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After ruling, ICC moves to probe for war crimes in Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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The International Criminal Court’s ruling that it has jurisdiction over the situation in the Palestinian territories opens the way to it investigating alleged war crimes committed in the 2014 Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza.

The 50-day war, which devastated the coastal enclave and left 2,251 dead on the Palestinian side, mostly civilians, and 74 on the Israeli side, mostly soldiers, has already been the subject of a five-year preliminary ICC probe and a string of critical reports.

Here is a look at previous reports and probes into the war between the Jewish state and Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza:

ICC preliminary probe

In January 2015, ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda launched a preliminary examination into whether there was sufficient evidence to warrant opening war crimes investigations into the conflict. The examination involved both Israeli and Palestinian actions.

That long-running probe looked at the 2014 war and later at violence near the Israel-Gaza border in 2018.

In December 2019, the prosecutor said she wanted to open a full investigation, having been “satisfied that war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip”, without specifying the perpetrators of the alleged crimes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that position made the Hague-based court, which Israel has refused to sign up to since its creation in 2002, a “political tool” against the Jewish state.

Bensouda said she would first ask the ICC to make a jurisdictional ruling on the matter, due to “unique and highly contested legal and factual issues attaching to this situation”.

On Friday, the ICC ruled it had jurisdiction over the situation in “territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely Gaza and the West Bank”.

Netanyahu again slammed the court, calling the ruling “anti-Semitic”, while the Palestinians — who became a state party to the court in 2015 — hailed it as “victory for justice”.

UN reports

On June 23, 2015, a report by a UN Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza conflict says it received “credible allegations” that both Israeli and Palestinian militants committed war crimes during the war.

The report followed a UN Security Council document published on April 27, 2015, that blamed the Israeli military for seven strikes on UN schools in Gaza that were used as shelters. Forty-four people were killed.

The independent experts who compiled the report also found that UN schools, while vacant at the time, were in three cases used to hide Palestinian weapons. In two of the cases, militants probably fired on Israeli soldiers from the establishments, the report found.

Rights groups

International human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, also accused both sides of war crimes.

In late 2014, London-based Amnesty said it documented eight instances in which Israeli forces attacked homes in Gaza “without warning”, killing at least 104 civilians, and alleged that the destruction of four multi-storey buildings late in the war breached international humanitarian law.

It also said “Palestinian armed groups also committed war crimes” in indiscriminately firing thousands of rockets into Israel, actions which left six civilians dead.

In May 2015, it accused Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, of war crimes against fellow Palestinians to “settle scores” during the war, notably the execution of at least 23 people.

US-based Human Rights Watch said in September 2014 that in three cases it examined, Israel caused “numerous civilian casualties in violation of the laws of war”.

The incidents were the separate shellings of two UN schools in northern Gaza on July 24 and 30, and a guided missile strike on another UN school in the southern city of Rafah on August 3.

The attacks killed a total of 45 people including 17 children, HRW said.

Israeli reports and investigations

Israel in June 2015 defended its conduct in the Gaza war as both “lawful” and “legitimate” in a detailed inter-ministerial report.

The authors acknowledged that “numerous civilians were caught in the hostilities”, but they added Israel “did not intentionally target civilians or civilian objects”.

Israeli military authorities carried out their own investigations into the conduct of their troops during the war and in April 2015 announced three soldiers had been charged with looting.

 

Source: Channels TV

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Crime & Court

Bloggers Denied Bail Over Alleged Blackmail of GTCO, CEO, Citing Repeat Offenses

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Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an accelerated trial of four bloggers accused of defaming and cyberstalking the management of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), including its Group CEO, Mr. Segun Agbaje.

The defendants—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—face a 10-count amended charge for allegedly publishing false and defamatory content about GTCO on various social media platforms.

During proceedings on November 13 and 14, Justice Faji dismissed their bail applications, citing the severity of the charges, which carry potential penalties of up to 14 years in prison.

The judge specifically noted that Precious Eze had previously been charged with a similar offense in another court and was on bail at the time of the alleged actions, demonstrating a likelihood of reoffending.

Justice Faji emphasized the destabilizing impact such actions could have on the banking sector, pointing to the cross-border nature of some of the allegations.

“The regulatory oversight of institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should not be undermined by false claims,” the judge remarked, referencing GTCO’s CBN-approved audited statements.

At the previous hearing, defense counsel Afolabi Adeniyi had urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, arguing that the defendants were ready to stand trial.

However, the prosecution counsel, Chief Aribisala, SAN, opposed the motion, raising concerns about the defendants potentially absconding and stressing the need for a swift trial.

In his ruling, Justice Faji rejected the defense’s plea, ordering an expedited trial to address the case’s significant implications for the financial industry.

The trial has been adjourned to December 10 and 12 for continuation.

 

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EFCC Chair Raises Alarm on Rampant Fraud in Nigeria’s Electricity Sector

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Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised concerns over widespread corruption in Nigeria’s electricity sector, attributing frequent national grid failures to fraudulent practices involving substandard materials.

Olukoyede made these remarks on Tuesday during a visit from the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.

He revealed that ongoing investigations in the power sector had exposed disturbing levels of malpractice, often resulting in compromised infrastructure and recurrent grid collapses.

“As I am talking to you now, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears,” Olukoyede stated.

He further explained that contractors awarded projects to supply electrical equipment were substituting recommended materials with cheaper, inferior alternatives.

“People who were awarded contracts to supply electricity equipment, instead of using what they call 9.0 gauge, they will buy 5.0,” he said, noting that such fraudulent practices contribute significantly to the country’s unstable power supply.

“So, every time you see the thing tripping off gets burnt, and all of that, it’s part of our problems.”

The EFCC boss disclosed that the agency would be intensifying efforts toward crime prevention rather than focusing solely on asset recovery.

He emphasized that future scrutiny would prioritize spending by government ministries and agencies to curb misappropriation at the source.

 

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Nigerian Man Wanted for Child’s Murder Added to U.S. Marshals’ “15 Most Wanted” List, $25,000 Reward Offered

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A Nigerian man, Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, 48, is now among the U.S. Marshals Service’s “15 Most Wanted” list.

Authorities are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that results in his arrest.

He is sought on charges including first-degree murder, causing serious bodily harm to a child, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, according to a report on the U.S. Marshals Service’s website.

Olawusi was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of causing serious bodily harm to a child after emergency personnel in Providence, Rhode Island, found his 3-month-old son with severe injuries on April 3, 2017.

The infant was in cardiac arrest and needed resuscitation to restore a pulse. A medical examination later revealed the child had 18 injuries in various stages of healing, consistent with prolonged abuse.

These injuries included a skull fracture, severe brain injury, and fractures to the ribs, clavicle, and limbs. Tragically, the child died six months later, despite life support efforts.

Providence Police initially arrested Olawusi on April 20, 2017, on charges of first-degree child abuse. He was released the same day but fled after the child’s death on October 31, 2017, at which point the charge was upgraded to murder.

In June 2017, Olawusi reportedly left the United States from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, traveling to Nigeria on his Nigerian passport. Authorities suspect he may be receiving support from relatives in Nigeria and have voiced concerns that he could pose a danger to other children.

“Mr. Olawusi is wanted for the abuse and murder of an innocent child, and has fled the country to avoid justice,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis.

“We have placed Mr. Olawusi on our 15 Most Wanted list due to the heinous crimes he’s committed and the threat he continues to pose to the public. The USMS will exhaust all resources necessary to bring him to justice for his family and the community.”

Olawusi, also known as Olekun Olawusi, is described as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing around 185 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities encourage anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 (926-8332) or via the USMS Tips App.

The “15 Most Wanted” fugitive programme, established in 1983, identifies some of the most dangerous and high-profile fugitives in the U.S. Known for their extensive criminal backgrounds, these fugitives often pose significant risks to public safety.

Since its creation, the programme has led to the capture of over 250 high-risk individuals, including murderers, sex offenders, and organized crime figures.

In collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Marshals Service plays a crucial role in fugitive investigations.

In fiscal year 2023 alone, USMS-led fugitive task forces arrested over 73,000 fugitives and resolved nearly 86,000 warrants, demonstrating their commitment to public safety and justice.

 

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