A Lagos High Court has dismissed a “no-case’’ submission filed by a police officer Drambi Vandi, who allegedly killed Bolanle Raheem.

Bolanle was shot dead on December 25, 2022 in the Ajah area of Lagos while in a vehicle with her husband and daughter.

Vandi was arraigned on January 16 on a one-count charge of murder after shooting the 41-year old pregnant property lawyer in the chest.

On February 28, dismissed ASP Vandi filed an application praying the court to quash the charge preferred against him.

Vandi’s lawyer, Gbenro Gbadamosi said the evidence of the prosecution witnesses were inconsistent and did not link his client to the murder.

On Monday, Justice Ibironke Harrison held that the prosecution, led by Lagos Attorney-General, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), had established sufficient oral and documentary evidence.

The court is currently not looking at the credibility of the prosecution witnesses at this stage, Justice Harrison said.

The judge ruled, the issue now is whether a prima facie case has been made by the prosecution and not whether it has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The state closed its case on February 15 after calling 11 witnesses comprising eight police officers, including Vandi’s colleagues, two eyewitnesses and a pathologist.

Lagos Director of Public Prosecution, Babajide Martins said an interlocutory appeal would not stop the trial in line with the state’s Administration of Criminal Justice Laws.

The case will resume on May 16, 2023 for the defendant to open his defence.

Controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola, has been freed after perfecting his bail conditions.

Okikiola, who is otherwise known as Portable, was on Monday arraigned before an Ogun State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ifo, for alleged assault and theft.

The court had earlier granted him bail in the sum of N800,000 for the three charges with two sureties in like sum.

The court held that the sureties must be landowners within the jurisdiction of the court.

When he was unable to meet his bail conditions, Okikiola was moved to the correctional centre in Ilaro.

However, the Spokesman of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Ogun, Victor Oyeleke, confirmed to newsmen this evening that Portable had perfected the bail conditions and left the prison custody.

Oyeleke said, He has perfected the bail conditions and he just left the custody.

The case has since been adjourned to April 26 for the commencement of trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arrested seven suspected internet fraudsters.

EFCC made this known in a tweet .

The commission identified the suspects as, Peter Omega Awupri, Philip Okonkwo, Emeka Okonkwo and Williams Chukwu. Others including Stephen Anthony, Edobor Osas, and Adetola Sunday, were arrested in Gwarimpa, Abuja following credible intelligence on their alleged criminal activities.

It said three international passports, smartwatch, a Lexus, eight phones, four laptops, and Toyota cars were seized from the suspects.

The anti graft agency added that the suspects will be charged to court as soon as the investigations are concluded.

Popularity, they say, is a critical success factor for a politician and her/his party to win elections. But that hasn’t been the case with most Nigerian entertainers who, despite their celebrity status, have continued to suffer embarrassing defeats at various polls across the country.

Prior to the 2023 general elections, some industry heavyweights announced their retirements and sojourn into partisan politics. Among them are Nollywood actresses Funke Akindele and Tonto Dikeh, who were the deputy governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos and Rivers states, respectively.

Others include actor Femi Branch, who was the deputy governorship candidate of the National Rescue Movement in Ogun State; singer Olubankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W, who ran for the Eti-Osa House of Representatives seat under the PDP, and “The Johnsons” star, Olumide Oworu who was the Labour Party candidate for the Surulere Constituency 1 seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly.

DAILY POST observed, unfortunately, that the voyages of Nigerian entertainers into the murky waters of politics haven’t been smooth sailing.

Except for veteran actor-cum-politician, Desmond Elliott, who defeated Oworu, the rest of the pack lost their bids.

Funke Akindele

Akindele was the running mate of the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, aka Jandor, in the just concluded Lagos State governorship election.

Many had high hopes for her and her principal, considering her celebrity status and “street credibility”.

However, all those hopes were dashed when she and her boss finished a distant third (62,449 votes) behind the incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC (762,134 votes), and LP candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (312,329 votes).

Days later, the actress deleted all campaign photos from her social media pages.

Banky W

Veteran singer/rapper and record label boss, Olubankole Wellington, better known as Banky W, made the headlines when he lost the Lagos State Eti-Osa Federal Constituency election to a less-known Attah Thaddeus of the Labour Party (LP).

The LP candidate, surprisingly, polled 24,075 votes as against 18,666 votes by Banky W, who was the PDP candidate, while the incumbent, Babjide, son of Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence and APC candidate, got 16,901 votes.

The music executive had previously lost the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency election in 2019.

His latest electoral defeat triggered some of his friends, like Nollywood actor, Deyemi Okanlawon, to challenge the victory of the “unpopular” LP candidate, Thaddeus Attah, online, which didn’t sit well with many social media users.

Tonto Dikeh

Controversial Nollywood actress and brand influencer Tonto Dikeh suffered a similar fate as her colleagues in the Rivers State governorship election.

Dikeh’s celebrity prowess failed to save her and her boss, Tonte Ibraye, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State, from losing to Simi Fubara of the PDP.

Despite her popularity, her party performed poorly at the poll, with the APC and Labour Party doing far better than them.

Shortly after the election, she took to her Instagram page to thank her fans and well-wishers for their support despite the defeat, insisting that she cherished the experience.

Olumide Oworu

Rising actor, Olumide Oworu was not officially entered into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal as the Labour Party candidate for the Surulere Constituency election. However, he campaigned for the position under the platform.

He claimed that INEC failed to enter his name due to some reason. Adebayo Bode was the name officially entered as the LP candidate for the election.

Notwithstanding, the LP lost to the incumbent, Desmond Elliott of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

APC polled 17,837 votes against 7,822 votes by the LP, and 1,045 votes by the PDP candidate, Thompson Sulaimon Abolaji.

Oworu and his supporters were reportedly attacked during one of their campaigns.

Femi Branch

Veteran actor and filmmaker, Femi Branch was the running mate to the Ogun State gubernatorial candidate of the National Rescue Movement, Tofunmi Ogunronbi, in the just concluded election, which the duo lost to the incumbent, Dapo Abiodun of the APC.

His celebrity status couldn’t influence the voters as his party was among the bottom losers.

APC polled 276,298 votes to emerge the winner, while the PDP candidate, Ladi Adebutu, scored 262,383 votes to come second.

Biyi Otegbeye of the ADC polled 94,754 votes to come third.

Femi Branch rejected the results, insisting that the election was flawed.

The actor wrote via Instagram, “It is the audacity for me! After buying (sharing) the voters between themselves, APC and PDP also compromised the Independent National Electoral Commission; and the small parties are suffering for it. Any candidate declared winner in Ogun State is a fraud.

“First, (there were) fake ballot papers and after protests lasting over two hours, another set (of ballot papers) was brought, and we finally voted; only for them to count only APC and PDP votes,” he added.

Honorable mentions:

Actress Carolyna Hutchings was the running mate to the African Action Congress governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Iboro Otu, before stepping down a day before the election.

The election was eventually won by PDP candidate, Umo Eno.

TV reality star Tuoyo Ideh was the House of Representatives candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance party (APGA) for Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

However, the former Big Brother Naija housemate lost the election to the incumbent, Thomas Ereyitomi, of the PDP.

A veteran Nollywood actor, Kenneth Chinwetalu, popularly known as Aguba, who created a scene when he demanded for a virgin girl from Israel as his wife, has returned to his hometown in Enugu State.

This was disclosed in a post via the verified Facebook page of the Omega Power Ministry, OPM.

Aguba, according to the Facebook post, returned to Enugu on Thursday because he desired to be in his hometown.

Recall that he was found homeless and brought to Port Harcourt, where the general overseer of the OPM, apostle Chibuzor Chinenye gave him a home and had him medically evaluated and treated.

The cleric had gotten him an apartment and a caregiver who was placed on monthly allowance.

Today, 22nd March 2023 the veteran Nollywood actor Kenneth Chinwetalu popularly known as AGUBA returns to his hometown Enugu State.

This is after some months since the general overseer of OPM found him homeless and brought him to Port Harcourt, gave him a home, cared for him, had him medically evaluated and treated him properly.

The post read, Now he returns to his hometown, Enugu, where the man of God has gotten him an apartment, a caregiver who Apostle chibuzor placed on monthly allowance and currently looking for a good shop to establish a business for him because Enugu is where he said he desires to be, his hometown

Famous Nigerian Afrobeats musician, David Adeleke, professionally known by his stage name Davido, addressed his followers as he returned fully on social media.

Fully returning to social media on Tuesday, the singer, in a tweet on his Twitter handle, thanked his fans, stating that their love held him down.

The singer, who seems to be healing from the death of his three-year-old son, Ifeanyi, in 2022, said there is time to grieve and a time to heal.

He wrote, There is a time for everything. A time to grieve and a time to heal. A time to laugh and a time to dance. A time to speak & a time for silence. Thank you to everyone out there for your love that has held me down.

Recall that the singer has taken a break from social media after he lost his only son, Ifeanyi, on October 31, 2022.

In December 2022, Davido briefly returned after performing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and revealed he would take a break from social media until March.

However, a few days into the month he promised to return, some fans have become curious about why he was yet to fulfil his promise.

Two weeks ago, trending videos on social media showed some Davido fans taking to the street to protest his refusal to return to social media some days into March.