Ex-Zambian president arrested over Nigerian oil deal; pleads not guilty!

Former Zambian president, Mr. Rupiah Banda, was arrested on Monday by the country’s law enforcement agents over allegations of corruption and abuse of office, following a crude oil import deal with Nigeria.

Banda, according to an online news agency, hotnaijanews.com, was also alleged to have misappropriated about $11m during his three-year reign as President of the country.

The country’s authorities are accusing him of procuring oil which did not benefit the country.

He was said to have imported crude oil from Nigeria without actual deliveries, despite the fact that the funds were deposited into the bank account of his son.

Banda, who was released from police custody and is due to appear in court on Tuesday, however, said the moves against him are politically motivated.

He was questioned for close to three hours after his arrest related to the oil deal Monday before he was released on bail.

Banda denies the charges, and his lawyers claim the arrest is an attempt by current President Michael Sata to silence him.

After his release, Banda appeared before his supporters and told them to remain calm, reassuring them he would win his case in court.

Earlier this month,   parliament lifted Banda’s presidential immunity, clearing the way for him to be prosecuted for several corruption and abuse of office charges.

Banda lost to President Michael Sata in 2011 elections. The new government has been pursuing the corruption investigations against the former leader and his political allies.

Banda, born 13 February 1937, was President of Zambia from 2008 to 2011.

During the Presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, Banda held important diplomatic posts and was active in politics as a member of the United National Independence Party. Years later, he was appointed as Vice-President by President Levy Mwanawasa in October 2006, following the latter’s re-election.

He took over Mwanawasa’s presidential responsibilities after Mwanawasa suffered a stroke in June 2008, and following Mwanawasa’s death in August 2008, he became acting President. As the candidate of the governing Movement for Multiparty Democracy, he narrowly won the October 2008 presidential election, according to official results.

Opposition leader Michael Sata defeated Banda in the September 2011 presidential election, and Sata accordingly succeeded Banda as President on September 23, 2011.

 His Plea in court:

Rupiah Banda has pleaded not guilty to a charge of abuse of power during his time in office.

The charges relate to an oil deal signed with a Nigerian company, which prosecutors say was meant to benefit Mr Banda and his family.

"No my Lord, I deny the charge," Mr Banda told the court, AFP reports.

The ex-president says the charges are part of a political witch-hunt against him and his allies.

He is due back in court next month to answer further allegations when his trial starts.

African nations increase farm spending, winning poverty battle

U.S. President Barack Obama hosts the leaders of four African nations this week, all of which are cited in a new report for effectively increasing spending on agriculture to combat extreme poverty and hunger.

The report by the ONE Campaign, an anti-poverty group co-founded by Irish rockers Bono and Bob Geldof, said Senegal, Malawi, Cape Verde and Sierra Leone either met or were close to meeting targets for increased budget spending on agriculture.

All of the countries, except Cape Verde where there is little data, are also on track or close to meeting a U.N. target of halving extreme poverty by 2015, the report said.

The African leaders will visit the White House on Thursday to showcase their fledgling democracies, but also their potential in a region where strong economic policies are attracting increased investment.

 

A recent World Bank report said Africa's agricultural sector could become a $1 trillion industry by 2030 if farmers modernized their practices and had better access to financing, new technology, irrigation and fertilizers.

"Despite record improvements by select African countries, Africa overall is still far from realizing its agricultural potential," said the ONE Campaign report, which assessed progress by 19 African countries and donors that send them aid.

"For African governments, donors and the private sector alike, 2013 is the year to deliver on these building blocks that impact farming and expand economic opportunities for farmers," the report said.

This year marks a decade since African governments committed to allocate 10 percent of national spending to boost agricultural production, reversing decades of under investment in the sector. The so-called Maputo commitments expire this year, giving world leaders the opportunity to lay out a bold new plan with targets, the report said.

According to ONE's analysis, at least four of the 19 African countries analyzed - Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Malawi and Niger - met or exceeded the target of 10 percent total expenditure on agriculture. Senegal and Sierra Leone are close to the target.

Meanwhile, the laggards are Nigeria, Liberia and Ghana, which spend less than 2 percent of their budgets on agriculture.

The report also called on industrialized nations - the United States, France, Britain, Canada Japan, Germany and Russia - to make good on their various funding promises to help African nations increase agricultural production.

The G8, which meets in June this year, has repeatedly promised to support Africa-led initiatives, yet G8 agriculture investment plans have only secured about half of their required financing, and many donors contribute only a small fraction of their agriculture aid to poor countries, the report said.

The report shows that European Union institutions, Canada and Germany increased their share of foreign assistance to agriculture, while Britain, Japan and France cut theirs.

Man Hires Two To Rape Sisters Over Inheritance

A 40-year-old-man has been arrested by men of Ogun Police Command for allegedly hiring two men  to rape  his two younger sisters in Ijebu-Ososa in Odogbolu Local Government  Area of the state.

The suspect was said to have been arrested with the two allegedly paid rapists after they had raped and robbed the two ladies who are 16 and 18 years.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this yesterday, adding that the suspect paid the two alleged rapists N80,000 before they committed the act.

He said: “The two other persons arrested with the 40-year-old man are those who eventually raped and robbed the two sisters aged 18 and 16 years.

“He gave the two suspects N80,000 to harass, molest and threaten his sisters who had disagreed with him over sharing formula of their late parent’s inheritance.

“You can speak with him as he had already confessed to the crime. So it’s a very straight forward case and we are charging three of them to court tomorrow.“

In his reaction, the suspect said it was true that he hired two persons to deal with his two sisters over their parents’ inheritances.

He said: “I just asked them to threaten my sisters so that they can leave the property for me. I never paid then to rape my sisters as they have done.”

Tiger Woods back on top in golf

Tiger Woods is back to No. 1 in the world with a game that looked as good as ever.

Woods tied a PGA Tour record Monday by winning the ArnoldPalmer Invitational for the eighth time, and this one had some extra significance. It returned him to the top of the world ranking for the first time since the final week of October 2010, the longest spell of his career.

Woods never let anyone closer than two shots in the final round at Bay Hill that was delayed one day by storms. With a conservative bogey he could afford on the last hole, he closed with a 2-under 70 for a two-shot win over JustinRose.

Next up is the master, where Woods will try to end his five-year drought in the majors.

Woods fell as low as No. 58 in the world as he coped with a crisis in his personal life and injuries to his left leg. One week after he announced he was dating Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn, Woods celebrated his third win of the season, and his sixth going back to Bay Hill a year ago.

"It's a byproduct of hard work, patience and getting back to winning golf tournaments," Woods said.

Vonn tweeted moments after his win, "Number 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Like so many other wins, this one was never really close.

Rickie Fowler pulled to within two shots with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, but after he and Woods made bogey on the 15th, Fowler went at the flag on the par-5 16th and came up a few yards short and into the water. Fowler put another ball into the water and made triple bogey.

Woods played it safe on the 18th, and nearly holed a 75-foot par putt that even drew a big smile from the tournament host. He walked off the green waving his putter over his head to acknowledge the fans who had seen this act before.

Woods tied the tour record of eight wins in a single tournament. Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times from 1938 to 1965 at two golf courses. Woods tied his record for most wins at a single golf course, having also won eight times at Torrey Pines, including a U.S. Open.

"I don't really see anybody touching it for a long time," Palmer said as Woods was making his way up the 18th fairway. "I had the opportunity to win a tournament five times, and I knew how difficult that was."

Rose, who played the first two rounds with Woods, closed with a 70 to finish alone in second.

Fowler had to settle for a 73 and a tie for third with Mark Wilson (71), Keegan Bradley (71) and Gonzola Fernandez-Castano(72).

Already with three wins this year, Woods is closing in on another Snead record -- 82 career wins. Woods won for the 77th time on tour.

Rory Mcllroy had been No. 1 since he won the PGA Championship last August. He is playing this week at the Houston Open.

kidnapped journalist freed!

A female journalist at a Nigerian state owned television organisation, Olubunmi Oke has been freed b her captors. Olubunmi Oke, a reporter and broadcaster  with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Akure- Ondo; southwest Nigeria. was kidnapped on Thursday, by four men who blocked her car as she was leaving her office. her baby and maid were reportedly in the car when she was kidnapped, but were later released along the way, while she was taken alone to an undisclosed location.

Rotimi Obamuwagun, vice president of the Nigerian union of journalists confirmed her release to news men.

It is however unclear if any money was paid for her released, her captor had demanded a ransome of N8m.

Nigerian man with female breasts and multiple sex organs!

The above picture is that of a man, with female breasts and multiple sex organs. he escaped being lynched in Sapele, Delta state recently due to his wired characteristics, but for the timely intervention of security personnel at the scene, he would have been killed. their grievience being that it is unacceptable in the society,  for any one to posses both male and female reproductive organs.

The man's voice and face are that of a male, but he is believed to also have female reproductive organs.

Information gathered revealed that young men at a nearby gas station tore the man's clothes, which  revealed a tiny male organ believed to have no scrotum.  some people present at the scene, claimed they knew the man, and that he had been going one church to another seeking solution to his problem.

Cossy Orjiakor Hot Perfomance Live On Stage

The actress cum singer treated fans to wonderful time at the Shaunz Bar on Friday (24/03/13) night. She treated them to songs from her new album.




She sang...very well. A little too well some my ears, surprisingly. But you know what?







A lot paid more attention to Cossy Orjiakor's factories dangling beneath that red corset as she moaned while singing at Shaunz Bar yesternight.