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Monk Jailed Three Months for Stealing Computers
A FORMER University of Zambia (UNZA) student has been jailed three months imprisonment for stealing 16 computers valued at K68, 000 at the institution.
In his defence, Heniric Chisenga, 30, told a magistrate he only wanted to to install some anti-virus and repair the computers and later use them for his project with an NGO.
But this did not stop magistrate from imposing a custodial sentence on the youth who was found guilty of breaking into a building and committing a felony, an offence he had denied committing.
Evidence is that on August 18, 2023, Chisenga allegedly broke and entered into UNZA computer library and stole 16 computers with their accessories wort K68, 075, an offence he denied committing.
Lusaka Magistrate Mutinta Mwenya heard from detective sergeant Rose Chulu of Chelstone Police, that Chisenga used one of the keys to enter the Agriculture department laboratory where every student accesses the room as long as they log in a book.
Ms Chulu, who investigated the theft, said she was informed that student would be given a key to the laboratory but once the key is given to the student, it should be returned to the secretary or the Head of Department.
She after checking the log book, it showed that Chisenga had not returned the key to the computer laboratory and an attempt to reach the accused but failed as his phone was off.
Ms Chulu narrated that Chisenga was later apprehended the same day around 20:00 hours by police officers stationed at UNZA.
“He claimed he never stole the computers but that he had a project with an NGO and needed to use the computers. And when asked why he never alerted the school, he claimed he was a well-known person and always in the room where the computers were stolen”.
“It was later established that he was no longer a student at UNZA, but an ex- student of Agriculture,” Ms Chulu narrated.
She said the accused later led an investigations officer to the Veterinary hostel’s common room where Chisenga had covered the computers on a banker bed.
Ms Chulu said 15 computers were recovered and the accused was later warned and cautioned.
In her judgement, magistrate Mwenya found that there was corroborative evidence that the accused broke into the laboratory and stole the computers.
“Some computers were found after the accused led police where he took them for fixing oblivious to the university or management,” the judgement reads.
The court doubted if he was given permission to get the computers for his project, unless if it just one computer.
“All the computers were piled in some dorm and his action does seem normal to the court that he saw no problem with what he did,” the judgement reads.
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Police arraign suspected killer of 19-year-old Enugu scavenger
The Enugu State Police Command has announced the arraignment and remand of 30-year-old Tsehemba Joshua for the alleged armed robbery and murder of 19-year-old scrap scavenger, Yusuf Ibrahim.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, which was also shared on the command’s X account and titled, “Enugu Police Arrest, Arraign and Remand Male Suspect for Conspiracy, Armed Robbery, and Murder of Scrap Scavenger.”
“Joshua is accused of conspiring with two accomplices, currently at large, to rob and strangle the victim. He has been remanded to the Enugu Correctional Custodial Centre following his court appearance,” the statement read.
Operatives from the Udenu Police Division arrested Joshua after a community alert about a shallow grave discovered at Ojo River, Ogbodu-Aba, Obollo Community.
“The suspect was arrested by operatives from the Udenu Police Division of the Command, following a community alert regarding a shallow grave discovered in a bush at Ojo River in Ogbodu-Aba, Obollo Community, Udenu LGA,” it noted.
Joshua confessed to luring the victim with a fake scrap motor vehicle sale, robbing him of N100,000, and then strangling and burying him on October 2, 2024.
“The suspect confessed to luring the victim under the pretence of selling a scrap motor vehicle propeller before robbing him of N100,000, strangling, and burying his body in a shallow grave on October 2, 2024.
“After a thorough investigation of the case by the Campus Monitoring/Anti-Cultism Section of the State CID Enugu, the suspect was arraigned and subsequently remanded, pending further court proceedings,” the statement concluded.
In August, the state command also detained a 30-year-old man for the alleged murder of his neighbour’s four-year-old daughter while she was sleeping.
The Command, in September, stated that it was investigating the murder of the Chairman of Ogbete Main Market Traders Association, Stephen Aniago.
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Panic as hoodlums loot evacuated building in flooded Ogun community
Residents of Isheri Estate Community at the OPIC end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have expressed worries over the safety of their properties as hoodlums looted an evacuated building in the area.
PUNCH Metro learnt that there was panic in the community on Monday night after a group of boys numbering three broke into the building inside Riverview Estate.
It was gathered that the hoodlums after looting the property, scaled the fence of the building and tried to escape.
The security guard who was on duty at the time however sighted them and decided to give them a hot chase.
One of them was arrested while others were said to have escaped.
Speaking to our correspondent, on Saturday, the chairman of Riverview Estate, Abayomi Akinde, said some items looted in the building were abandoned by others who escaped.
He said, “I was on my balcony when I heard the security guard shouting ‘thief, thief’ and by the time I came out to check, I saw him chasing one of them while they were both on the street. I put on my boots and decided to join to apprehend the thief. Although I decided to return because I was not holding anything, I later learnt that one of them was caught. He was new to the environment and could not navigate his way out. Meanwhile, others abandoned the looted items while trying to escape.”
Akinde added that the arrested suspect was detained by security awaiting the return of the building owner.
According to him, the suspect was badly injured in his legs as he was pierced by some thorny weeds in the flood while trying to flee.
“We later discovered that the person who led them had worked in a company in the community before after he led the police to his accomplice.”
Another resident, Kingsley, who spoke to our correspondent, said the incident caused panic in the community and fear in the minds of some residents who had left temporarily.
He said, “We were shocked when we heard about the incident because it looked like some hoodlums are trying to exploit our situation now. Although such hardly happened during the flood, this has made people more security conscious.”
While citing instances of some residents returning to the community to check on their properties, another resident, Kola Balogun, said others who could not come around had made several calls to ascertain the safety of their homes.
“Since the incident happened, people have been coming home to examine their properties to be sure thieves had not broken into them. Some have also been calling to be sure if they were not affected. I have received many calls, too, like some people I know.”
Meanwhile, Akinde said the extent of the break-ins could only be known once the flood receded and residents returned to their homes.
“We have to wait till the flood recedes and when people return to their homes to be sure if there are similar cases,” he added.
PUNCH Metro reports that some residents had evacuated the community following the flood occasioned by the release of water from the Oyan River Dam by the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Authority.
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113 Yahoo Yahoo foreigners arrested for cybercrime allegations
No fewer than 130 suspects, among whom are 113 foreign nationals, comprising 87 males and 26 females from China and Malaysia, have been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force for “high-level” cybercrimes.
A statement on Sunday by the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi added that 17 of the suspects are Nigerian.
He said the suspects were arrested at a building at the Next Cash and Carry area in the Jahi area of the Federal Capital Territory.
Adejobi said that the suspects were reportedly using computers and other sophisticated devices to facilitate criminal activities.
Adejobi said, “The Nigeria Police Force has arrested 130 suspects comprising 113 foreign nationals (87 males and 26 females), primarily of Chinese and Malaysian origin, and their 17 Nigerian collaborators (four males and 13 females) for their alleged involvement in high-level cybercrimes, hacking, and activities that threaten national security.
“This strategic operation was conducted through a coordinated raid on a building at the Next Cash and Carry area of Jahi, Abuja, where the suspects were reportedly using computers and other sophisticated devices to facilitate criminal activities.
“The operation which was led by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, AIG Benneth Igweh, on Saturday, November 3, 2024, comprised officers of the Nigeria Police Force Zone 7 Command Abuja and the National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC).”
Adejobi states that the police were analysing the exhibits recovered from the suspects.
He said, “We are investigating the matter and scientifically analysing the exhibits recovered from them. The suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of our investigations.
“We will update the public on the outcomes of our investigations as and when due.”