The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last week Monday, May 16 arraigned one Bisi Lillian Olagunju before Justice Munta Abimbola of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, on a three count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence. Bisi, who allegedly claimed to be a Special Adviser to an Urban and Rural Development Committee Chairman of the National Assembly, was arrested and charged sequel to a petition from one Abiodun Julius alleging that he paid her the total sum of N9,000, 000:00 (Nine million naira) in tranches to help him secure a job for his brother at…
Author: Kunle Edun
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on May 17 convicted and sentenced the duo of Wisdom Afangideh and Godwin John to 10 years imprisonment on each of the two count charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The jail terms are to run concurrently. The convicts were however given an option of Three Million Naira (N3, 000 000.00) fine each. Also the truck and the product are to be forfeited to the Federal Government. The convicts were prosecuted on charges bordering on conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum product.…
One Paul Nonso Obinwunne and his company Paul Nomex Allied Limited ), was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 18 before Justice A. O. Okuma of Anambra State High Court. on a three count charge bordering on Obtaining Money by False Pretence to the tune of N15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million Naira. When the charge was read to the accused, he pleaded not guilty on all counts preferred against him by the EFCC necessitating the prosecuting counsel S.M.H. Ibekwute to pray the court to remand the accused and fix a trial date. However, defence counsel A. C…
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 17 arrested one Elisha Ankuma for allegedly impersonating as a staff of EFCC and obtaining by false pretence. Ankuma’s arrest followed a complaint by one Dr. Audu Shekaro, a childhood friend of the suspect and a staff of National Veterinary Research Institute, Jos, Plateau State that the suspect sometime in November 2015 called to inform him that the EFCC was auctioning vehicles worth N400,000 (four hundred thousand naira). The complainant said Elisha told him to get in touch with one Aminu Bala for the purchase of a Honda car…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last week presented the first witness in the ongoing trial of former Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Haruna Baba Jauro, his brother in-law Dauda Bistrus Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Limited before Justice C.M.A Olantoregun of the Federal High Court Lagos. The former Ag Director General of NIMASA was arraigned alongside his brother in-law, Dr Dauda Bistrus Bawa and their company Thlumbau Enterprises Limited on April 12, 2016 for allegedly receiving gratification from his predecessor Patrick Akpobolokemi to the tune of N156,477,500 (One Hundred and Fifty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand, Five Hundred…
It has come to the knowledge of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that some persons have been dropping the name of its Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, and claiming that they have his permission to ask for payments to secure the release of suspects under investigation by the Commission. Some unsuspecting members of the public have fallen victim of this scam and made huge payments to this syndicate. The Commission warns the public to be wary of the activities of these fraudulent individuals who have no relationship whatsoever with Mr. Magu and the EFCC. “I have not mandated anybody to…
Vatsama Danladi was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 19, before Justice M. M. Kolo of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja on a 4-count charge bordering on theft, illegal possession and use of specimen naira currency notes. Danladi, a security guard with Kings Guard Security attached to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ran into legal trouble when one of the new generation banks found 299 pieces of N1000 notes marked “specimen” amounting to N299,000.00 during a process of cash count sometime in January this year. On investigation, the bank discovered…
Dada Olatunji, a former Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Fire Service has been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, May 19 for offences bordering on employment scam before Justice M. M. Kolo of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja. Dada’s arrest and subsequent arraignment followed a petition from two young job seekers – Robert Mathew and Theresa Abah claiming that sometime in December 2014, one Christopher Adaje, Olatunji’s junior collegue met them and promised to get them employed in the Nigerian Fire Service. Adaje, who works at the Nyanya Fire Service,…
Justice has been finally served after five years of grueling legal battle as the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on May 20 convicted a former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Temisan Omatseye. Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia in a landmark ruling convicted the former DG on 25 of the 27-count charge bordering on alleged contract variation, bid rigging and awarding contract above his approval limit which violates the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Omatseye was first docked by the anti graft agency in February…
Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere and presided over by Justice A. A. Akintoye, ruled out the prospect of entertaining any application of stay of proceedings in the ongoing trial of Rickey Tarfa, SAN judgment is delivered. At the resumed hearing on May 20, counsel to Tarfa, Abiodun J. Owonikoko (SAN) had raised a motion for stay of proceedings based on an earlier judgment over right of jurisdiction and dismissal of the charge against the defendant which the court over – ruled. The defence wants the court to stay proceeding pending the hearing and determination of the appeal at…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned a former Head of Service (HoS) to the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye, on May 18 before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court, Abuja on an amended 35-count charge bordering on stealing and obtaining money by false pretence. In the amended charge dated November 2, 2015, Oronsaye is being charged along with Osarenkhoe Afe, Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Cluster Logistic Limitd, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited. Oronsaye and Afe, who is the managing director of Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, were present in court. However,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged members of the public to ignore any message allegedly coming from the Commission, claiming that their banks had sent a report of fraudulent transaction on their account. This warning is coming on the heels of several calls and e-mail from members of the public across the country that the Commission sent mails to them requesting for their bank details and report of other fraudulent transactions. One of such mails forwarded to the EFCC by a recipient reads in part: “Dear Sir/Madam, Your bank has sent in a report of fraudulent transaction…
Hussein A. Umar, a private legal practitioner and a witness at the ongoing trial of the former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh, on Wednesday, May 18 told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja how he assisted Badeh in the purchase of two properties in choice areas of Abuja. Umar, who testified as PW3 while being led in evidence by counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court that he assisted Badeh and the erstwhile director of finance and accounts at the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi…
Doyin Okupe, the erstwhile Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 appeared as the third defence witness (DW3) for Olisa Metuh, the embattled national spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who is standing trial over his alleged role in the infamous $2.1 billion arms deal involving the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd). Metuh is being prosecuted alongside his company, Destra Investment Limited on a 7-count charge before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, He is accused of allegedly…
Yazidu Ibrahim, a Staff Officer, Accounts, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) who is a witness in the ongoing trial of a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Haliru Bello, has told the Federal High Court, Abuja, how he was instructed to pay the sum of N300 million to a company, BAM Projects and Properties Limited, owned by Bello. Bello alongside his son, Bello Abba Mohammed, and their company, Bam Project and Properties Limited, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly receiving the sum of N300 million from the office…
Some top officials of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology (FSMLT) in Jos, Plateau State, have been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, May 10, before Justice Y. G. Dakwak of the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy and diversion of funds to the tune of N359m (Three Hundred and Fifty-Nine Million Naira). The accused persons are: Dr. Nkereuwem Sunday Etukudo, Provost, FSMLT, Jos; Yusuf Samuel, Accountant, FSMLT; Ernest Demtoe, Secretary of Tenders Board, FSMLT; Goodluck Echewa and Esio Udoh, both contractors of FSMLT. The arraignment,…
The Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has urged Naval ratings undergoing the Basic Intelligence Operative Course 18/16 at the Nigerian Navy Intelligence School (NNIS), Naval Base, Lagos to join hands in the fight against corruption. In his lecture titled: ‘‘History, Roles and Organizational Structure of the Commission,’’ Magu also charged the ratings to be more patriotic. Magu, who was represented by Samin Amaddin, Head, Public Affairs, Lagos zone, also used the opportunity to share the existing mutual relationship between the Navy and the EFCC, saying, “Over the years, the EFCC and Navy have enjoyed…
Abraham Adedayo Ologunja was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday May 12, before Justice E. F. Ikponmwen of the Edo State High Court, Benin City on one count charge of issuance of dud cheque. Ologunja allegedly presented a cheque of N4.4million for the payment of DPK belonging to the complainant, Anyagbeso Bright, which on presentation at the bank was dishonoured for insufficient funds. He person pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him. The charge reads: “That you, Abraham Adedayo Ologunja, “m” on or about the 14th Day of October, 2013 at Benin,…
One Nura Amadi was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, May 12, before Justice Olasumbo O. Goodluck of the FCT High Court, Abuja on a 5 count charge bordering on misappropriation of funds and issuance of dud cheques. Amadi, a former staff of Balis Bureau de Change Limited, Abuja sometime in 2014 was allegedly entrusted by his company with money to the tune of N24.4million including $20,000USD for the purpose of trading for the company, but dishonestly converted same to his personal use. In a bid to refund the money, he, twice issued cheques that…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) South East Zonal Head based in Enugu, Obioha Okorie, last Thursday, May 12, 2016 charged operators of Designated Non-financial Institutions (DNFIs) within the Southeast Geo-political Zone, to strictly conduct their businesses within the ambit of the law as any infraction of the law would attract due sanctions. Okorie made the charge in his welcome remark on a one day workshop organized by the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) Enugu at the conference hall of the Commission which had in attendance business owners, company directors, general managers and various representatives from over…