Cat caught smuggling mobile phones into prison

 

Credit: Press Service Of The Russian Federal Penitentiary Service For The Republic Of Komi
 

A cat has been trained to smuggle mobile phones into prisons, but was caught by prison officials during its latest visit.

The cat was caught on Friday while climbing the fence of a Penal Colony near the city of Syktyvkar, the capital of the northern Republic of Komi.

 

"Two packages were taped to the animal's back. When the packages were unwrapped, guards found objects prohibited in the penitentiary facility - two cell phones with batteries and chargers," the Republic of Komi penitentiary service department said in a statement posted on its website.

 

Cats are sometimes used by Russian inmates to deliver drugs, although this is thought to be the first time they have been caught smuggling phones into this particular prison.

 

The fate of the cat is unknown, the RIA news agency added.

 

On the web: RIA

Where is our emergency number?

The Goodluck Jonathan government has stayed long enough to roll out a uniform, nationally known emergency number that people can call to provide hints to security operatives about potential security risks or report a crime.

I’ve said this on my Facebook wall many times before. Where the police and other security operatives achieve wonders, it is not juju they are using. They are tapping into the power of information. It is a collaboration of the public with the forces. The public in these countries are able to effortlessly provide information to the police by dialling a short-code that is known even by kids.

 If you hear a strange shooting or you sight a band of suspicious-looking people in your neighbourhood, you can easily call the number and a police man on patrol nearby is despatched to check things out. It may turn out to be nothing, or it may be serious. Where is our own short code for emergency? Where is the communication equipment for the police? How are the forces sharing information? Is there a central system for warehousing information on terrorism that is accessible online to the operatives of all the forces deployed to fight terrorism? These are issues that the govt should focus on. It is not enough to threaten to fish out terrorists. What are we doing to make that possible aside from barricading the streets?

Galaxy S4 hits Nigerian stores tomorrow

Samsung Galaxy S4 on display at the press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday

 

 

Samsung Electronics has announced that it will be providing its customers in Nigeria and other pan-African countries with a 24-month “Accidental Damage from Handling” (ADH) warranty to cover screen and liquid damages to its new, flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone, at no extra charge.

 

A world first from the level of an original equipment manufacturer, the warranty includes two free repairs in the event of accidental damage to the screen of the device.

 

The Galaxy S4 will be on sale at Samsung stores and accredited dealers across Nigeria from Friday, May 3, 2013, ahead of its formal launch in Lagos on May 10. The company is currently partnering major telecommunication operators and service providers in the country via a pre-order service, in a drive to encourage consumers to be one of the first to own the sought after smartphone.

 

Speaking at a press briefing to announce the coming launch, Director, Hand Held Products, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas described the introduction of the warranty as a standard for the Galaxy S4, as part of Samsung’s commitment to providing its customers with innovative and impeccable after-sales services.

 

“At Samsung, we understand the unique needs of our customers and this is another value-added service we are introducing to provide them with comprehensive service assistance in the event of accidental handling damage to their devices. We are very excited to be the first mobile device manufacturer to come out with this level of service,” he said.

 

He added that Samsung Electronics will continue to provide value and long-term, sustainable support and service to its customers.

 

The ADH warranty will be incorporated into the existing 24-month standard factory warranty on the Galaxy S4. Customers can register their devices through Samsung’s e-Warranty service from their phones within the first 30 days of purchase. In the event of damage, registered customers will be able to take their device to an authorized Samsung Service Centre for repairs. The Service Centre will replace the screen or board free of charge. According to Samsung, this warranty will cover only screen and liquid damages. Customers will be limited to two incidents requiring repairs within a 24-month period.

 

Countries where Samsung’s ADH is currently available include Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Kenya, Mauritius, Ghana, Uganda, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, Angola, Tanzania, Botswana, Ethiopia and Mozambique.

                                                  

Driving licence and the fight against corruption

Osita Chidoka, Corps Marshal, FRSC

It’s over a year this month since I applied to renew my driving licence at FRSC, Ojodu.

As usual when I got there earlier this month, I was given another extension of my temporary driving permit. I was asked to go home and wait for a summon to come for image capture.  It was probably the fifth extension, and I’m sure, there are many more to go before I get that licence.

The subtle message is clear to me:  Bribe an official and and cut out all this endless stress of taking time off work, driving all the way to FRSC Ojodu, wasting more precious time looking for where to park your car, wasting even more time sitting in a crowded canopy and enduring indignities from uncouth civil servants, and having to go back empty-handed at the end of it all.  I’m just intentionally ignoring the message. I don’t know for how long I will be able to ignore the message, though.

There is some form of order in the process these days, compared to what used to be. There is a clear procedure now. Nobody bothers to explain it to you, but in my experience, it moves along smoothly enough, until after all the tests and it remains image capture, the final hurdle.

The officials haven’t changed much though. The elderly, irreverent and uncouth civil servant types are still aplenty, such as the dreaded sharp-tongued woman in Room 5. She is something of an insult goddess, worshipped by her own colleagues and feared by applicants. She treats applicants with the contempt usually reserved for kitchen pests.

Those who want to avoid these indignities would prefer to induce an official to fast-track the process.

If Nigeria is serious about cutting official corruption, it is not hard to figure out what needs to be done.  Look into the processes and make them work. Fish out those who deliberately prevent the processes from working in order to extort the public.

If an application is made, there should be a maximum number of days that application should stay on any official’s table before it is moved along. One year for a licence renewal is unacceptable!

The idea of death penalty for corrupt public official in my humble opinion is silly. How much seriousness have we applied to implementing existing law? If you have not effectively utilized what is existing, how can you complain it is ineffective? Is it when you cannot muster the courage and necessary sincerity to commit a thieving governor to jail that you will now find the courage to kill him? I get pissed off with this tendency for Nigerians to grand-stand and romance highfallutin ideas, when we lack the basic honesty to implement simple, practical measures to achieve the desired results.

Get a leader that is sincere to wipe out corruption in this country today and without changing a thing in our laws will cut official corruption by more than half overnight.

It is not rocket science. Neither is it brain surgery. Nobody wants to go to jail. But people will steal public money when they know they can pull a few strings to avoid going to jail. There only needs to be a leader with a strong determination and the COURAGE to stop that and there will be a positive change.

IGP’s tinted glass order is new avenue for extortion

IGP, MD Abubakar

The IGP stopped his men from mounting random road blocks across the country when he assumed duties, and voila, the incidents of police shooting bus conductors and passengers over N20 bribe nose-dived. He received accolades for the move. Now he is undoing the achievement he made in that regard with his latest order to his men to impound vehicles with any type of tinted windows.

Just drove past the men in black arguing with a gentleman in a sparkling Honda Accord 2008 model at Opebi Link road intersection. The argument was intense in the scorching sun. I could only imagine that it had to be about the car’s lightly tinted back windows.  Abi, that’s the only reason policemen can randomly stop motorists on a busy road now.

When the man was done blowing grammar, he would either let his car be impounded or call his accusers aside and ‘resolve’ the matter amicably, because like it or not, those policemen are on a legal duty, backed by the order of the IGP.

The IGP has simply given a new meal ticket to his boys. In the confines of his cosy office, he may threaten fire and brimstones against his men who extort motorists, but that is his own reality. The reality in the scorching sun outside is that only saints would turn down an irresistible settlement terms offered by an affluent gentleman in a posh Honda Accord. And I think we are all agreed the men of the Nigeria police force are no saints.  

Actor Jim Iyke gets own reality show

Jim Iyke. Credit: JimIykesWorld

 

Nollywood bad boy has got his own reality show tagged: Jim Iyke: Unscripted.

 

From Thursday, April 18, you can catch a glimpse of Iyke’s personal and professional life on  AfricaMagic Entertainment on DSTV.

 

You will see the famous actor as he promotes his latest movies while delving into the competitive world of men’s fashion and follow him as he manages the demand that comes with his huge popularity, busy schedule and outspoken personality.

 

Filmed in Lagos, Abuja, Accra, Houston, Dubai, Nairobi, Amsterdam and London, a new episode of Jim Iyke: Unscripted will be screened every Thursday (5:30/8:00 PM)  for 13 weeks.

 

Iyke said, “its no holds barred, unscripted and untamed”. Meanwhile series producers iFactory Live, Greyology Inc. and OH Africa described Jim Iyke: Unscripted as very real, giving fans a free pass into Jim’s life.

 

Executive producer Michael Djaba said, “Yes his image has sometimes been described as ‘Bad Boy’ but beneath it all, he’s as real as any celebrity can get and fans are in for one roller coaster ride”.

 

Meanwhile M-Net Africa Managing Director Biola Alabi is confident that like the man himself, the show will be a must-watch.

 

“Jim Iyke attracts attention on a daily basis and we’re definitely pleased that we’re in a position to screen his exciting new reality series. He’s such a talented individual who is not afraid to take risks, to speak his mind, to blaze his own future. His charisma, talent and energy are undeniable and his fans want to see more of him! So make sure you tune in weekly to see what drives his success, what determines his reactions and what defines his choices.”

Bill Gates offers N15.8 million for ‘magic' condom

Condom

Bill Gates has offered $100,000 (about N15.8m) for anyone to come up with “next generation condom that significantly preserves or enhances pleasure, in order to improve uptake and regular use.”

Last year, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) selected a reinvention of the toilet that functions as a solar-powered wastewater treatment system. Now, Gates is challenging inventors to use improvements in materials science to develop a condom that feels good.

The idea is that, as reliable and easy-to-use as condoms are, men supposedly experience more pleasure having bareback sex than they do using a condom. The challenge asks:

Is it possible to develop a product without this stigma, or better, one that is felt to enhance pleasure? If so, would such a product lead to substantial benefits for global health, both in terms of reducing the incidence of unplanned pregnancies and in prevention of infection with HIV or other STIs?

The challenge states that condoms have been in use for around 400 years, and have not improved in the past 50 years. However, the scientific advances made in the past 50 years, the initiative reads, have not been applied to this important area:

Material science and our understanding of neurobiology has undergone revolutionary transformation in the last decade yet that knowledge has not been applied to improve the product attributes of one of the most ubiquitous and potentially underutilized products on earth.

A better feeling condom could go a long way to convincing some men that they might as well roll one on before sex, if only for their own safety.

Nigerian behind Kim Kardashian’s fake tweet unmasked

Kim Kardashian

Many so called citizen journalists who helped spread the fake Kim Kardashian's tweet will be ashamed to learn that a mischievous young man orchestrated it all.

I’m not about to make him more popular than he is because, apparently, that is his only goal. So, I won’t publish his Twitter handle. I might send it to you via email if you ask.

A few Nigerians have traced the original tweet to him and his Twitter timeline is full of invectives from angry Nigerians who had initially fallen for the hoax.

It is also clear he is not repentant, as his TL is full of tweets savouring the global success of his latest hoax and boasts about what he will do when he gets his ‘black belt in Photoshop’. 

There are also loads of congratulatory tweets from pals, a few of whom are apparently awed by the global success of the hoax.

Seriously, we should be afraid. From getting global acclaim for advance fee frauds, Nigeria is moving to a stage where our youths are getting  sheer kicks out of deception and getting global recognition for faking celebrity twitter handles.

We are growing a young and vibrant column of 419 junkies, people who receive immense gratification akin to orgasm from successfully deceiving or fooling others. To them it is all harmless fun, but really it's far more; only if they knew.

Nigerians need to learn to interrogate their news sources. And to all the gullible bloggers, Twitter and Facebook journalists out there, learn to conduct basic investigations before rushing to your laptop, tablet or mobile devices.

Since the first 419ner got his mugu or maga decades ago, the world has ceased to exist in pure black and white. Develop a critical mind. Ask questions and accept nothing unless you have tried to ascertain its veracity.

God help us.

 

Some of his tweets:

ITS WORLDWIDE. MAMA I MADE IT!!

 

Lmaooooo RT @TheBlackHer***t: LMAOO RT @Tidij*: Lmao omg please. Gullible is not even the adjective to describe you guys anymore.

 

I hear it has gotten to BBM lol. I love you guys

 

 

Once I get my black belt at photoshop you niggas won't be able to tell what's real and what's not

 

One of his awed pals tweeted:

@*huckic**** bad-fucking-ass. My twitter idol!

 

Another tweeted:

gracias “@Sas**_Ij: RT @*anmust***: Man you a legend. RESPECT @*huckic****

 

 

Choirmaster with a fantastic organ!



Hannah Okurabe after the assault. Image: Punch

I once had a funny colleague who was a choirmaster in a prominent church in a famous town in Ogun State. Highly dexterous on the church organ, major church services could not start without him being present.

Like most choirmasters are known to be, this colleague was very popular with the ladies. In his mischievous moments, he would often exclaim that women could not resist his fantastic organ.

I remembered this colleague when I read the story of three ladies who viciously fought and wounded each other over a choirmaster, one Joseph Unuigbe, who incidentally, is married.

Temitope Abigeal and Temitope Remi were on Tuesday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ebute Meta on a three count charge of conspiracy, assault and causing grievous harm.

Abigeal (26) and Remi (28), both choristers at a Cherubim and Seraphim church at Progressive Road, Ebute Meta, were said to have assaulted Hannah Okurabe (18) with razor blades at Abule Nla junction, a few metres away from the church.

A father of two, Unuigbe is married to Folashade, who is also a member of the same church.

But the fact that the lover boy is married did not seem to matter to the duo of Abigeal and Remi who on March 17 allegedly accosted Okurabe and cut her on her cheek, eyelid, left ear and back of her neck.

Although the Magistrate, Mrs. M. O. Tanimola, admitted the suspects to bail in the sum of N200, 000 each in like sum the two women are currently cooling their heels at the Kirikiri Minimum Prison because they could not immediately perfect the terms of their bail.

They are to produce two responsible sureties who are gainfully employed and with evidence of tax payments to the state government in the last three years. The sureties are also required to be relatives of the defendants and their addresses are to be verified.

Just how fantastic is this choirmaster’s organ to warrant all this trouble?

 

World's youngest richest man

Moskovitz

How does it feel to have a billion dollar in your bank account? Here's the world's youngest billionaire, according to Fortune Magazine.

He is only 28 years old. But he has a total net worth of over $3.8 billion. His name is Moskovitz, Mark Zuckerberg's former roommate. He co-founded Facebook, the social networking giant, but no longer works there.

In spite of his formidable fortunes, Moskovitz leads a simple life. He bikes to work, flies commercial airlines and pitches his own tent at Burning Man, the annual arts community gathering in Nevada, US.

Robot Househelp comes to life

Dominik Brumm of the Artificial Lab of the University of Zuerich checks humanoid robot ROBOY during a media presentation in Zurich February 27, 2013. A project team, composed of scholars and industry representatives, has been working on ROBOY since June 2012. The team combines the latest discoveries from university research with the invaluable expertise of the industry sector to come up with the most state-of-the-art robotics technology.

Credit: Yahoo!

 

Related: Roboy, robot househelp to be 'born' in March 2013

Samsung Galaxy Grand hits Nigeria

Samsung has rolled out its highly anticipated Galaxy Grand smartphone in Nigeria, adding a new Galaxy device to its expanding range of products in this category. The device premiered in Africa at Samsung Ambassador, Banky W’s ‘R&BW the Grand Love Project’ album launch at Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday, February 15, after a very successful pre-order campaign. 

 

The 5-inch display, smart, dual-SIM Galaxy Grand combines the features of Samsung’s game-changing Galaxy S III and the revolutionary Galaxy Note II, which were released by the manufacturing giant last year.

 

According to the Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, the new Galaxy Grand will ensure that Samsung maintains its dominance in the global smartphone market, by positioning itself to meet the demands of consumers desirous of optimizing the value that they derive from their mobile devices.

 

“Continuing with our legacy of launching innovative devices that redefine consumer experiences, we take great pride in announcing the launch of the Galaxy Grand in Nigeria. The Galaxy Grand is revolutionary not only in terms of the great smartphone experience that it provides but also in terms of its value proposition. We feel that the Galaxy Grand will further fuel the growth of the smartphone market in the country and will especially delight consumers looking for a device with great, smart dual-SIM capabilities,” he said.

 

 

Powered by the latest version of Google’s Android operating system, Jelly Bean 4.1.2, the Galaxy Grand features an impressive 1.2 GHz dual-core processor that supports seamless multitasking; faster web browsing and superior graphics. Its 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display is ideal for users who want the productivity of a tablet with the portability of a smartphone. 

 

Even with its massive screen, the device is incredibly slim, with an ergonomic design that makes is comfortable to hold. The vivid display provides an expansive viewing experience rendering messaging, multimedia and web content in brilliant color and clarity. The device also sports a Multi-Window feature that allows seamless multitasking and running of multiple applications simultaneously without having to switch between screens.

 

Describing the Galaxy Grand as the ideal device for users with fast-paced mobile lifestyles who demand more from their phones, Business Head, Hand Held Products at Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas highlighted the Galaxy Grand’s dual-SIM capability as a unique selling point of the device. 

 

“Whether users want to take advantage of different pricing plans from two network operators, or want to keep their business and personal calls separate, the Galaxy Grand’s smart dual-SIM feature provides the convenience of two cell phones within one smart mobile solution,” he stated.

 

Some other features that the mobile phone maker believes will make the Galaxy Grand smartphone an instant hit with mobile phone users across the country include Smart Stay, which uses the front camera to prevent the device from going into standby mode while it detects a user in front of the device, and the phone’s Direct Call feature, which lets users automatically dial a call by raising the device up to the ear.

 

The device also features a unique Face & Voice Unlock feature that enables the users to lock and unlock their device with face or voice recognition, providing greater security and convenience. With the launch of Galaxy Grand, Samsung now offers a range of six dual-SIM smartphones and a total of 14 smartphone models across the world.

 

Is it ever a good PR strategy to do nothing during certain crises?

I have read a few remarks of renowned communications experts to the effect that sometimes in PR, the best strategy is to do absolutely nothing.

They point out though that the key is to know which kind of situations warrant such a strategy, and which require rapid and immediate action.  

In my experience, some, perhaps most, crises fester by every passing minute and can get out of hand if actions are delayed. But again, it is not every time your clients or bosses are behaving like the ceiling is going to cave in that it is, in fact, going to cave in. In such situations, the professional thing to do is to stand your ground and counsel them to relax and fight off the impulse to ‘do something’.

It is not one of the easiest things in the world to do, and nomatter your explanation, you are bound to have a few execs or clients barking at you “we can’t just sit and do nothing!” But, if you are convinced doing nothing will save a potentially bad situation from getting worse, stand your ground.

Given some passage of time, people always come round to seeing things in better perspectives, and will thank you for your counsel. It has happened to me on a few occasions.

Have you ever had to counsel your client or management to adopt the strategy of ‘keep mute and do nothing’? How did it play out?

Another explosion at Arepo!

The moment I saw this heavy smoke in the direction of Arepo swamp this evening, I suspected something was cooking again.

It's been officially confirmed. There has been yet another pipeline explosion.

It might sound callous, but I have no sympathy for any number of vandals incinerated again. Enough said.

Gambia to switch to 4 day work week

Gambian President,  Yayha Jammeh

 

Gambia is the place to be, men!

A statement broadcast on state radio from the Gambian presidency announced that from February 1, official government working hours will be from Monday to Thursday, from 8am to 6pm.

"Fridays will henceforth become rest and prayer days alongside Saturdays and Sundays," the statement said.

"Schools, banks and all affected institutions are free to work on Saturdays to compensate for the Fridays," it added.

The presidency also said that this new arrangement "will allow Gambians to devote more time to prayers, social activities and agriculture - Going back to the land and grow what we eat and eat what we grow for a healthy and wealthy nation."

The sliver of a country wedged into Senegal which surrounds it on all sides except for a palm-fringed coastline on the Atlantic coast has a population of about 1.8 million and is the smallest country on the African mainland.

Though essentially a secular state, Gambia is 90 percent Sunni Muslim.

 

Five hot phones to have this year



Samsung Galaxy S 4

Possibly the most anticipated handset of 2013, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is coming this year. Most proud owners of Galaxy S3, including yours truly, have not fully explored the resources on the device, and now, its successor beckons.

But seeing how well Samsung Galaxy S 3 has caught on with Nigerians, Galaxy S 4 is bound to make waves here as well.

I mean, it's such a hot cake that I swear I see some boys hawking it in traffic. I'm not making it up. I actually witnessed this at Berger on the Lagos Ibadan Expressway a couple of times, and I wondered who would buy a N90k+ phone in traffic.

I digress. 

Galaxy S 4 will come with a flexible screen, five-inch display, snappier processor and Android Jelly Bean. Get ready!

iPhone 5S/iPhone 6



Leaked picture of the back panel of iPhone 5S, expected soon. A full-on upgrade iPhone 6 is expected much later. I don't expect these phones to make much waves in Nigeria, though. Not with the restrictive marketing strategy of Apple.

                                              BlackBerry 10 touchscreen



Much expected BlackBerry 10 has already been widely trialed, with the next-gen OS and is expected on the shelves soon. A touchscreen phone, touting new multimedia access, improved apps and better typing is expected later.  They should make some impact here. Naija big boys and girls cannot have enough of BlackBerry.

 HTC M7

HTC’s own ‘phablet’ is expected soon. HTC has already released the HTC Butterfly in Japan and the US, but a different five-inch effort, the HTC M7, is expected to be a mind blower.

Features include: full HD display, 4G, quad-core Qualcomm tech and a unibody aluminium design.

                                                        Nokia Lumia 940

The Lumia 940 is for now only a concept, but one with a stunning carbon fibre frame and beefed up screen. I must confess those Nokia Lumia ads on CNN make me wanna have one.

 

It's an exciting year for lovers of smartphones.

 

Commotion at Berger

People gathered around the bus into which the
bloodied body was loaded.

A bit of commotion at Berger Bus Stop on the Lagos Ibadan Expressway inward toll gate when I passed now.

Crowds gathered on either side of the road, looking as police men loaded a bloodied body wrapped in white cloth into the back of a danfo bus (in the picture above). Armed policemen were everywhere. Couldn't wait to find out what's happening, lest I added to the long traffic already building.

Road trap: Police, LASTMA replace muggers at Mile 2

On the eve of Xmas, I wrote about muggers' exploits at Mile Two oke.

Today about 10 am, I passed the same spot and I have both good and bad news. First, the good news: the bad boys are gone from the spot, probably because of what I wrote, or because a powerful person experienced the same thing and organised a police raid.

Now to the bad news: LASTMA officials and police officers are now at the spot, and they are not there to help motorists, sadly. It's their brand new meal ticket.

I was coming from Osodi and wanted to link the bridge that leads to Mile Two Bus Stop below at the emergency ramp created just after where FESTAC buses load. Surprisingly, a LASTMA official and a policeman were rushing at me, but could not quickly cross the road to where I was.

They waved at me to stop. I tried to see the name tag on the LASTMA official, there was none; first red flag. Second red flag: the expressions on their faces were of someone who had just witnessed murder, and could scarcely wait for vehicles to pass to lay his hands on the 'suspect'.

I tried to figure out what I could have done wrong, I couldn’t. But with the red flags, waiting to find out would be a grave mistake. Besides, even genuine LASTMA guys these days are adept at pulling a rabbit out of the hat with uncommon ease. With the newly passed Lagos Traffic Law, you can never be too sure what they have up their sleeves. I waved to them in return and zoomed off. The policeman rushed at me and tried to open my door, but it was locked.

My suspicion is that the guys were after me for taking the emergency ramp, which motorists have taken for ages. It was actually created over a year ago by the authorities as an alternative exit for motorists coming from Osodi and going to Mile 2, Orile, or back to Osodi.

There is usually chaotic traffic at the FESTAC exit, especially with the FESTAC and Okokomaiko-bound buses staying on the road to pick passengers. The ramp has succeeded mainly in improving the driving experience of motorists at that location as people who are not going in the direction of FESTAC or the Mile 2- Badagry Expressway no longer need to contest the main exit with those who are. 

But apparently, those who thought up the smart alternative among the traffic officials have since moved on, leaving behind those who see an opportunity to cash in.

So my advice to you is that when next you are on that route, it’s better you take the FESTAC exit, or you go to Berger to make a u-turn.

Wish you safe motoring

Lawyers refuse to represent Indian gang rape suspects

Thousands of Indian women and men participate in peace march with placards carrying pro-women slogans to Mahatma Gandhi memorial, Rajghat, in New Delhi, India Images: Daily Mail

Accused rapists in a footage by NDTV
 

 

Well, even lawyers  can be repulsed by certain crimes!

Lawyers in India are refusing to represent the suspects arrested in connection with the cruel gang-rape and murder of a medical student in India last December.

The group of Indian men accused of gang raping the 23-year-old woman were arraigned today without representation. The lawyers said they are abstaining to give the case a speedy trial. (Finally some forthright learned friends admit lawyers complicate cases).

 

Five people have been formally charged over the rape and murder of the physiotherapy student, with one named as Ram Singh.

 

Today it emerged a sixth suspect, who is believed to be a juvenile and is expected to be tried separately, was the cruellest of all.

 

According to The Hindustan Times, a police charge sheet reveals in horrendous detail exactly what he is alleged to have done to the unconscious victim - after she had been raped.

 

The newspaper reported that he pulled her intestines out with his bare hands and was also responsible for suggesting that she be thrown naked from the bus.

 

Today her father called for the hanging of those responsible for the attack saying 'the death penalty is compulsory for a crime so great.'

 

The trial will be held in a fast track court and will start on Saturday.

 

'Of all the persons in the bus, two had engaged in the most barbarism - Ram Singh, the main accused in the case, and the juvenile ' said an officer, according to the paper.

 

'Both of them had subjected her to sexual abuse twice. Singh was the first to rape her followed by the juvenile and then Akshay. Later, when she lost consciousness, Singh and the juvenile raped her a second time.'

 

Authorities are waiting for the outcome of a bone marrow test before deciding whether the sixth suspect in the attack will be charged as a juvenile or an adult.

 

The results of the test, intended to determine the suspect's exact age, are expected to arrive soon.

Police plan to ask for the death penalty in the case. The men - the bus driver, his brother and four of their friends - are residents of a south Delhi slum near the site of the attack.

'We have decided that no lawyer will stand up to defend the rape accused as it would be immoral to defend the case.'

 

Criminal lawyer Ajay Digpaul told India Today: 'In my view, it should not take more than 10-15 effective hearings to decide the case as there is plenty of evidence.'

 

Sanjay Kumar, a lawyer and a member of the Saket District Bar Council said that 2,500 advocates registered at the court had decided to stay away to ensure 'speedy justice'.

 

'We have decided that no lawyer will stand up to defend the rape accused as it would be immoral to defend the case,' he said to AFP.

 Her father moved the family to Delhi from a rural part of India in order to improve her chances of realising her ambition of a career in medicine.

 

The dream was cut short on December 16 when she was attacked by six men after as she caught the bus home after going to the cinema to watch The Life of Pi. She died from her injuries on Friday.

 

Fresh details of the case have emerged in the Indian press where it is reported that her attackers tried to throw her under the bus after raping her inside it.

 

India's people have been outraged by the sickening gang rape attack and have taken to the streets all over the country

 

The rape victim died at the weekend after 13-day struggle to survive injuries so severe that the majority of her intestines had to be removed.