Month: February 2019

Aliko Dangote Becomes 64th Richest Man In The World, Earns $5.8BN In A Day.

The President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, gained $5.8bn within 24 hours as his total net worth rose to $16.6bn on Tuesday.

Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a ranking of the world’s 500 richest people, showed that his wealth fell from $10.5bn at the end of last year to a low of $9.63bn on January 1, 2019. But it grew to $10.8bn on Monday, February 25.

The index also revealed that his net worth increased by 23 per cent from $13.5bn on February 26, 2018, to $16.6bn, emerging 64th richest person in the world.

Dangote, who has seen his wealth rise by 58 per cent so far this year, emerged the second biggest mover after Andrew Forrest, founder and largest shareholder of Fortescue Metals Group, the world’s fourth-largest iron ore producer. Forrest’s wealth has grown by 59 per cent this year.

He was the only Nigerian on the list of 500 billionaires and retained his position as Africa’s richest person.

Other Africans on the list were Nicky Oppenheimer of South Africa, who was ranked 216th with a net worth of $7.05bn; Johann Rupert of South Africa (ranked 225th with $6.92bn wealth); Nassef Sawiris of Egypt occupied the 228th position with $6.83bn; Natie Kirsh of South Africa (ranked 263rd with a net worth of $6.10bn) and Naguib Sawiris of Egypt emerged 331st with a fortune of $5.12bn.

“Dangote controls Dangote Industries, a closely held conglomerate. The Lagos-based company owns sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest cement producer, Dangote Cement, which had revenue of ₦805.6bn ($2.4bn) in 2017. It also has interests in sugar, salt, flour, fertiliser and packaged food,” said Bloomberg.

According to Bloomberg, net worth figures are updated every business day at the close of every trading day in New York, with assets categorised as publicly traded companies, private assets (including closely held businesses, art and real estate), cash and other liquid investments and liabilities.

“Stakes in publicly traded companies are valued using the share’s most recent closing price. Valuations are converted to US dollars at current exchange rates,” it said.

The Founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, remains the richest person in the world with a total net worth of $136bn while Bill Gates and Warren Buffett occupied the second and third positions respectively with $98.4bn and $83bn fortunes.

Dangote was also recently named the sixth most charitable man in the World by Richtopia, a digital periodical that covers business, economics, and financial news, based in the United Kingdom. The recognition came after he endowed his foundation, the Aliko Dangote Foundation to the tune of $1.25bn.

He started the foundation in 1981, with a mission to enhance opportunities for social change through strategic investments that improve health and well-being, promote quality education, and broaden economic empowerment opportunities, according to the group.

Lady Armed Robber Caught As Boyfriend Abandons Her During Operation In Edo.

A girl has been apprehended after she was caught stealing in Auchi area of Edo state.

According to reports, the girl identified as Faridat who hails from Ughiole in Aviele clan, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo, was nabbed by residents after she allegedly stole a mobile phone through a window by 3am on Wednesday, February 27th (today).

It was gathered that she came for the operation along with her boyfriend who escaped and left his partner to her own fate.

She was tied up by the residents and handed over to the local security operatives in the area.

Atiku Rejects Presidential Results, Heads To Court.

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has rejected the outcome of the February 23 presidential election.

He said the election was not free, fair and that it was full of many irregularities.

The former Vice President, therefore, said that he would challenge the outcome in court.

Atiku, in a statement he personally signed early Wednesday morning, said if he had lost in a free and fair election, he would have called the winner, President Muhammadu Buhari within seconds of his being aware of the outcome of the exercise.

He said, “If I had lost in a free and fair election, I would have called the victor within seconds of my being aware of his victory to offer not just my congratulations, but my services to help unite Nigeria by being a bridge between the North and the South.

However, in my democratic struggles for the past three decades, I have never seen our democracy so debased as it was on Saturday, February 23, 2019. 2007 was a challenge, but President Yar’Adua was remorseful. In 2019, it is sad to see those who trampled on democracy thumping their noses down on the Nigerian people.

Consequently, I hereby reject the result of the February 23, 2019 sham election and will be challenging it in court.”

Details later…

R Kelly Pleads Not Guilty On All Ten Counts Of Aggravated Sexual Abuse.

Embattled American singer,  R. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse he was charged with.

His attorney Steve Greenberg entered the not guilty plea for Kelly on Monday and also revealed that Kelly has turned in his passport.

The R&B star was indicted last Friday in Cook County for sexually assaulting four women between 1998 and 2010. His alleged victims include three who were aged between 13 and 17 at the time.

On Saturday afternoon, a judge set bond at $1 million. To leave custody, he’d have to pay 10% of the total, or $100,000, but he doesn’t have enough money to post $100,000 bail.

Greenberg told reporters that his client’s finances are “a mess,” and that “he really doesn’t have any money.”

Multiple press outlets have also reported that according to court documents, Kelly owes more than $160,000 in unpaid child support.

According to WBEZ, Kelly’s case was assigned to Cook County Associate Judge Lawrence Flood. His next court date was set for March 22.

Court Orders Jay Jay Okocha’s Arrest.

A Lagos Division of the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Super Eagles star, Austin Okocha, over tax evasion charges.

Mr Okocha – or Jay Jay Okocha as he is popularly known – has repeatedly failed to appear before the court to answer why he allegedly failed to pay his income taxes.

Adedayo Akintoye, the judge, issued the warrant for the arrest of the former Eagles captain on January 29 and thereafter adjourned until February 19.

However, on February 19, the prosecution had not effected the arrest forcing the judge to, again, adjourn till April 15 and ordering that the warrant be executed by then.

The football star is facing a three-count charge instituted by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice bordering on failure to furnish his income returns and nonpayment of tax.

The state filed the charges through its prosecutor, Jide Martins, in June 2017 and the suit began four months later.

<img style=”max-width: 100%; height: auto; align: center;” src=”https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2019/01/Okowa-2019-Gubernatorial-Campaign-online-banner-ad.gif?w=604&ssl=1&#8243; alt=”Okowa Campaign AD” data-recalc-dims=”1″ data-pagespeed-url-hash=”2239301113″/>

The defendant, however, had failed to appear in court.

After several adjournments without Mr Okocha appearing despite having been served the court papers, Mr Martins prayed the court to issue a bench warrant for his arrest.

According to the prosecutor, Mr Okocha had failed to furnish his income returns for tax purposes to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service.

Mr Martins also said that the defendant had failed to pay his income taxes.

He said the offences contravened Sections 56 (a) and (b) of the Lagos State Revenue Administration Law No. 8, 2006 and Section 94 (1) of the Personal Income Tax Act Cap P8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

BREAKING: Jussie Smollett Is Under Arrest, Currently In Police Custody.

Empire star Jussie Smollett is in the custody of Chicago police.

Smollett turned himself in early Thursday and is now under arrest on a Class 4 felony charge for falsifying a police report, according to the Hollywood Reporter. 

“Jussie [Smollett] is under arrest and in custody of detectives,” CPD spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi announced Thursday morning, adding that a press briefing is expected shortly ahead of Smollett’s court appearance. In a separate statement, CPD deputy director of news affairs Tom Ahern further specified that Smollett was in the custody of detectives.

Wednesday, Smollett was formally classified as a suspect by police and subsequently charged. That development came in the wake of the two brothers who were previously arrested and released in connection with the purported attack. According to their legal reps, brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo testified before a grand jury for more than two hours. CBS Chicago has also published surveillance footage showing the men purchasing ski masks and a red hat.

In their most recent statement, Smollett’s attorneys promised an “aggressive defense” in response to the latest developments. “Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked,” the team said Wednesday. “Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense.”

Initially, Chicago police were pursuing the investigation into what Smollett said happened as a “possible hate crime.” The resulting class 4 felony charges could potentially result in up to three years in prison and an estimated $25,000 additional fines.

Seventy Percent Of African Footballers Believe In ‘Juju’ -Odemwingie.

Former Super Eagles’ striker, Osaze Odemwingie, has explained how he received treatment from a herbalist, many years ago, when he was injured.

The Russian-born 37-year-old footballer said: “I had a fall in training, I also hurt my shoulder and broke my arm. I was afraid to tell my mom so they took me to the local juju man.

They poured hot water to relax the muscles. Somehow they returned the hand to the place, while I yelled, they twisted some small sticks. There was a rite with a chicken.”

In the interview with championat.com, Odemwingie revealed that most African players believe in juju treatment than going to see doctors, when injured. “At least 70% of players believe in it. They think that some kind of salve will save them,” he added.

‘Empire’ Producers Consider Suspending Jussie Smollett.

Fox is considering removing Jussie Smollett from production on “Empire.” Sources close to the production told Variety that producers are weighing whether to suspend the actor after he was charged Wednesday in Chicago with filing a false police report.

A spokesperson for 20th Century Fox Television, which produces the series, declined to comment. Smollett’s status on the show may change amid a fluid legal situation.

On Jan. 29, Smollett told police that he was attacked by two men who poured an unknown chemical on him, put a rope around his neck, and used racial and homophobic slurs. Chicago PD eventually questioned two brothers, Abel and Ola Osundairo, who were in the vicinity of the event. The two men were arrested and questioned, but later released. Local Chicago media reported that the brothers told detectives that Smollett had paid them to stage the attack.

According to the Cook County State Attorney’s office, Smollett is due to appear in court for a bond hearing at 1:30 p.m. CT on Thursday. Smollett is also scheduled to work Thursday on the Chicago set of “Empire.” According to a production source, as of Wednesday night there were no plans to change the show’s shooting schedule.

Fox had previously stood by Smollett, issuing two statements of support over the course of the investigation, and countering media reports that he was set to be fired from “Empire.” “Jussie Smollett continues to be a consummate professional on set and as we have previously stated, he is not being written out of the show,” 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment said in a statement Wednesday.

On Feb. 14, “Empire” executive producer Danny Strong wrote on Twitter, “There is 0% truth that @JussieSmollett was going to be written off of Empire. This rumor is totally false. He is the third lead and one of the most beloved characters on the show. Writing him off the show has NEVER even been discussed.”

A knowledgable source close to the situation said Smollett is expected by Fox to finish his work on the series despite the controversy that erupted around Smollett after he reported to Chicago police that he was the victim of a vicious hate crime.

Trevor Noah Says Jussie Smollet Deserves An Oscar If He Lied About His Attack.

Trevor Noah has reacted to the new development in the attack case of Empire actor Jussie Smollett. The case took a new twist after evidence popped out that the actor may have staged the attack.

Reacting to the news, Trevor Noah stated that there are portions of Jussie Smollet’s narration which look fishy.

“Who are the MAGA supporters who hate gay people, who hate black people, but also happen to watch ‘Empire’?” Noah asked.

“I’ve heard of hate-watching but that shit would be next-level. That’s like a member of the Klan buying tickets to ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’”

Two Nigerian brothers have been arrested in connection to the attack and reports say they have confessed to rehearsing it with Jussie Smollet.

Sharing a picture of the brothers who look ripped, Trevor Noah continued:

“I’m not gonna lie, that’s the one part of the story that actually makes sense to me, because if I was paying these two to beat me up, I would want to practice too,” Noah said, throwing up a picture of the two ripped brothers. . “How many abs does this guy on the left have? It looks like he stole a couple of abs from the other guy.”

He went on to say: “So in the public eye, this story has moved from a hate crime against a popular TV actor to a giant hoax by a popular TV actor, but Smollett still insists there was ‘no collusion.’”

Reacting to an interview on “Good Morning America” show which saw Jussie Smollet burst into tears while narrating the ordeal, Trevor Noah said he deserves an Oscar if the whole case turns out he was lying.

“Either this guy’s telling the truth, or he deserves an Emmy for that interview, because if all of that is just a performance, I don’t care what he’s lying about, you can’t cancel him. He’s just too good to not be on TV.”

CRIME: Nigerian Money Launderer Caught In The UK Following House Auction Fraud.

A prolific money launderer who processed more than £6M has been convicted after a National Crime Agency investigation. Kazeem Akinwale, 43, was caught after Christie’s auction house reported an attempted diversion fraud.

In March 2016 they informed the NCA that hackers had spoofed an employee’s email address, trying to divert the payment for a customer invoice into a new bank account.

Christie’s realised what had happened, did not pay the money and reported the hack which initiated the investigation into Akinwale.

NCA officers established that access to the intended beneficiary account was being made from the internet address at Akinwale’s home address in Mangold Way, Erith, east London.

In April 2016 he was arrested at home and officers recovered a Toshiba laptop, a gold iPhone and a white Samsung phone which all belonged to him.

The Old Bailey heard that downloads of the devices contained a “money launderer’s treasure trove”. There was also evidence on these devices of Akinwale’s alias, Ola Gapiano – a name which the trial heard he had been using since at least 2008.

The jury also heard this alias was a prolific go-to money launderer for fraudsters all around the world.

The devices contained numerous references to laundering fraudulent cash, and references to bank accounts belonging to worldwide victims and also those being used to receive and transfer the money.

Today, Akinwale was convicted of: possession of articles for use in fraud (computer and phones), possessing criminal property (beneficiary bank accounts that processed £6,087,596.37); transferring criminal property (using secondary bank accounts he also held), and acquiring criminal property (his commission of £73,270.86).