Islamic militants in
the Philippines have beheaded a Canadian hostage, raising fears for more
than 20 other foreigners held captive on remote islands, with troops
and police vowing Tuesday to hunt down the extremists.
The man’s head was found Monday dumped outside city hall on Jolo, a
mountainous and jungle-clad island in the far south of the Philippines
that is a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Islamist group.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Filipino authorities
identified the victim as John Ridsdel, a retiree in his late 60s who was
kidnapped seven months ago from aboard a yacht, along with another
Canadian man, a Norwegian and a Filipina woman.
“This was an act of cold-blooded murder and responsibility rests with
the terrorist group who took him hostage,” Trudeau said in Ottawa.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
A Federal Capital Territory High Court,
Abuja, on Monday sentenced to three years imprisonment, Mr. George Uboh,
who accused a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, of diverting loot recovered from
suspects.
Justice S.E Aladetoyinbo convicted Uboh
and sentenced him to
three years imprisonment on charges of criminal
breach of trust bordering on his roles in converting the vehicles of the
defunct Police Equipment Foundation to his own use.
The judge imposed an option of N1m fine on Uboh.
Uboh paid the N1m fine and was released to go immediately after the judgment was passed.
Though Uboh was charged under the
provisions of section 314, he was convicted under section 312 of the law
which also bordered on another variant of breach of trust, because the
EFCC was unable to prove that he (Uboh) was an employee of PEF.
Justice Aladetoyinbo in convicting him
held that there was inconsistency in his statement at the point of his
arrest and during trial.
Uboh was said to have claimed that the
vehicles in question were compensation for the debt the PEF owed him and
during trial he claimed that the vehicles were used for trade by barter
for the debt the foundation was owing him.
Uboh was arraigned by the EFCC on a three count charge bordered on criminal breach of trust involving the sale of PEF vehicles.
He allegedly abused his position as a
former Head of Security and Communication Department, Police Equipment
Foundation, to convert the properties of the foundation to his personal
use.
He had pleaded not guilty after the
charges were read to him by the judge. This set the stage for a full
trial during which the prosecution called several witnesses to prove its
case.
Uboh claimed that the former National
Coordinator, PEF, Kenny Martins, gave him some PEF vehicles to offset
the debt owed him by the Foundation.
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity,
Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Monday that, “during
cross-examination, he (Uboh) admitted that he did not have any evidence
of transfer of ownership of the vehicles from PEF.”
PUNCH NG
Islamic militants in
the Philippines have beheaded a Canadian hostage, raising fears for more
than 20 other foreigners held captive on remote islands, with troops
and police vowing Tuesday to hunt down the extremists.
The man’s head was found Monday dumped outside city hall on Jolo, a
mountainous and jungle-clad island in the far south of the Philippines
that is a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Islamist group.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Filipino authorities
identified the victim as John Ridsdel, a retiree in his late 60s who was
kidnapped seven months ago from aboard a yacht, along with another
Canadian man, a Norwegian and a Filipina woman.
“This was an act of cold-blooded murder and responsibility rests with
the terrorist group who took him hostage,” Trudeau said in Ottawa.
The four were abducted at a marina near the major city of Davao, more
than 500 kilometres (300 miles) from Jolo, as part of a wave of
abductions by the Abu Sayyaf — a loose network of militants who for more
than two decades have run a lucrative kidnapping-for-ransom business.
The other three were fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Hall’s girlfriend
Marites Flor and Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad.
Six weeks after the abduction, gunmen released a video of their hostages
held in a jungle setting, demanding the equivalent of $21 million each
for the safe release of the three foreigners.
The men were forced to beg for their lives on camera, and similar videos
posted over several months showed the hostages looking increasingly
frail.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Islamic militants in
the Philippines have beheaded a Canadian hostage, raising fears for more
than 20 other foreigners held captive on remote islands, with troops
and police vowing Tuesday to hunt down the extremists.
The man’s head was found Monday dumped outside city hall on Jolo, a
mountainous and jungle-clad island in the far south of the Philippines
that is a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Islamist group.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Filipino authorities
identified the victim as John Ridsdel, a retiree in his late 60s who was
kidnapped seven months ago from aboard a yacht, along with another
Canadian man, a Norwegian and a Filipina woman.
“This was an act of cold-blooded murder and responsibility rests with
the terrorist group who took him hostage,” Trudeau said in Ottawa.
The four were abducted at a marina near the major city of Davao, more
than 500 kilometres (300 miles) from Jolo, as part of a wave of
abductions by the Abu Sayyaf — a loose network of militants who for more
than two decades have run a lucrative kidnapping-for-ransom business.
The other three were fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Hall’s girlfriend
Marites Flor and Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad.
Six weeks after the abduction, gunmen released a video of their hostages
held in a jungle setting, demanding the equivalent of $21 million each
for the safe release of the three foreigners.
The men were forced to beg for their lives on camera, and similar videos
posted over several months showed the hostages looking increasingly
frail.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Islamic militants in
the Philippines have beheaded a Canadian hostage, raising fears for more
than 20 other foreigners held captive on remote islands, with troops
and police vowing Tuesday to hunt down the extremists.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Islamic militants in
the Philippines have beheaded a Canadian hostage, raising fears for more
than 20 other foreigners held captive on remote islands, with troops
and police vowing Tuesday to hunt down the extremists.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Islamic militants in
the Philippines have beheaded a Canadian hostage, raising fears for more
than 20 other foreigners held captive on remote islands, with troops
and police vowing Tuesday to hunt down the extremists.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/islamists-behead-canadian-hostage-philippines/
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