A Pakistani court has sentenced the country’s already-imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in jail after finding him guilty of corruption.

Bushra Bibi, his wife, was sentenced to seven years as an alleged accomplice.

The case concerns the misuse of authority and corruption involving Khan’s Al-Qadir University project trust.

Khan was also fined 1 million Pakistani rupees ($3,500) while Bibi was fined half.

Khan’s lawyer announced the development on Friday but noted that the convictions were made on January 13.

The former prime minister faced allegations of bribery, involving land in return for a £190 million money laundering favour to Malik Riaz, a real estate tycoon.
This marks the fourth major case Khan has been convicted for.

Three earlier convictions, announced in January last year, were related to selling state gifts, leaking state secrets, and unlawful marriage, all of which were overturned or suspended.

Dozens of cases against him are still pending.

The former prime minister, who remains behind bars, has described the situation as a political witch-hunt.

Khan, who was Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 until his removal in 2022, is also banned from politics for five years.

Police have arrested a suspected fake lawyer identified as Godwin Eguabor while he was representing a client in a court in Lagos state.

Eguabor reportedly appeared before a magistrate court in the Badagry area of Lagos on Wednesday on behalf of a litigator.

Atule Elchors, the vice-chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Badagry branch, said at the court hearing on Wednesday, Eguabor announced his appearance as legal counsel to a client.

Elchors said he has been hearing a rumour that a fake lawyer was engaging in legal services in Badagry.

“I stood up and told the court that the person who appeared before the magistrate is not a legal practitioner,” NAN quoted the NBA vice-chairman saying.

“And that we have been looking out for him.

“We asked for his supreme court number, which is the enrollment number of every lawyer, but he could not answer, he was just telling us stories.

“The worst thing is that the name he is using in court is different from the name he gave the police when they came to arrest him.”

BAIL APPLICATION

On Thursday, Eguabor was taken to the magistrate court by the police and charged for an offence bordering on illegal parade of oneself as a lawyer.

Edet Ekpo, the prosecutor representing the police, told the court that the offence contravened section 380 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

L A Layeni, the magistrate, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.

Layeni ordered that one of the sureties should be a company’s managing director and present a statement of account of the company for one year.

He said that the sureties must deposit N25,000 to the account of Ikeja high court registrar.

He adjourned the case to February 19 for further hearing.

Timileyin Ajayi, the gospel singer, has confessed to murdering his girlfriend Salome Adaidu in a fit of anger after discovering her alleged infidelity.

Ajayi was arrested in Nasarawa after he was allegedly caught with the severed head of Adaidu in a polythene bag.

The incident occurred on Sunday in Agwan Sarki, Orozo, near the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In an interview with Channels, Ajayi recounted the events leading up to the murder. He alleged that Adaidu was cheating on him and that he discovered her infidelity after seeing her phone.

The singer said he confronted Adaidu who denied the allegations before she apologised.

Ajayi said he used a knife to attack Adaidu after an argument escalated.

The singer also showed no remorse, saying “life is reciprocal”. He argued that he was not arrested but surrendered himself to security operatives.

“I didn’t plan to kill her. She is always cheating, she hides most things from me. I discovered she was cheating when I saw her phone, so I got angry seeing her chat with other guys, and that’s why I killed her,” he said.

“I do not have any regrets. I do not regret my actions because life is reciprocal. I caught her cheating on me. I told her about it but she denied it until I showed her the chat.

“She admitted and apologised. So, she went to the bathroom, she started some things and I couldn’t take it lightly. I went to the room, took a knife, I held her neck and I did what I had to do.

“I was not caught, I surrendered myself. If I did not want anybody to catch me, I would have done that; it is very simple. It is not a big thing to pay, I’m ready to face the wrath of the law.”

However, Esther Adaidu, Salome’s sister, denied that her sister was in a relationship with Ajayi. She argued that it was the first time she had seen him.

The remains of Salome were buried on Monday night.