Egyptian Court Removes Last Bar to Setting Mubarak Free

An Egyptian court on Wednesday ordered former President Hosni Mubarak released from prison, saying all appeals by prosecutors to keep him behind bars had been exhausted. Some accounts said his freedom could come within hours.

Al Ahram, the state newspaper, said on its Web site Wednesday afternoon that his release may be more imminent, quoting an unidentified judicial source. Other reports claimed the prosecution would still have 48 hours to appeal his release.

Even Mr. Mubarak’s opponents expected his release. “We are now facing a sound release order, and the prosecution will appeal and the appeal will be denied and he will walk out, and he has a right to do so,” said Khaled Abu Bakr, a prominent lawyer involved in the cases of protesters killed during the protests against Mr. Mubarak that preceded his downfall.

A judicial source told The New York Times that all appeals had been exhausted “and procedures for his release will begin to be processed right away unless he’s detained pending other trials.” Wednesday’s order, however, applied to the last of three prosecutions that Mr. Mubarak still faced. He had already been ordered freed pending trial on the two other cases, including a retrial on charges of complicity in the deaths of 800 protesters at the end of his regime in January 2011.

Mr. Mubarak’s release would inject a volatile new element into the political crisis convulsing Egypt, coming less than two months after the military coup that toppled his successor, the Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first freely elected president.

The juxtaposition of freedom for Mr. Mubarak while Mr. Morsi remains in custody would dramatically test the level of support for the military-led government among the many anti-Mubarak people who later sided with the decision to depose Mr. Morsi and crack down on the Muslim Brotherhood.

It was still possible that the prosecutors would find another reason to keep Mr. Mubarak incarcerated. Under the martial law rule the military-appointed government has declared, suspending judicial protections, it has the legal tools to do whatever it wants to do with suspects in detention.

But early indications were that prosecutors were not going to aggressively pursue Mr. Mubarak’s continued detention.

According to Al Ahram, the military moved the latest trial in Mr. Mubarak’s case to the prison where he has been held, rather than forcing him to endure the spectacle of a public court hearing as he has had to do in the past, citing security concerns.

The paper’s Web site quoted Gen. Mustafa Baz, director of the prison authority, as saying that Mr. Mubarak’s release paperwork would be submitted to the public prosecutor on Thursday to see if any further cases were brought against him.

The formal decision to release Mr. Mubarak was made by the Northern Court of Appeals in Cairo in the so-called Al Ahram gifts case. Mr. Mubarak was charged with corruption for accepting a series of gifts valued at 28 million Egyptian pounds (about $4.6 million) from Al Ahram, the state-owned news organization.

His lawyer, Mr. Deeb, however, argued that he should be released pending trial because he had already made restitution for that amount to Al Ahram.

Mr. Deeb had argued that keeping him in prison, where he has languished since April 2011, was abusive and exceeded the maximum limits for a prisoner awaiting trial. Chronically ill, Mr. Mubarak has been held most recently in the Tora Prison’s hospital wing.

Mr. Abu Bakr said that it is routine in Egyptian legal proceedings for prosecutors to automatically appeal release orders, and normally courts turn down those appeals. In past months, that procedural tradition was ignored because of political pressure to keep Mr. Mubarak behind bars, he said. “What happened before when prosecutors pre-empted Mubarak’s release with new charges to keep him held under Morsi is a mockery,” Mr. Abu Bakr said.

Mr. Mubarak ruled Egypt for 30 years with the support of the Egyptian military, until the military bowed to popular protests and removed him from office more than two years ago.

His ouster, and the disgrace of public trial in courtrooms full of opponents and television cameras, was deeply unpopular among some of Egypt’s allies, particularly Saudi Arabia, which helped put together a $12 billion aid package for Egypt after Mr. Morsi was deposed last month.

The money will help offset threats of aid cutoffs from the United States and European countries over the huge numbers of deaths in pro-Morsi protests.

Just in the past week, more than 1,100 people have been killed and many Muslim Brotherhood activists and leaders have been arrested.

Nigeria: U.K. Investigates Winners' Chapel Over Alleged Misappropriation of N4 Billion Tithes

The United Kingdom's Charity Commission is investigating the U.K. branch of David Oyedepo's Winner Chapel over the alleged misappropriation of at least £16 million (N4 billion) collected as tithes between 2008 and 2011, the U.K. Guardian is reporting.

Over N250 million (£1 million) of that amount is said to have been repatriated to the Nigeria headquarters of the church between 2009 and 2011, the church's account shows.

A spokesperson of the charity commission told the Guardian newspapers that investigations "regarding the charity's management and policies" are on-going.

"We have considered documents and information shared by the trustees and our case is continuing," she said.

The congregants of the U.K. branch of the church are allegedly given credit cards forms to make donations as they arrive for service. The forms are inscribed with a verse from the Bible's Book of Corinthians which reads, "God loveth a cheerful giver."

Documents submitted to the Charity Commission show the parent organisation of the church, £8 million rich World Mission Agency, makes paltry donations to charity causes. Its books shows it donated N2.6 million (£10,500) to Great Ormond Street Children's hospital and N2.2 million (£9,000) to Christian Aid for the Haiti earthquake appeal and N625, 000 (£2,500) to charities in the Lewisham area of London.

In contrast, it transferred N81.2 million (£324,683) and N165.8 million (£663,532) to world headquarters in Nigeria in 2010 and 2011 respectively. In 2009 and 2010 N48, 000,000 was set aside for "welfare assistance" for unnamed "certain member of the church."

The Church also claimed it spent N37.25million "for charitable activities in Africa."

David Oyedepo, who is believed to be the richest pastor in Nigeria, lives a life of opulence. He, through his church, owns at least three private jets and one of the most expensive private universities in the country. The Nigerian headquarters of the church prides itself as having the biggest church auditorium in the world. The auditorium sits over 50,000 congregants.

"All of us have a growing concern about any kind of mercenary response that puts cash at the centre of Christian faith. I challenge any movement, including Winners, to be open and account for its money wherever it goes because it comes originally from hard-working faithful people," said Joel Edwards, a senior figure in the British evangelical movement and director of the Micah Challenge which is running Exposed, a global anti-corruption campaign directed at churches, business and government.

No short cut to economic prosperity- President Jonathan.

President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to put in their best into whatever occupational activities they are engaged in, stressing that there are no short cuts to economic prosperity.

The President who spoke through Vice President Namadi Sambo at the 13th National Productivity Day Celebrations and Conferment of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award, said, “No matter our calling, it is only through hard work, diligence and discipline that success can be achieved.”

President Jonathan acknowledged that improved productivity needed motivation and favourable working conditions, emphasised that his administration was working assiduously to re-engineer attitudinal outlook, which would “emphasise the dignity of labour, integrity, honesty, discipline and hard work in the workplace,” adding that, “We are also resolved to effect new service reward system that will promote productivity, efficiency and excellence.”

According to him, to achieve these, his administration was not only strengthening the National Productivity Centre, but was also addressing the infrastructure deficit through the development of a National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP) and had also inaugurated the Board of the Nigerian National Competitiveness Council (NNCC) to improve competitiveness.

While expressing delight with the successes being made by the reforms the administration was carrying out and also observing that standard of living have direct correlation with productivity, the President maintained that Government was vigorously diversifying the economy to drive wealth and job creation.

“Our agenda of Transformation is productivity oriented.  Our vision and quest is to bequeath to future generations, a better and greater Nigeria underpin our action.   It is by securing higher and better quality output for any given unit of input, that we can increase our national wealth and raise the living standards of our people”; the President said.

He called on the awardees not to rest on their oars, while also calling on both individuals and organisations to emulate them by increasing their productivity.

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, while thanking the President for personally signing the certificates, disclosed that the National Council on Productivity would soon be inaugurated, while also imploring individuals and organisations to key into the National Productivity Policy by increasing their productiveness.

Mr. George Uriesi, who spoke on behalf of fellow recipients of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award, expressed gratitude for the recognition, pledging that they would not fail the country, adding that it was a tonic that would propel them.

The 2011/2012 National Productivity Order of Merit Award, was conferred on twenty individuals and ten organizations, in recognition of their contributions towards national development. Since inception in 1991, 256 individuals and 58 organisations had received the honour.   This year’s celebrations had the theme “Productivity and Competitiveness: Determinants for Achieving National Transformation"

A man has been arrested in Nigeria over attempted real estate fraud in Western Australia

The alleged fraudster,Ntuen Ekenmini

A man has been arrested in Nigeria over the attempted fraudulent sale of a home in Western Australia, in what is believed to be the first arrest of its kind by Australian authorities.

WA Police worked with Consumer Protection and a real estate agent over eight months to intercept the sale of the house in Falcon, south of Perth.

The owners of the home are based in South Africa.

Ntuen Promise Ekenmini, 27, was apprehended by Nigerian authorities yesterday when he went to collect documents using a fake drivers licence in the name of the real home owner.

Police allege the attempted fraud began when a man contacted the property manager of a Mandurah real estate agency on 17 December, 2012, pretending to be the owner of a home being managed by the agency and requesting documents relating to the rented property.

He allegedly used an email address in the name of one of the real owners, who is a resident of Johannesburg, and requested all future correspondence be forwarded it to it.

On 18 January, 2013 the agency received a request to sell the property and a sales agreement with false signatures was returned to the agent, together with copies of fake passports of the two owners, a husband and wife, as well as a forged document purporting to be from the Australian High Commission in Pretoria confirming their identity.

The agent became suspicious and reported the attempted fraud to authorities.

In conjunction with the police, the agency engaged with the alleged offender - at one stage instructions were given to deposit $AU785,000 into a bank account in South East Asia.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dom Blackshaw says police are investigating whether the crime is linked to previous cases of real estate fraud in the state.

He says six of the seven cases involved owners who live in South Africa, have investment properties in Perth which are rented, and have had their identities stolen.

"There's every chance that these people are the same offenders, however we are working with the police in Nigeria to identify whether that is the case," he said.

"The offenders are very tenacious; they haven't given up. This has been eight months that they've been contacting the agent.

"They've been changing email addresses, telephone numbers, even to the point they've been threatening the agent when things have been delayed."

"We need to be constantly vigilant. We can't afford to rest now and think 'ok we've caught someone, that's the end of it'. There will be further attacks from further offenders in those countries and we need to be very mindful of that."

Mr Ekenmini is expected to be charged with fraud.

Egypt Imposes State Of Emergency After 95 People Killed

At least 95 Egyptians were killed on Wednesday after security forces moved in on protesters demanding the reinstatement of President Mohamed Mursi, and the government imposed a state of emergency as violence swept the most populous Arab nation.

Troops opened fire on Islamist demonstrators in clashes that brought chaos to the capital and other cities and looked certain to further polarize Egypt’s 84 million people between those who backed Mursi and the millions who opposed his brief rule.

In the streets around the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in northeast Cairo, where thousands of Mursi supporters have staged a sit-in for the last six weeks, riot police wearing gas masks crouched behind armored vehicles, tear gas hung in the air and burning tires sent plumes of black smoke into the sky.

Several television stations ran footage of what appeared to be pro-Mursi protesters firing automatic rifles at soldiers from behind sandbag barricades.

At a hospital morgue nearby, a Reuters reporter counted 29 bodies, including that of a 12-year-old boy. Most had died of gunshot wounds to the head.

Violence spread beyond Cairo, with Mursi supporters and security forces clashing in the cities of Alexandria, Minya, Assiut, Fayoum and Suez and in Buhayra and Beni Suef provinces.

The health ministry put the overall death toll at 95 people, including both police and civilians, with other sources saying at least 17 were killed in Fayoum province and five in Suez.

Mursi supporters besieged and set fire to government buildings and several churches were attacked, state media said.

Mohamed El-Beltagi, a leader of Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement that has led the protests, said his 17-year-old daughter had been killed in the clashes.

He warned of wider conflict, and singled out the head of the armed forces who deposed Mursi on July 3 following mass protests calling for his resignation.

“I swear by God that if you stay in your homes, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will embroil this country so that it becomes Syria. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will push this nation to a civil war so that he escapes the gallows.”

By 10 a.m. ET, only a few hundred protesters remained at the Rabaa site. A second, smaller camp near Cairo University was swiftly cleared in the early morning.

STATE OF EMERGENCY

The presidency announced a month-long state of emergency across Egypt and ordered the armed forces to help police enforce security. Rights activists said the move would give legal cover for the army to make arrests.

The interim cabinet, installed by the military to guide Egypt to fresh elections in around six months, also announced a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. in several provinces as well as Cairo and Alexandria.

Hosni Mubarak, the U.S.-backed autocratic ruler toppled in a 2011 uprising, imposed a state of emergency after Islamists assassinated Anwar Sadat in 1981 and used it over the next 30 years to stifle dissent and crack down on the Brotherhood.

Lifting the state of emergency had been a key demand of the protesters who ousted Mubarak, and the military eventually did so last year.

The West, notably the United States which gives the Egyptian military $1.3 billion each year, has been alarmed by the recent violence in the strategic Arab ally that has a peace treaty with Israel and controls the vital Suez Canal waterway.

Wednesday’s assault prompted widespread condemnation. Turkey urged the U.N. Security Council and Arab League to act quickly to stop a “massacre” in Egypt, and Iran warned of the risk of civil war.

Nine hours after the start of Wednesday’s operation, crowds of protesters were still blocking roads, chanting and waving flags as security forces sought to prevent them from regrouping.

“At 7 a.m. they came. Helicopters from the top and bulldozers from below. They smashed through our walls. Police and soldiers, they fired tear gas at children,” said teacher Saleh Abdulaziz, 39, clutching a bleeding wound on his head.

“They continued to fire at protesters even when we begged them to stop.”

The move to break up the camps appeared to dash any remaining hopes of bringing the Brotherhood back into the political mainstream, and underlined the impression many Egyptians share that the military is tightening its grip.

The operation also suggested the army had lost patience with persistent protests that were crippling parts of the capital and slowing the political process.

It was the third time since Mursi’s ouster six weeks ago that security forces had opened fire on protesters in Cairo, killing dozens of people on each occasion.

The crackdown began just after dawn with helicopters hovering over the camps. Gunfire rang out as protesters, among them women and children, fled Rabaa. Armored vehicles moved in beside bulldozers which began clearing tents.

MARKETS NERVOUS

The government issued a statement saying security forces had showed the “utmost degree of self-restraint”, reflected in low casualties compared to the number of people “and the volume of weapons and violence directed against the security forces”.

It added that it would press ahead with implementing an army-backed political transition plan in “a way that strives not to exclude any party from participation”.

Mursi became Egypt’s first freely elected leader in June 2012, but failed to tackle deep economic malaise and worried many Egyptians with apparent efforts to tighten Islamist rule.

Liberals and young Egyptians staged huge rallies demanding that he resign, and the army said it removed him in response to the will of the people.

Since he was deposed, Gulf Arab states pledged $12 billion in aid to Egypt, buying the interim government valuable time to try to put the country’s finances back in order.

Egyptian stocks have rallied 23 percent since his ouster, but fell 1.7 percent on Wednesday. While the drop was relatively muted, market participants are becoming more nervous.

Emad Mostaque, emerging markets strategist at Noah Capital Markets, switched to a “sell” position from neutral on Egyptian equities.

“The organized nature of the Muslim Brotherhood and their chunky presence in society (let’s say 10 percent), means they can be far more disruptive than the 2011 revolutionaries,” he said in a client note.

REUTERS

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EGYPT SECURITY FORCES CRACK DOWN ON PRO-MORSI PROTESTERS

Egyptian security forces early today began a crack down on the pro-Morsi supporters in an efforts to end the almost six weeks street protest in Cairo.

It will be recalled that former President Morsi was removed from power on July 3 by the Military and replaced his government with a civilian interim administration. The pro-Morsi group took to the street demanding his reinstatement.

Though, security forces have been able to clear a sub-urb of Cairo, Nahda of protesters  but gun fire exchange were still on-going  between members of the Muslim Brotherhood and members of the government security forces Rabaa Al-Adawiya camp.

Churches were reportedly set ablaze by the Muslim Brotherhood and burnt police stations and police vehicles.

As at 12 noon there were conflicting figures as to the number of causalities and the wounded. While Muslim Brotherhood claimed that over 200 of their fold had been killed and over 8,000 wounded, the Interior Ministry claimed that only 15 protesters  were killed when they opened fire on the security men  and about 200 wounded.

Security forces have stormed the larger camp in the eastern Cairo district of Nasr City and were closing in on a mosque that has served as the epicenter of vigil. Several leaders of Morsi's Brotherhood are thought to have been staying inside the mosque.

Today's attacks on the two pro-Morsi camps are the latest chapter in the turmoil that has roiled Egypt since the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak and are likely to deepen the nation's division between the camp of Islamists led by the Muslim Brotherhood on one side, and secularists, liberals, moderate Muslims and minority Christians on the other.

One of the security officials said a total of 200 protesters were arrested from both sites on Wednesday.

The pro-Morsi Anti-Coup alliance claimed that security forces used live ammunition, but the Interior Ministry, which is in charge of the police, said its forces only used tear gas and that they came under fire from the camp.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS COMMEND NAMA OVER DEPLOYMENT OF AREA RADAR CONTROL

The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), has congratulated the  Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on the successful deployment of area radar service within the Nigerian airspace.

In a congratulatory message signed by the General Secretary ,  Olawode Banji, the organization expressed delight over the “implementation of area radar control service which has brought about enhanced air safety, reduced air safety reports, better economic air navigation and reduced controllers workloads within the airspace”.

The association however implored NAMA to ensure stabilization of air traffic control communication and surveillance facilities across the nation’s airports, stressing that there was also the need for NAMA management to grant audience to the association, to allow for negotiation for appropriate Area Radar Control Rating allowance for air traffic controllers who are providing the service.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), on the 30^th of May, 2013, commenced the deployment of area radar control within the nation’s airspace, and since then, the agency has been at the receiving end of a deluge of accolades from stakeholders for the improved air navigation service provider in Nigeria.

Three Journalists Dead aftermath of road crash.

Gov. Aregbesola offers to pay bills 

of 10 journalists in road crash

Journalists have described the death of three journalists in Osun on Friday as shocking and a great loss to the nation.

The dead journalists are Olatunde Ojenike of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Ibadan, Adolphus Okonkwo, Champion Newspapers, and Kafayat Odunsi of Nigeria Television Authority.

Ten others sustained injuries in the accident, which occurred near Ilesha in Osun State, and are receiving treatment at  Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.

The journalists were returning to their bases from a national assignment  of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), which held in Abuja on Thursday.

Among the injured are the chairmen of Oyo and Lagos state councils of NUJ, Gbenga Opadokun and Deji Elumoye respectively as well as Fatimah Abdulkareem, the National Treasurer.

The Osun Chairman of NUJ, Mr Abiodun Olalere, who confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the survivors were in stable conditions.

NAN learnt that the accident occurred when the driver lost control after the tyre of the vehicle in which the journalists were travelling burst at about 7p.m  near Ilesha on the Ife-Ibadan Expressway.

The National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Shuibu Leman, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that  ``it was a sad moment for the union and the nation as a whole.’’

The Chairman of NUJ, Abuja Council, Mr Chucks Ehirim, said, ``it was indeed a great shock as the three late journalists were very alive and active on Thursday at a meeting of the union.

``We are all shocked by the incident. They were our colleagues and we were all together in the meeting till late on Thursday. It is unfortunate because they died in union activities.’

Meanwhile, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun has offered to pay the medical bills of 10 journalists injured in an auto accident near Ilesha, Osun, on Friday night.

Another Open Letter to Mr. President from Chief Olufemi Robinson.

Mr. President, The Governors, Fellow Nigerians.

 My name is Chief Olufemi  Robinson the former Village Headmaster on the Television program Village Headmaster. An elder they say can not sit and watch as the little child’s head is twisted on the back of the mother. That is why I am once again writing another open letter to you and since I can not reach your presence, I am making my views public.

Mr. President Sir, I believe it is time we begin to talk about the things that united us in the past rather than continuing to talk about things that has divided us and may probably kill us if we do not do something now.  In my first open letter to you I suggested that we organize a workshop tagged “Welcome Nigeria” to marry our Aviation development with tourism and culture.

The aim of the workshop is geared to redirecting our minds to the potentials and gains of our developing as a united country blessed with human and material resources not available in most parts of the world. I will not relent in my cry that we look inwards because we can not continue to believe that our salvation will come from the heavens. Heaven helps those who help themselves.

It is obvious that politics has disunited not only the people but brothers and sisters. It is the cause of insecurity in the country which before Independence boasted of plenty to eat and give to its’ neighbors.  The only saving grace today may be in our culture and our tradition which so many of us do not believe in or take seriously. However it is the only identity that can not be taken from us.

I am with this letter once more asking that we identify a project that will unite the whole country. I can not think of any other project but promoting our culture and heritage.

Mandela today saved South Africa from collapsing by identifying what would unite the country. He chose sports and rugby for that matter. Today the black and whites are united in sports even with all the attempts by politics to tear them apart.

Let us use tourism and culture to unite our country Nigeria. Let us use tourism and culture to unite our brothers and sisters. Let us for some time forget this oil politics that has no place in our culture: A culture which believes in giving and sharing with love not with violence.

IBB: Emergence of APC Good Development for Nigeria

*As Chieftains of APC visits the former 

President in his Minna Hilltop residence

Former Military President General Ibrahim BadamasiBabangida has stated that the emergency of All Progressive Congress (APC) will bring about vibrant political activities and give the people an alternative choice.

He bared his mind on the registration of APC and the current political trend when chieftains of the newly registered party yesterday stormed the residence of the former military president where they entered into a closed door meeting that lasted for about two hours.

Those that came visiting the former President included the Interim Deputy National Chairman of the newly registered APC and Former Speaker AminuMasari as well as Former Minister of Federal Capital Territory and interim Assistant National Secretary Nasir El-Rufai.

IBB stated that the emergence of APC has further confirmed his strong believe on two parties system which would provide an equally strong avenue for people to make choice.

He said, "I think we have a lot of time now we will see vibrant political activities, political parties will like to sell their products, perhaps you should keep on insisting the votes should count also and allow the people to vote their choice and should have only one vote".

When asked whether votes have not been counting in Nigeria in the previous elections he said "No, I never said so I only said and insist that votes should count".

Babangida stated further that "I have been and I will continue to be a strong believer of two parties system, I told you that, maybe as PDP itself said we now have a strong and vibrant political associations, you have the choice, you either take this or that".

"I hope that the public will see it as an opportunity, that the party should try to talk to us the ordinary people, what they intend to do for us and for the country", he added.

Asked on what the emergence of APC portends for the future of PDP, he tactically answered, "you see as a person who God did not give the power to predict the future I wait for God to see," but when pressed further to draw inferences from previous political development he said, "No, I think it is a good development".