FRSC Has Powers To Impound Vehicles, Enforce Traffic law – Court

July 17, 2020

Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has affirmed the powers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to enforce traffic laws on all public roads in Nigeria and impound violators’ vehicles.

Justice Chikere delivered the judgment in a suit filed by one Pius Abu, who accused the FRSC and its men of wrongfully impounding his car for using telephone and subsequently impounding his car in Abuja on May 6, 2019.

The plaintiff, who said he was apprehended by the FRSC operatives by ECWA Junction, Wuse II, Abuja, and his Peugeot 306 car impounded, alleged that FRSC lacked the power to enforce traffic law on the road not stipulated in the FRSC (Establishment) Act.

In her judgment, Justice Chikere held that “It is wrong to limit the enforcement of the traffic rules to the roads listed in the Federal Road Safety Corps (Establishment) Act when the Act gives the 2nd defendant (FRSC) to enforce the traffic rules on all public roads in other legislations.”

She also held that FRSC, by the Act is “empowered to arrest and prosecute anybody found to violate traffic rules on any public road.”

She also ruled that by virtue of “Section 35 of the FRSC Act, the 2nd defendant can impound any vehicle found to have committed any offence in the Act.”

On the propriety of arresting the plaintiff for using phone while driving, Justice Chikere ruled that the plaintiff did not deny making call or using the phone when he identified was arrested.

She noted held he only made an “afterthought” denial after the defendants; the FRSC and its official, filed a counter-affidavit in opposition to his suit.

Chikere dismissed the claim by the plaintiff that he was not granted fair hearing when fine was imposed on him by FRSC.

The judge held that the notice of offence served on him gave him the option of either paying the fine or face prosecution.

She added if he was sure that the defendants “manufactured facts against him, he should not have paid the fine.”

“The fact that the plaintiff paid the fine, it implies that that he admitted committing the offence,” Chikere said.
[7/17, 7:06 PM] Odita Sunday: Gokada founder’s PA arrested over gruesome murder

July 17, 2020

The personal assistant of Gokada founder Fahim Saleh, who was found decapitated and dismembered with an electric saw in his N852.5million Manhattan apartment in New York, has been arrested.
Tyrese Haspil was taken into police custody Friday over the killing of a 33-year-old tech entrepreneur, law enforcement officials said.

Haspil, 21, who worked as Saleh’s personal assistant, is expected to be charged with second degree murder and other counts, the New York Times reports, citing two officials briefed on the matter. 
Detectives believe Saleh was killed after he found out his assistant had stolen tens of thousands of dollars from him, sources told the outlet.

The slaying occurred even after Saleh set up a payment plan for Haspil to repay the money he allegedly stole instead of reporting him to authorities. 
Authorities started investigating Haspil after finding text messages in which Saleh accused Haspil of stealing the money. It is not clear when the alleged theft occurred.

Police, who have not yet publicly announced Haspil’s arrest, believe Saleh was killed on Monday, a day before his body was found by his sister when she went to his apartment.   
Saleh’s sister called police after going to check on him and making the gruesome discovery.
Responding officers discovered a clothed torso, bags containing a head and arms and an electric saw in the living room, police said.
Investigators recovered security video showing Saleh exiting an elevator that leads directly into the full-floor, two-bedroom apartment earlier Tuesday afternoon, closely followed by a masked person dressed entirely in black according to another law enforcement official who was briefed on the case.
The video also shows a struggle between the two that ensued at the entrance to the apartment, said the official, who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Police believe that the relative may have interrupted the intruder before that person fled out a back exit.
The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide after an autopsy found the cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the body.
Saleh was the chief executive officer of ride-hailing motorcycle startup Gokada that began operating in Nigeria in 2018.