Chinese Court Jails Uighur Scholar For Life on 'Separatism' Charge

The Obama administration expressed its outrage Tuesday after a Chinese court sentenced the country’s most prominent advocate for the rights of Muslim Uighur people to life in prison. Economics professor Ilham Tohti, 44, stood trial for two days last week on separatism charges in the western region of Xinjiang.

"I'm innocent, I protest," Tohti shouted to the court before the judge ordered police officers to drag him out of the courthouse, according to Tohti's lawyer, Li Fangping. Tohti, who is an ethnic Uighur, is the latest moderate intellectual to be convicted by Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States was "deeply disturbed" by Tohti's sentence. "Peaceful dissent is not a crime," Kerry said in a statement. "This harsh sentence appears to be retribution for Professor Tohti's peaceful efforts to promote human rights for China's ethnic Uighur citizens."

President Barack Obama said the United States was "standing in solidarity" with people who have been detained, including Tohti and imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo. In a statement, the European Union condemned the sentence, calling it "completely unjustified".

In China, Tohti is regarded as an outspoken intellectual who has repeatedly criticized the government for not giving Xinjiang and its Uighurs more autonomy. His eight-month detention and harsh sentence is widely seen as part of a government crackdown on dissent in Xinjiang.

Dr Dre, Jay Z, Drake top the World's Highest Paid Hip-Hop Acts of 2014

Forbes released their annual list of Highest Paid Hip Hop Acts today and of course, Dr Dre led the pack with a whooping $620 million from June 2013 to June 2014. Apple bought his Beats by Dre for $3billion so... See the top ten highest paid below...

1. Dr. Dre - $620 million
2.  Jay Z (tie) - $60 million
2. Diddy (tie) - $60 million
4. Drake - $33million
5. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - $32 million
6. Kanye West: $30 million
7. Birdman: $24 million
8. Lil Wayne: $23 million
9. Pharrell Williams: $22 million
10. Eminem: $18 million
See the top 20 after the cut...

11. Nicki Minaj: $14 million
12. Wiz Khalifa: $13 million
13. Pitbull: $12 million
14. Snoop Dogg: $10 million
15. Kendrick Lamar: $9 million
16. Ludacris: $8 million (tie)
16. Tech N9ne: $8 million (tie)
16. Swizz Beatz: $8 million (tie)
16. 50 Cent: $8 million (tie)
20. Rick Ross: $7 million (tie)
20. J. Cole: $7 million (tie)
20. DJ Khaled: $7 million (tie)
20. Lil Jon: $7 million (tie)
20. Mac Miller: $7 million (tie)

Rochas Okorocha and his bicycle...

Imo state governor Rochas Okorocha celebrated his

Another reporter present at Synagogue comes for Nicholas Ibekwe

Reporter Bayo Akinloye was one of those at the Synagogue church when T.B Joshua offered N50k to journalists. He says Nicholas wasn't the only journalist who refused the money and says Nicholas maligning his colleagues is sad, evil and unprofessional. See more tweets after the cut...

Gen. Olukolade denies releasing any statement stating Chibok girls were released

 

The Defence Headquarters spokesman, Gen Chris Olukolade has denied claims he issued a statement earlier today confirming the release of some Chibok girls. See more tweets after the cut...

55 year old armed robbery gang leader paraded in Lagos

A 55 year old man named Chief Jude Dike (pictured above) who police say is the sponsor and leader of a 7-man gang was today September 23rd paraded alongside six other members of his gang at the Lagos state police headquarters in Ikeja.

The others paraded were; Joel Eghon, 38, Solomon Igwe, 32, Ifeanyi Onwuegbuchi, 34, Emmanuel Ifeanyi, 34, Ejike Emegwo, 31, and Leonard Afoaku, 39. See more photos after the cut...

 

According to PM news, Chief Dike, a resident of Ajegunle, confessed to being the sponsor of the robbers by providing them with weapons for their operation and facilitating the sales of whatever they steal from any of their operations.

Speaking on how they were arrested, the State Commissioner of Police, Cornelius Aderanti said on September 20th, information got to him that some armed robbers who had earlier snatched a Toyota Hiace bus around Ebute Metta were planning another operation. He immediately instructed men of the State Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, to chase after the robbers. They were arrested and the stolen Toyota car recovered.

Also a Barretta pistol with serial number P17531 and ammunition were recovered from them. When interrogated, 55 year old Dike confessed to the crime saying he got into the business by accident and continued because it was very lucrative. The suspects will soon be charged to court, according to the police....

APC lawmakers walk out of session in protest over $9.3m smuggled to SA

There was major drama in the House of Reps today September 23rd after APC lawmakers staged a walk out during a session in the House after a motion to debate the $9.3m smuggled into South Africa by two Nigerians on behalf of the Federal Govt on September 5th was denied by PDP lawmakers.

According to reports, the APC lawmakers had moved a motion through the the House Deputy Minority Leader, Ismaila Kawu to debate the matter on the floor of the House but the motion was stopped after a voice note called by the deputy speaker, Mr Emeka Ihedioha went in favor of the majority PDP members.

After the walkout, the Minority Whip leader, Samson Osagie spoke on behalf of APC members...

He said;

“For us as a people and for us as lawmakers, we find this unacceptable, unethical, illegitimate and in our view, it is an illegal transaction. Nigerian government owes the Nigerian people an explanation as to what that source of money comes from and the purpose for which it was made. If indeed, the matter involves security issues like the purchase of arms by foreign government like Nigeria, why was the South African government not brought into the picture before hand and how could South African government be sure that the arms were purchased legitimately by the Nigerian government and not by the insurgents when there were no officials of the NSA’s office or the Director of state security department that accompany such money?”