The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently brought Ajayi Oluwabukola Temitope before the Oyo State High Court, accusing her of defrauding her victims of N58,458,000 through false pretences. On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, Temitope was arraigned before Justice Kamorudeen Babatunde Olawoyin on four counts of obtaining money by false pretence, a violation of Section 419 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. One of the charges detailed how Temitope allegedly deceived Alhaji Yusuf Nadabo into parting with N23,183,000 under the guise of supplying four trucks of RC Cola, Zero…
Author: Adewale A.
In a significant ruling at the Kaduna State High Court, Justice A. A. Isiaka has delivered convictions and imposed prison sentences on three individuals found guilty of internet-related fraud. The convicted individuals, namely Ogochukwu Mitchel Emmanuel Ijeh, Mohammed Kabir Bello, and Sunday Simon (known as Ryan Eggold), were sentenced following their admission of guilt to separate charges brought against them by the Kaduna State Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Ogochukwu Mitchel Emmanuel Ijeh, also known as Dave Brandon, was charged with presenting himself falsely as a Medical Doctor named Dave Brandon, purportedly working at the…
In a landmark ruling on Thursday, February 15, 2024, Justice A. Abdussalam of the Gombe State High Court, situated in Gombe, delivered a decisive blow against fraudulent activities by convicting and sentencing Kelvin Tikus, a 36-year-old employee of the Nigerian Correctional Service, to three years imprisonment for perpetrating an employment scam. Tikus found himself in the dock after the Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought forward a one-count charge of fraudulent conversion against him. The charge, as read by the court, outlined Tikus’s deceitful actions, stating that he, in August 2021 within the jurisdiction…
BudgIT, a leading civic-tech organization promoting transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery in Nigeria, under its State Fiscal Transparency League project, has extensively assessed the procurement websites of Nigeria’s 36 states to evaluate the level of transparency and accessibility of procurement-related information to the public. The assessments, categorized into three categories – Green, Yellow, and Red – are as follows: green indicates that a state’s e-procurement portal is operating and data is available; yellow shows that a state has functional portals but outdated data, while red shows a state has neither an eProcurement portal nor data. Based on our assessment,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has made a significant breakthrough in its fight against financial fraud, with the recent arrest of Apostle Theophilus Oloche Ebonyi, the General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry International. The arrest comes in connection with a staggering scam involving fake grants purportedly from the Ford Foundation, amounting to a whopping N1.3 billion. Apostle Theophilus Oloche Ebonyi stands accused of orchestrating a sophisticated fraud scheme that targeted church members and other unsuspecting Nigerians. Operating under the guise of his NGO, Theobarth Global Foundation, Ebonyi allegedly advertised an intervention project, falsely claiming that the…
In a decisive move against cybercrime, Justice Chigozie Sergius Onah of the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has delivered a verdict, convicting and sentencing three individuals for their involvement in criminal impersonation, internet fraud, and possession of fraudulent documents. The convicted individuals, Abraham Itoro Sunday, Ezea Chidera Charles, and Udoh Christopher Gabriel, faced charges brought by the Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They were arraigned on separate one-count charges related to cybercrimes and pleaded guilty to all charges. Abraham Itoro Sunday was accused of fraudulent impersonation on Facebook, posing as Brian…
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned businessman Alexander Adeniran Babarinde, hailing from Oro-Ago in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, over alleged involvement in a contract scam, obtaining money under false pretences, and forgery. Babarinde, alongside his company, Ajays Engineering Limited, and one Suleiman Muhammed (currently at large), faced an eight-count charge before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin. The charges brought against the defendants revolve around allegations of obtaining money under false pretences, specifically by deceiving the complainant into believing that they were funding and executing…
In a significant development highlighting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) relentless pursuit of justice, a 56-year-old car dealer, Rasaq Abolaji Mumini, and Mrs Lawal Olawande Mariam have been arraigned before Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court for their alleged involvement in a N13.5 million property fraud. The Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC brought charges against Mumini and Mrs. Mariam for purportedly selling a forfeited property without due authorization and obtaining money under false pretences. The case, which unfolded on Monday, February 5, 2024, sheds light on the intricate web of deceit and unlawful transactions.…
In a high-profile trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja, new revelations have emerged in the alleged N10 billion money laundering case involving Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman. A prosecuting witness, known as Pw3, recently took the stand, shedding light on Suleiman’s purported business dealings. Rabiu Musa Tafada, a Bureau de Change Operator and owner of Rabiu Tafada Global Ventures located in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, provided crucial testimony on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. Tafada revealed that Suleiman was a regular client at his bureau de change office, often engaging in transactions related to the exchange of dollars. Led…
Justice Mojisola Dada, presiding over the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has adjourned further proceedings in the trial of Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, accused in an N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud case. The trial is now scheduled to resume on March 25, 2024, following a recent hearing on Friday, February 2, 2024. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos re-arraigned Mamman Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor, and Nasaman Oil Services Limited on March 24, 2023. The charges, amended to a 49-count indictment, encompass allegations of conspiracy to obtain money through false pretence, forgery, and use of…