Author: Kunle Edun

The ongoing trial of a former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration Safety Agency (NIMASA),  Patrick Akpobolokemi, continued today before Justice Raliat Adebiyi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja,  with a prosecution witness,  Orji Chukwuma,  an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,  further revealing how the accused  conspired to divert various sums of money from the  agency’s accounts to their personal use. Akpobolokemi is standing trial alongside Captain Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan, Vincent Udoye, Captain Sahib Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Limited on a 13-count charge bordering on stealing to the…

The Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba has adjourned trial of Jide Omokore, embattled chairman of Atlantic Energy Brass Development and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept to October 5, 2017 after rejecting a document which defense counsel sought to tender. Omokore is standing trial along with Victor Briggs, a former Managing Director, National Petroleum Development Company; Abiye Membere, a former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production at the NNPC, and David Mbanefo, a former Manager, Planning and Commercial at NNPC, for a $1.6billion fraud. At the resumed sitting on July 10, 2017, counsel to Mbanefo, Afan…

Justice I.E Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday convicted and sentenced two oil bunkerers: Tony Ochonogo and Efe Alex to 5years imprisonment each without an option of fine. The convicts were brought before the court on a four-count charge, bordering on conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products without a license,  levelled against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.  The court found them guilty , convicted and sentenced them accordingly. Ochonogo was found guilty on counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 while Alex was convicted on counts 1 and…

Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 7, 2017 dismissed an application by a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, seeking that his case file be returned to Justice Adeniyi Ademola, before whom he was earlier standing trial. The Chief Judge, CJ of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta had re-assigned the case to Justice Quadri, shortly after Justice Ademola’s trial along with his wife and Joe Agi, SAN, commenced at a Federal Capital Territory High Court, for offences bordering on money laundering charges. They were however, discharged April 5, 2017 and his suspension…

Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 7, 2017 dismissed an application by a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, seeking that his case file be returned to Justice Adeniyi Ademola, before whom he was earlier standing trial. The Chief Judge, CJ of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta had re-assigned the case to Justice Quadri, shortly after Justice Ademola’s trial along with his wife and Joe Agi, SAN, commenced at a Federal Capital Territory High Court, for offences bordering on money laundering charges. They were however, discharged April 5, 2017 and his suspension…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, July 7, 2017 arraigned a former acting Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Prof. Anthony Elujoba and the University Bursar, Mrs. Aderonke Akeredolu  before  Justice A. D. Oladimeji  of the Osun State High Court sitting in Ede on a 7-count charge bordering on  conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and using position for gratification. The defendants, however pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them In view of their plea, prosecution counsel, Festus Ojo prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendants in prison custody. The defense counsel…

Reprieve came the way of a former Caretaker Chairman of Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State House Gabriel Daudu as the Supreme Court yesterday Thursday, July 6, 2017 granted bail to convicted council boss. Daudu, who was also a member of the State House of Assembly, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on charges bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N1.4billion. He was found guilty by a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja of 77 out of 208 counts and consequently sentenced to two years on each of…

The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, July 6, 2017 and presided over by Justice J. O. Abdul Malik granted bail to a former Minister of FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, who is standing trial over N650million allegedly collected during the 2015 general election. Others granted bails alongside Akinjide are Senator Ayo Ademola Adeseun and Olanrewaju Otiti, both chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The defendants are being prosecuted on an amended 12-count charge bordering on money laundering. At the sitting today, Akinjide’s counsel informed the court that they had a pending bail application praying the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, July 6, 2017,  arraigned the duo of Ejere Kelvin Chris and Edoma Omagha before Justice A. M. Nicol-Clay of the State High Court sitting in Igbosere, Lagos on a 10-count charge bordering on conspiracy and forgery to the tune of N7.3billion (Seven Billion, Three Hundred Million Naira). The accused were charged alongside Kehinde Eliot Ogbor, Danium Energy Services Limited, Sibet Oil Services Limited, Loveth Miyemi Ogbor and Rhombi Energy limited, who are all at large. Danium Energy Services Limited allegedly  approached the petitioner, Fidelity Bank Plc,  between January 17 and February 9,…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, July 6, 2017 arraigned one Jonathan Isikwei before Justice M. B. Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a 15-count charge bordering on possession of counterfeit currencies to the tune of CAD $17,500 (Seventeen Thousand Five Hundred Canadian Dollars) and USD $14,300 (Fourteen Thousand, Three Hundred American Dollars). The defendant, Isikwei, was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on September 18, 2015 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for unlawful possession of 448 pieces of traveler cheques, while he was aboard a Lufthansa…

Justice Silvanus Orji of the FCT High Court sitting in Apo has adjourned to October 24, 2017, hearing of the N735million subsidy fraud case involving two directors of Origin Oil and Gas Limited – Adegbite Adetoye and Ponnle Abiodun. The judge at today’s sitting also granted two separate applications by I. O. Olorundare, SAN, and K. K. Eleja, SAN representing Adetoye and Abiodun respectively. The first application, dated June 23, 2017 by Olorundare is seeking an order directing the EFCC to release Adetoye’s passport, while also asking for leave of the court to enable him travel abroad for medicals. Similarly,…

Tthe Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos and presided over by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun today Wednesday, July 5, 2017 dismissed the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Robert Azibaola, a cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Azibaola, through his counsel, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, had contended that the EFCC had no right under Sections 293 and 294 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, to detain him. In the suit, Azibaola claimed that the Sections are for capital offences for which a legal advice from the Attorney-General is required before a charge…

A prosecution witness, Babatunde Adenekan in the case involving Ibrahim Abdulsalam, a former Managing Director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and others on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 told Justice Babs O. Kuewumi of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how the defendants allegedly diverted the sum of N473,250,927 (Four Hundred and Seventy-three Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty- seven Naira) from the agency’s accounts. Abdulsalam, alongside Nnamdi Udoh (still at large), Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche, Joy Ayodele Adegorite, Randville Invesment Limited and Multeng Travels and Tours Limited are facing trial on…

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, on July 5, 2017 admitted documents tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing trial of Jide Omokore, the embattled chairman of Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited, for a $1.6 billion fraud. The documents, which include Internal Memos from the Group Managing Director (GMD), National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and letters from the NNPC to the Director, Banking and Payment Department of the Joint Ventures Companies, and Payment Schedules, were admitted and…

Hearing in the ongoing trial of Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, continued on July 4, 2017, before Justice Raliat Adebiyi of the State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) giving a blow-by-blow account of how the senior lawyer allegedly offered gratification to judicial officers and perverted the course of justice. At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, via a projector mounted within the courtroom showed details of the SMS text messages between Nwobike and one Baruwa, a judicial officer. While addressing the court, Oyedepo stated…

The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna and presided over by Justice S. M. Shuaibu on July 4, 2017 dismissed an application by Abdullahi Dikko Inde, former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, urging the court to vacate its earlier interim order of forfeiture in favour of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). It would be recalled that, the EFCC had on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 recovered seventeen exotic vehicles in a warehouse of the former Comptroller-General of Customs located at Nnamdi Azikwe Street, Kaduna. The recovery was sequel to an intelligence report the Commission received that stolen…

The Federal Capital Territory High Court presided over by Justice Y. Halilu in Jabi on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 ordered one Ibrahim Kamba, a suspected land racketeer, to pay the sum of N15,000 as fine to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for delaying trial. Kamba was arraigned on March 23, 2017 on one-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence. He was alleged to have been involved in a land scam to the tune of N7million. The case, which was initially slated for March 27, 2017 for commencement of trial, has suffered several adjournments due to the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, October 27, 2016 arraigned one Moses Godia Shipi, managing director, La Shipson Construction Nigeria Limited before Justice Hussein Baba-Yusufu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N6.5million. Shippi allegedly conspired with one Harrison Ogar Job (at large) to defraud one Abiola Jacobs of Delmac Nigeria Limited of the said sum under the pretext that he had a contract for the supply of crude oil from the Nigerian National Petroluem Corporation, to Ghana. The…

Justice Tukur Mu’azu of Kaduna State High Court has convicted and sentenced the immediate past sole Administrator of Kaura Local Government, Kaduna State, Ibrahim Akut Baba to seven years imprisonment without option of fine for offences bordering on obtaining money by false pretence. The convict was arraigned before Justice Mu’azu on January 7, 2016 on allegation of defrauding one Alhaji Auwal Ibrahim of Rahusa Investment Limited, Sabon Hunkuyi, Kaduna state sometime in 2011, over a phony gas supply contract.  The victim allegedly paid the convict N1million for the supply of five trucks of gas at the rate of N200,000 per truck.…

Justice U.N Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced to one and half years imprisonment, a former Director General of Delta State Direct Labour Agency, Mr. Emmanuel Odafe Igbini. The sentence is without an option of fine. Igbini’s journey to prison began when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arraigned him on a three-count charge in November 2014,  for failing to make full disclosure of assets comprising  his Naira account with Stanbic IBTC Bank, US Dollar Account and  his daughter’s account with same bank. He pleaded not guilty to the three- count…