Justice M. L Shuaibu of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu recently convicted and sentenced one Joseph Okoro to 35 years imprisonment on charges of conspiracy and fraud. Okoro who was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC , was found guilty on each of the 5-count charge which borders on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence contrary to section 1 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the same Act. The convict was arrested in 2009 by the Nigeria police upon complaint by…
Author: Kunle Edun
The Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, February 6, 2014 re-arraigned a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Lagos on a 40-count charge of money laundering. Fani-Kayode’s re-arraignment followed the amendment of the previous 47 criminal counts charge of money laundering involving about N230 million. In the amended charge before justice Ofili-Ajumogobia, Fani-Kayode is accused of accepting various sums of money totalling N100 million between July 7, 2006 and May 11, 2007 without passing through a financial institution.One of the counts reads, “that you Chief Femi Fani-Kayode on or…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 arraigned one Ohaegbuelem Chikodinaka before Justice F.A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence. The accused allegedly specializes in stealing dividend warrants from unsuspecting shareholders through the Nigeria postal service and claiming the dividends using different bank accounts. Chikodinaka also allegedly impersonates top government officials to defraud contractors under the pretext of giving them non- existent contracts. Count one of the charge reads; ‘that you Ohaegbuelem Chikodinaka sometimes in…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has received commendation from the National Assembly for the performance of its 2013 budget. Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes gave the commendation Wednesday during the defense of the 2014 budget proposal by the agency. Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde who presented a proposal of N10, 245,369,170.00 as approved by the Budget office against the N21,058,864,600.20 proposed by the EFCC, disclosed that the Commission recorded 99 percent performance In its 2013 budget. The feat was applauded by members of the Committee, with other agencies of government…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Thursday March 6, 2014 arraigned Patrick Joseph Osobase and his company, Eventica Nigeria Limited, before Justice Othman Musa of the FCT High Court, Apo, Abuja on one count charge of criminal breach of trust to the tune of N28 million. The accused is said to have failed to remit the said sum to the coffers of the Federal Government as proceeds accruing to it from the country’s fiftieth anniversary celebration held in 2010 through the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation.The charge reads, “ that you Patrick Joseph Osobase and…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today (March 4, 2014) secured the final forfeiture of Brifina Hotel Limited to the Federal Government. The hotel which is located at Plot 1106 Cadastral Zone B02 Durumi District, Abuja is alleged to be one of the properties acquired by Dr Sani Shuaibu Teidi, former director, Pension Accounts, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation with proceeds of fraud. Though the hotel was traced to Teidi, he denied ownership of the property despite claim by the original owner that he sold the property to him. Investigation by the Commission revealed…
Justice L.B Lawal Akapo of the Lagos High Court today ( Tuesday, March 4, 2014) heard how Abdul Azeez Bello, a former Kogi Senatorial Candidate impersonated the Director of Operations of the EFCC, Mr. Olaolu Adegbite. At the commencement of the trial on Tuesday, prosecution witness, Chuks Offor, Personal Assistant (Protocol) to the Wife of the Executive Governor of Abia state, Mrs Mercy Orji, while being led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, O.A. Owodunni told the court that the impersonation scam started in early 2013, when a group of governors came on tour of Abia state.A caterer, Mrs. Ola,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , EFCC, today (March 4, 2014) arraignedone Grant Samuel before Justice Raliatu Adebiyi of the Lagos High Court sittingin Igbosere on one count charge bordering on stealing Specifically, Samuel is accused of fraudulent wire transfer and obtaining thesum of N6,000,000.00( Six Million Naira ) under false pretence.He allegedly defrauded oneBabatunde .A. Banjo of the amount when he falsely represented to him that oneof his friends wanted to sell the dollar equivalent of N6m ($80,400), knowingthat Banjo deals in used cars and would gladly embrace the offer. The fund was transferred electronically only to be…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today (March 4, 2014) arraigned the duo of Sadiq Bello and Usman Aminu before Justice Sanusi Tukur of Katsina State High Court on a 5-count charge of forgery. The accused persons allegedly collected 162 motorcycles worth N14, 580, 000 from one Usman N. Madabo, managing director of Madabotext and Supply Company Limited with the understanding that they would be paying N750, 000 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira ) monthly for a period of eighteen months. However, since the delivery of the motorcycles in March 2009, the accused persons were able to pay only…
Notorious advance fee fraud suspect, Fred Ajudua today lost his bid to be admitted to bail ahead of arraignment on a 14-count criminal charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd) to the tune of $8.39m. Justice Oluwayemi Ipaye of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on March 3, 2014 dismissed the bail application filed by counsel to Ajudua, Olalekan Ojo on the grounds that it was premised on a repealed law “with no factual support for the request for bail”. “Facts are yet to be established…