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Alleged N7.6bn fraud: See why Judge lambasted Orji Uzor Kalu

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Justice Mohammed Idris on Monday lambasted a former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, for absenting himself from the Federal High Court in Lagos for the continuation of his N7.65bn alleged fraud case.

The judge, in a ruling, described as “highly irresponsible” the conduct of the former governor in the case since July 31, 2018, when his no-case submission was dismissed and he was directed to open his defence.

Justice Idris recalled that on July 31 after he dismissed Kalu’s case and directed him to open his defence, the former governor begged for a six-week adjournment on the claim that he had a surgery appointment in Germany.

But the judge said on Monday that he doubted that Kalu had any such surgical appointment as of July 27 when he wrote to the court to seek a six-week adjournment of his trial.

“The letter for the adjournment of the 31st of July, 2018 was written on the 27th day of July, 2018 and forwarded to this court on the 31st day of July, 2018. From the email correspondence of 31st July, 2018 sent at 11.29am GMT by one Ifunanya, it appears that the said German surgeon was not even available for an appointment with the 1st defendant, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, when the letter of 27th July, 2018 was written and when the application for an adjournment was made on the 31st day of July 2018.

“It appears from the said email that as at the 31st day of July, an appointment had not yet been made. I agree with the learned counsel for the prosecution that there is indeed no letter from the said German surgeon that the 1st defendant, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, would require any surgery whatsoever. The entire scenario appears to be ridiculous.

“The conduct of the 1st defendant, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, in the matter since the ruling of this court on the 31st day of July, 2018, wherein the court dismissed his no-case submission is highly irresponsible.

“A litigant who deliberately or carelessly disregards an order of court cannot expect the discretion of the court to be exercised in his favour. Justice, after all, is said and done, is for all the parties.

“No one, no matter how highly placed, can be above the law. Let it be said loud and clear that this court will apply the law with the full force it requires,” Justice Idris said in his ruling on Monday.

Earlier when the case was called, Kalu’s lawyer, Mr Gordy Uche (SAN), had lamented that “we seem to have a little problem with the 1st defendant.”

Uche said, “The medical appointment was slated for the 2nd of August, but he couldn’t get a flight to Germany. Unfortunately, the surgeon went on summer vacation, however, the appointment is slated for today (Monday).”

Uche urged Justice Idris to further adjourn the case “to enable him (Kalu) to do his surgery and recover.”

“Only the living can be tried,” the defence lawyer said.

But opposing the application for further adjournment, the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), contended that the former governor had no justification to be absent from the court on Monday.

Jacobs told the judge that after applying for a six-week adjournment on July 31, Kalu had been about the country for political activities and even went to the North to receive a traditional title.

While noting that Justice Idris had been given September ending deadline to conclude the case, Jacobs urged the judge to revoke Kalu’s bail for absenting himself from the court on Monday.

“He (Kalu) cannot, on his own, extend the medical permission given to him by this court; a person going about everywhere obtaining chieftaincy title, doing politics in the country; this (surgical) appointment is contrary to the order of this court.

“Having jumped bail, I apply that his bail be revoked,” Jacobs said.

The judge, however, adjourned the case till September 20 and 21, 2018, stressing that Kalu must make himself available.

*Punch

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The Peruvian Government Has Officially Classified Transgender, Nonbinary And Intersex People As “Mentally ill”

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According to the country’s ministry of health, the controversial decision was made to ensure the country’s public health services could “guarantee full coverage of medical attention for mental health” for the trans community.

It also categorises “dual-role transvestitism,” “fetishistic transvestism,” and “other gender identity disorders” under the same bracket of mental illness.

The new law will change language in the Essential Health Insurance Plan (PEAS) to reflect the view of trans and intersex people as a mental health disorder.

Trans groups across Peru have loudly condemned the decision as a step backwards for the country’s already complex relationship with LGBTQ+ rights.

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Math Teacher Accused Of Having Sex With 2 Students And Getting Pregnant For One Tearfully Reveals The Baby Was Taken Away From Her

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The UK teacher who had a baby with an underage student while on trial for having sex with another teenage boy broke down in court after revealing her newborn baby girl had been “taken away” from her.

Manchester math teacher Rebecca Joynes, 30, sobbed to jurors over how her baby was taken “24 hours after being born” this past January — and now she only sees her for nine hours a week, Joynes told jurors on Monday, May 13, according to the Manchester Evening News.

“At the moment I have contact with her three times a week for three hours and that’s it,” she said through tears.

Joynes was arrested and released on bail on orders not to have unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 after allegedly grooming her pupil, known as Boy A in court, by buying him a $430 Gucci belt before bringing him to her apartment for unprotected sex.

She was suspended from school and eventually fired, but soon after, she began having a relationship with a 15-year-old boy, known in court as Boy B, whom she had a baby with in January.

Joynes, who has denied having sex with either boy when they were underage, told the court that when she learned of the allegations against her she had gone to the second boy in a “panic” and he deleted all of her phone’s content.

The former teacher denied having a sexual relationship with the second boy until after he turned 16 and she was already suspended from teaching.

According to her narration,

She said he had added her on Snapchat twice, which she only accepted the second time because she thought he “wanted to tell her something.”

Joynes said a friendship developed and he quickly became her “best friend” even though the boy would make flirtatious and sexualized comments toward her when he was drunk.

She told jurors that it wasn’t until after his 16th birthday that he messaged her saying “I’ve left school now” with a winky face.

After she received notice that she had been dismissed from her job, he went to her apartment, where following an emotional conversation, they had sex.

The two then entered a relationship that Joynes described as “quite toxic” telling the court how the teenager was “very controlling.”

After discovering she was pregnant, Joynes hid love notes for the boy to find around her apartment.

The notes eventually led to a piece of baby clothing that had the words “I love my daddy to the moon and back” written on it.

The court was told that she gave birth to their baby girl in January, but following an emergency court hearing, the newborn was taken away from Joynes.

Joynes has denied two counts of sexual activity with Boy A; two counts of sexual activity with Boy B; and two counts of sexual activity with Boy B while being a person in a position of trust.

Her trial is ongoing.

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First Man To Receive Pig Kidney Transplant Has Died

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The first Man to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died two months after the operation.

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), which carried out the procedure in March, announced Sunday, May 12, that Richard “Rick” Slayman, 62, has died.

They said there was no indication his death was a result of the transplant.

Transplants of other organs from genetically modified pigs have failed in the past, but the operation on Mr Slayman, who was suffering with end-stage kidney disease, was hailed as a historic milestone.

In addition to kidney disease, Mr Slayman also suffered from Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

In 2018, he had a human kidney transplant, but it began to fail after five years.

Following his pig kidney transplant on March 16, his doctors confirmed he no longer needed dialysis after the new organ was said to be functioning well.

“Mr Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his trust and willingness to advance the field of xenotransplantation,” MGH said in a statement.

Xenotransplantation is the transplanting of living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another.

MGH said it was “deeply saddened” at his sudden death and offered condolences to his family.

Mr Slayman’s relatives said his story was an inspiration.

“Rick said that one of the reasons he underwent this procedure was to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive,” they said.

“Rick accomplished that goal and his hope and optimism will endure forever.

“To us, Rick was a kind-hearted man with a quick-witted sense of humour who was fiercely dedicated to his family, friends, and co-workers,” they added.

While Mr Slayman received the first pig kidney to be transplanted into a human, it is not the first pig organ to be used in a transplant procedure.

Two other patients have received pig heart transplants, but those procedures were unsuccessful as the recipients died a few weeks later.

In one case, there were signs the patient’s immune system had rejected the organ, which is a common risk in transplants.

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