profuse bleeding on the face, dislocation on the leg, and swollen skull. It was the Rapid Response Squad, Eziama division of the police who were alerted, and they intervened in rescuing us from what could be described as near death experience. Despite the pain of losing my wife, I have been accused of unfounded crimes,” he recounted.

 

After the tragic incident, Samuel and his brother went and informed the CPS Aba division of the situation and registered the case of attempted murder on Samuel Chukwu with pictorial evidence. 

 

It was the DPO who issued a police report for Samuel Chukwu to be treated by the hospital of his choice.

 

Mr. Chukwu has urged members of the public to ignore the narrative that he killed the wife, insisting that the allegation is false and unfounded.

 

He said his lawyer, Chief Gabriel Emperor Ogbonna & Co is gathering evidence, including medical reports from the hospitals where Jessica had her routine medical checkups, antenatal bookings and clinical investigations in Lagos, financial records, and communication logs, to present during court proceedings to prove his innocence.

 

"This loss has been devastating for me and my family. I loved my wife and invested in her happiness, health, education, personal development, and wellbeing. (I have all the bank statements proof to back up these claims)These accusations are not only false but also hurtful,” he concluded.