Prophet Patrick Mugadza, who has spent more than a month in prison following his arrest for saying President Robert Mugabe would die on October 17, has finally been freed. The leader of Kariba Church in Zimbabwe was Friday granted a $50 bail by High Court judge Justice Priscilla Chigumba. Prophet Mugadza who is being charged with insulting the Christain and African religions when he predicted the death of the 93-year-old president, will appear in court on the 30th of March.
Saturday, 11 March 2017
Justin Bieber impostor charged with more than 900 child sex offences
A 40-year-old man who allegedly posed as Justin Bieber on social media platforms has been charged with more than 900 child sex offences, police said on Thursday.
The man identified Gordon Douglas Chalmers, a law lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, allegedly posed as the Canadian singer online to solicit explicit images from children who probably thought they were chatting with the star.
According to a police report, Chalmers was arrested after information was passed from US and German authorities about his activities. He was first charged last year in November with using Facebook and Skype to impersonate the pop star.
But after subsequent investigations, police officers in Queensland revealed that Chalmers was charged with another 931 child sex offences dating back a decade. This includes rape and making child exploitation material.
Speaking on the latest charge, Detective Inspector Jon Rouse said;
'This investigation demonstrates both the vulnerability of children who are utilising social media and communication applications and the global reach and skill that child sex offenders have to groom and seduce victims.
'The fact that so many children could believe that they were communicating with a celebrity highlights the need for a serious rethink about the way that we as a society educate our children about online safety.' he said
Giant statues of Egyptian Pharaoh found in mud pit (photos)
Archaeologists have discovered two statues of Egyptian Pharaoh dating back more than 3,000 years in a Cairo muddy pit, Egypt's antiquities ministry announced on Thursday. According to the Ministry, the relics were found in Mattarya district, site of the ancient Pharaonic capital of Heliopolis and today a sprawl of working and middle-class districts in northeastern Cairo.
The statues are thought to represent Pharaohs from the 19th dynasty, which ruled from 1314 to 1200 BC. One statue stands eight meters (26 feet) tall and is carved out of quartzite, a tough stone composed mostly of quartz grains. It could not be identified from its engravings but it was found at the entrance to the temple of King Ramses II -- also known as Ramses the Great, suggesting it represents him.
The other relic is a limestone statue of 12th century BC ruler King Seti II. They were discovered by a joint German-Egyptian archaeological mission
Angry PSG fans threaten players & their families after shock 6-5 loss to Barca in the champions league
Fans of French club, PSG, have threatened players and their family members upon their return to Paris after the club's shocking 6-5 aggregate loss and total capitulation on Wednesday night at the hands of Barcelona following a 4-0 first leg home win.
According to the club, the players were insulted and their cars vandalized as fans created an 'extremely hostile and aggressive climate' as they waited to confront the French team at Bourget Airport with one person hit by a car during the incident.
PSG have now released a statement saying they strongly condemn the acts of the fans, and that a police investigation into the incident has begun.
The statement read: 'On Wednesday night, upon their return from Barcelona, the Paris St Germain players were confronted and threatened by several individuals at Bourget Airport, despite the club and authorities reinforcing security.
'These individuals verbally insulted the players before vandalising their cars. Several vehicles were damaged.
In this extremely hostile and aggressive climate, all vehicles were escorted to ensure the safe passage of the players, their families and club staff members. One individual was struck by a car trying to escape the crowd that was physically threatening the players and their families.
'A police investigation is under way to establish exactly what happened.
'The club, and all those present, have informed the investigators of their readiness to help the investigation, to get to the bottom of this regrettable incident.
'The club strongly condemns the actions and behaviour of the individuals in question.'
South African man becomes first African to land a top job at Toyota international
The chairman of Toyota South Africa Motors and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe‚ Dr. Johan van Zyl has been promoted from Managing Officer to Senior Managing Officer by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan. Having played a greater role in promoting the brand, van Zyl was promoted due to 'his exceptional business acumen and knowledge of the industry have been strengthened over the years with travels to Japan‚ the United States and into Africa‚" the company said in a statement on Friday.
The appointment which will be effective from April 2017, will see him become the first African to be appointed Senior Managing Officer by TMC. Dr. Johan van Zyl who joined Toyota in 1993, was first promoted to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Toyota South Africa Motors in 2002.
In 2009‚ he was appointed as Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan and in 2013‚ he added Chief Executive Officer for Toyota in Africa to his responsibilities
Pope Francis sends over $100,000 to war-torn Aleppo in Syria
In a statement released on Friday, the Vatican confirms that Pope Francis made a generous donation to the needy in the war-ravaged Syrian city of Aleppo. "The Holy Father celebrated a Mass for Syria and has sent 100,000 euro ($106,000) to the poor of Aleppo," the statement read.
The Pope has been publicly raising attention and awareness to the plight of Syrians caught in the conflict since his election in 2013. Aleppo has endured brutal fighting during the six-year Syrian conflict, and the warfare has caused many deaths and injuries, widespread displacement and massive damage.
US Attorney General, Jeff Sessions asks 46 Obama-era U.S. attorneys to resign
The US Justice Department on Friday announced that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has asked for the resignations of 46 US attorneys. Justice Department spokesperson Sarah Isgur Flores said, "as was the case in prior transitions, many of the United States attorneys nominated by the previous administration already have left the Department of Justice.
The attorney general has now asked the remaining 46 presidentially appointed US attorneys to tender their resignations in order to ensure a uniform transition,".
"Until the new US attorneys are confirmed, the dedicated career prosecutors in our US attorney's offices will continue the great work of the department in investigating, prosecuting, and deterring the most violent offenders," Flores said.
Ghanaian Police crime officer describes a violent fight Tonto Dikeh had with her hubby, says she pulled out a gun
Tonto Dikeh's marital crisis has just entered a whole new level. Following her tell-all interview a few days ago where she opened up on how her hubby, Oladuni Churchill maltreats, beats and cheats on her, a new video (rather confusing though) has just hit the internet with shocking details about her.
In the new video published online by Asempa News in Ghana, a man identified as Supt. Joseph Oppong, Crime Officer at the Madina Divisional Police is seen reading a statement allegedly written by Churchill during one of their fights in Ghana.
Reading from the statement with, Oppong said they received a call to Churchill’s Trasaaco estate in Ghana where they went in to find Tonto Dikeh in a rage, destroying items in the house because she claimed her husband was cheating on her.
Oppong said before they arrived, she had destroyed $15,000 worth of items and they had to restrain her adding that she had even waved a gun at one of Churchill’s bodyguards who tried to stop her from breaking the properties. Watch the video below.....
Russian reality show to allow rape and murder as contestants compete for cash prize
A questionable new reality TV show set to be launched in Russia has sparked controversy after its rules promised to allow “fighting, murder and rape”. The Hunger Games-style contest, called “Game2: Winter”, which is the brainchild of 35 year old millionaire, Yevgeny Pyatkovsky, has been accused by critics of promoting “savage and bestial behaviour”. A glamorous swimming coach, a Russian actress, and a 'professional blonde' from the Arctic are among the contestants taking part in the controversial real-life Hunger Games-style TV show.
The organisers of the reality programme, filmed on a remote Siberian island, say they will not intervene to stop rape and murder, as the series got the go ahead to start in July. Contestants armed with only knives will have to fight bears, wolves and endure vicious gnats during a nine month hell on the Ob River, it was announced Friday, March 10
Game2: Winter will see 30 participants, evenly split between men and women, armed with knives and dropped into the Siberian wilderness for a nine-month survival test. Starting in July 2017, they will be competing for a £1.3 million prize, and are expected to hunt and fish for food in the bleak taiga forest in order to stay alive.
The daring contestants – who must be over 18 and declared “mentally sane” – will be allowed 100kg of equipment to last them until April 1 2018, and are not permitted to take in guns.
They will have to pay £132,000 just to enter, and their trials and tribulations will be filmed by 2,000 fixed cameras and broadcast live online 24/7.
The extreme survival show will be translated into English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic, and there has reportedly been interests from mainstream broadcasters in five countries to air it on television. Shockingly, the rules for the contest originally stated:
“Everything is allowed. Fighting, alcohol, murder, rape, smoking, anything.” However, after an outcry, the team behind the show removed the controversial “rule”.
But when asked if he will step in if there is “physical violence, rape, or murder”, millionaire organiser Yevgeny Pyatkovsky, told The Siberian Times:
“No, we won’t. “I am pretty sure there will be fights, and more. We are not scared of negative reaction if that happens either.”
He reiterated:
“We will refuse any claim of participants even if they were to be killed or raped. “We will have nothing to do with this. This will be spelt out in a document to be signed by the participant before the start of the show.”
However, Russian criminal laws will still apply for anyone who commits a crime there, with contestants told “the police will come and take you away” if there is proof of criminality.
Game2’s contestants will have to face temperatures ranging from a roasting 35C in the summer to minus 40C or lower in the depths of the Siberian winter. Finding food will provide a huge challenge for the foolhardy few who take part.
The boreal forest, or taiga, where they will be struggling to survive supports little wildlife, particularly in winter.
Sunday, 12 February 2017
Asisat Oshoala Joins Dalian Quanjian - Sports
Asisat Oshoala Joins Chinese Club Dalian Quanjian
Super Falcons forward, Asisat Oshoala, has become the latest Nigerian footballer to move to the Far East, after she completed her transfer from Arsenal Ladies to Dalian Quanjian in China.
The 22-year-old failed to report for pre-season training with the English club, prompting speculations she was set to move.
Oshoala, who signed for Arsenal Ladies in January 2016, will reportedly earn four times in China.
Just last month, Oshoala denied she was set to quit the English Women’s Super League.
The reigning CAF African Women Footballer of the Year claimed the transfer only existed in the imagination of the reporter.
“I’m 100% at my club, Arsenal Ladies, I do not know the source of the report that I’m moving to China,” she told SuperSport.
“I’m 100% Arsenal Ladies nothing more than that I’m on a break in Nigeria, a longer break after a major championship, Africa Women Cup of Nations in Cameroon.”
Oshoala won the Women’s FA Cup with Arsenal Ladies during her first year with the club.
Police Arrest ‘Uncle’ For Rape Of 16-Year-Old Housemaid In Lagos
Ten days after Saturday PUNCH’s report about the alleged rape of a 16-year-old orphan housemaid by her ‘uncle’ and torture by his wife, the police from the Iyana-Iba division, Lagos have apprehended the suspect.
The suspect, Afrobest Chinedu Eze, a trader at the Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos, was arrested on Wednesday after several efforts by the police to track him down.
Saturday PUNCH had reported on January 28 how the victim, 16-year-old Blessing, was brought to the home of the Ezes to work as a housemaid about three months ago.
She was said to have lost her two parents and had been living without care in the village before a relation brought her to Lagos.
Janet (not real name) accused the man she refers to as ‘uncle’ of forcing himself on her at three separate times when his wife was not around.
According to the girl, when Mrs. Eze came back from her travels, she summoned her.
Janet told Saturday PUNCH that the woman accused her of seducing her husband while she was away and she tortured her as a result.
But Eze had told our correspondent that the girl was simply lying about everything.
The Divisional Police Officer of Iba, Mr. Michael Falade, explained that the suspect had not been transferred to the Department of Criminal Investigation he had not personally heard the verbal allegations of the girl.
On Friday, our correspondent confirmed that Eze had finally been transferred to the DCI for further investigation.
Executive Director of the Esther Child Rights Foundation, Mrs. Esther Ogwu, who is handling Janet’s case, called on the Lagos State Government to find her a proper home.
“We are concerned that while the case lasts, the girl’s life may become stagnant even though she is already traumatised. That is why we submitted a letter to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Team of the Lagos State Government and the National Human Rights Commission to seek a concerted effort to help the girl,” she said
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
Lecturer, Dare Arowolo Blasts 2face Over Protest: You Benefited From Kleptocracy
I have personal admiration for Tuface Idibia as one of the accomplished celebrities in Nigeria, who promotes social cohesion through his music. His mobilization plan is gaining so much accelerated acceptance among the youth, majority of whom, as a result of bad governance, lack requisite intelligence to appraise and appreciate the root cause of the suffering they are going through. Tuface's intentions are noble, at least to the extent of offering himself to stand for the youth population. However, the motive for his mobilization call is a subject of partisan interpretations. Friends have argued here in support of this much celebrated mobilization plan, comparing Tuface with Fela and Marley. But I have found their comparative perspective objectionable. I do not think it is apt to compare Fela or Bob Marley with Tuface. This is because the duo of Fela and Marley never supported, either overtly or covertly, nor were silent over, the inhuman lootocracy and executive recklessness of the past, especially during their time, but Tuface did not only tacitly support but also directly benefited tremendously from the kleptocracy of the past from which he feasted voraciously and over which he cavalierly maintained unforgivable muted passivity. He therefore lacks moral justification to condemn and mobilize against a government, which is being pitiably crippled by the conspiratorial pilfering of our common patrimony of the immediate past. Heroism is earned through relentless and untiring display of sacrificial mien and selfless personality/leadership traits, not a blend of capitalist posture and socialist tendency to attain a tainted political interest for the disgruntled political elite.
As the date for the proposed protest draws nearer, more pressure is being mounted on music legend, Tuface as another lecturer blasts him over the nationwide protest. Dare Arowolo took to his Facebook account and wrote the following below
Miyonse, Soma And Efe Up For Eviction This Week On Big Brother
After a week of excitement and a mock eviction which shook the housemates and brought some of them to tears, Big Brother Naija will witness it's first real eviction come Sunday, February 5.
The housemate with the least number of votes will be evicted from the house. Last night, the first live nomination happened on the show.
See their faces below
Lagos Beggar Pretends He Is Dying After He Was Caught Lying
As shared by the founder of Kokun Foundation:
"Met this man just now at Ikeja begging me for 4,000 naira for his daughter who's dying at Lasuth, so I got down from the car and told him let's go and I will pay for all the outstanding bills he refused that he want to go himself which was a lie.. We decided to force him inside the car and he pretend that he's dying... #Lagos beggars will want to take advantage of u."
Man follows bride and groom as they walk down the aisle during Brazilian wedding…then pulls out a gun & starts shooting at guests
A couple's wedding day is expected to be the happiest day of their lives, but that was not so for a couple in Brazil whose wedding was disrupted by a gun-toting, trigger-happy intruder.
Hardly had the bride and groom walked down the aisle to stand in front of the altar when the man, who marched in behind the couple, lifted his t-shirt, brought out a gun and began shooting
Guests and the couple scattered in different directions while some guests were brought down by the bullet.
Umberto Ferreira dos Santos, known by his nickname Betinho, opened fire at guests at the ceremony inside a church in Limoeiro de Anadia.
He was plotting to take out a father and son in a revenge attack over the death of his own boy, it was claimed.
62-year-old man Cícero Barbosa da Silva, and his 37-year-old son, Edmilson Bezerra da Silva, who were supposed to stand in as witnesses at the wedding were both shot. They were rushed to the hospital and have reportedly been stabilised. The gunman fled after carrying out the callous act.
Photo: Nigerian man arraigned in Cambodia court for fraud
Nigerian national and a Cambodian were arraigned before the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday, January 27, for their involvement in a scheme to steal $300 from a Cambodian woman through a fake promotional contest.
37-year-old Uchechukwu Vincent and 27-year-old Sarim Kunthea had been charged with fraud after being sued by Keo Sotheary, 28, and arrested on September 8, 2016.
“They were arrested by the police while coming to get $300 from the victim at a Wing transfer shop in Chom Chao commune," Judge Ros Piseth said, adding that police had seized the money during the arrest.
According to court documents, the pair called the woman and told her she won first prize in a promotional contest in September 2016. But Ms. Sotheary was told to send them $300 through Wing for “information and preparation for receiving the prize.”
Ms. Sotheary became suspicious when she received several follow-up calls asking her to send the money.
She filed a complaint with police, who subsequently set up a sting operation to arrest Mr. Vincent and Ms. Kunthea at a local Wing shop.
The two alleged scam artists, who had been living in an apartment in Sansom Kosal 5 village in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district, denied the charges and said they had never called or spoken to the victim.
They claimed a Nigerian friend named Ichinobi told them to pick up the $300 from the Wing shop before they were arrested.
"I did not know the victim. I have never called her or contacted her. I did not do anything as the court has accused and I would like them to release me," Mr. Vincent said.
The court’s verdict is due on the morning of February 7th.
Source: Khmer Times
Photos: Thai woman 'tricked' into carrying cocaine by Nigerian boyfriend sentenced to life imprisonment
A Cambodia court has sentenced a 22-year-old Thai woman to life imprisonment for trafficking 2.5 kilogrammes of cocaine from the United Arab Emirates.
Amphawan Kaewkanlaya claimed she was tricked into carrying the drugs by her Nigerian boyfriend's older brother. She was also fined 60 million riel (about 535,000 baht).
Police found packages of cocaine, totaling 2.5kg, hidden in boxes of Lindt chocolates in her luggage.
"The court has decided to give her a life sentence and a fine of 60 million riel to be put in the national budget," Phnom Penh Municipal Court presiding judge Heng Kessaror said in passing judgement on Thursday, January 5th.
"The court orders the confiscation of the drugs seized and other drug-related material to be destroyed," he added.
Amphawan said she would appeal the judgement and maintained she was innocent. During her trial last month she said she was unaware the package she accepted from her boyfriend’s brother, the boxes of Swiss chocolates, during her visit to the UAE contained drugs.
"It is so unjust for me. I will consider my appeal of the judgment to the Appeal Court,"she said.
During her trial last month, Amphawan said she traveled from Thailand to Dubai in March to visit her Nigerian boyfriend, Uche, and his family there .
Her boyfriend had paid for her airline tickets, visa, food and accommodation, she said. Before returning home last month, she was given the boxes of Lindt chocolates by Uche’s older brother, whose name she could not recall. He had asked her to take the chocolates to a friend of his in Cambodia.
She said she became aware the hidden drugs only when she was detained at Phnom Penh International Airport and police inspected the boxes.
Police seized 2,594 grammes of cocaine and charged her with transporting an illicit drug, possession and trafficking.
Source: Khmer Times
Donald Trump nominates Judge Neil Gorsuch as SCOTUS, the youngest Supreme Court nominee in 25 years
US President Donald Trump has nominated Neil Gorsuch as the next Judge of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), the highest court in the United States. Gorsuch was named as a replacement for late Antonin Scalia who was one of the nine judges of the SCOTUS, until his death in 2016.
49 year old Gorsuch is the youngest Supreme Court nominee in 25 years.
He's known on the Denver-based 10th Circuit Court of Appeals for clear, colloquial writing, advocacy for court review of government regulations, defense of religious freedom and skepticism toward law enforcement.
He believes firmly in freedom of religion and sided with Christian employers and religious organizations in the cases of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and the case of Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged v. Burwell, later consolidated into Zubik v. Burwell.
In the Hobby Lobby case, Gorsuch believed that the requirement in the Affordable Care Act (OBAMACARE) that employers provide insurance coverage for contraceptives without a co-pay violated the rights of those employers that object to use of contraceptives on religious grounds.
He wrote:
"The ACA's mandate requires them to violate their religious faith by forcing them to lend an impermissible degree of assistance to conduct what their religion teaches to be gravely wrong.
When US president Donald Trump introduced him, he said:
"Judge Gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline and has earned bipartisan support." Announcing the nomination in his first televised prime-time address from the White House.
Gorsuch's nomination was cheered by conservatives but scoffed by democrats.
Scalia's wife, Maureen Scalia was present when the announcement was made and Trump made sure he praised the late justice.
Gorsuch accepted the nomination and thanked the president for entrusting him with "a most solemn assignment" and the opportunity to serve the nation. Then he also praised late Judge Scalia calling
Scalia a "lion of the law."
Gorsuch said:
"Standing here in a house of history, I'm acutely aware of my own imperfections and pledge that if I am confirmed, I will do all my powers permit to be a faithful servant of the Constitution of laws of this great country."
If confirmed by the senate, Gorsuch will restore the court to the conservative tilt it held with Scalia on the bench.
"Most Presidents are only front men to distract us from the people who really run the country" - Charlyboy
As the activist/former singer shared on Social Media. True or not?
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