The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraignment of the trio of Kingsley Kuku, former Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan; Lawrence Pepple, Technical Assistant on Reintegration to the Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs; and Henry Nonso Ugbolue, Special Assistant, Media & Communication to the Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs has been fixed for April 20, 2016 as the trial judge was said to be away to attend the on-going Judges’ Conference. The accused persons were to be docked on two separate charges bordering criminal conspiracy, false declaration of assets and fraudulent acquisition of…
Author: Kunle Edun
One Sale Mohammed Elleman, Chairman, Chiroma Lalo Enterprise Limited at No. 71 Sulu Bolaji Street, Lagos was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on March 22 before Justice Abdullahi Yusuf of the Katsina State High Court on one count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust. Elleman was arrested by EFCC Operatives following a complaint by one Salisu Tambaya who alleged that sometimes in 2014, he entered an agreement with the accused to transact a foreign exchange business. The agreement was to the effect that, Tambaya would provide the capital which would be invested by Elleman, and…
Sani Abubakar and Bishong Obi Akatcha (now at large) were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice M.G Umar of the Federal High Court, Gombe on a 3-count charge of conspiracy, forgery and stealing to the tune of N14,850,000.00 (fourteen million, eight hundred and fifty thousand naira). The petitioner Usman Umar Haske had alleged that sometime in February 2009, a fifteen million naira ( N15,000,000) facility was granted to his company, Haske Duniya Communication Limited by Diamond Bank Plc. Haske said he is the sole signatory to his company’s account in Diamond Bank, while Abubakar was a…
The duo of Musa A. Muhammed, an employee of Kano State Primary Education Board, and Turadu Hamza Ahmed, an employee of Dantata Organisation Limited, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on March 15 before Justice Yusuf Ubale of the Kano State High Court on a six-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N29million. The complainant, Umar Sale, alleged that, he met the first accused person, Muhammed, sometime in August, 2014 when he wanted to purchase a plot of land purportedly owned by Aminu Alhassan Dantata, Chairman, Dantata Organisation…
Femi Ogunlowo and his five companies were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, March 15 before Justice R.I.B Adebiyi of the Lagos High Court on 10 count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence and forgery. The accused was arrested by the EFCC following a petition dated 5th of August,2015 which was sent to the Commission through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abuja on behalf of the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Switzerland. The petition alleged that some unknown persons from Nigeria broke into the server of their company…
Noel Akpan (Managing Director of Digie Global Marine Service Limited), Emmanuel Ndubuisi Morah (Managing Director of Rocky Oil & Gas Services Limited) and a Vessel (MT Europoort) were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday March 14 before Justice H. A. Nganjiwa on a 3-count charge bordering on Conspiracy and Illegal dealing in Petroleum Product. The accused persons were arrested on June 2, 2015 by officials of Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation PULO SHIELD Yenagoa, while on routine patrol. The vessel was laden with about 15,000 metric tones of petroleum product suspected to be AGO, was intercepted…
A former Head of Service (HoS) of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye was on March 15 arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on a two-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust. Oronsaye, who is also a former Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2013, is alleged to have fraudulently obtained N190 million being part of N240 million grant, which the committee received from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and converted same to personal use. One…
A 19-year old secondary school leaver, Tobechukwu Igbokwe was on Wednesday convicted and sentenced by Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja. Tobechukwu was sentenced to 37 years imprisonment for defrauding an American with a sum of $40million (Forty Million United States Dollars) in an inheritance scam. The convict was arraigned before the court on a 12- count charge bordering on forgery, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences. Justice Akapo found him guilty on all 12-counts and sentenced him accordingly. He was sentenced to 7 years on counts 1-8; 8 years on count 9; 7…
An impersonator of a former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswan, was on Wednesday convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment by Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja. The convict: Joseph Onoja was arraigned on an initial 4-count charge bordering on conspiracy to defraud, impersonation, forgery and using false document. At the point of arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the charges but later changed his plea to”guilty” to an amended one count charge.. Justice Akapo convicted him on the one-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had presented its first witness, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushau (retd) before Justice Okon E. Abang during the trial of a former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh, began on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Yushau, former director, finance/account (DFA), Nigerian Airforce between October 2010 and December 2013 told the court how Badeh allegedly took money to the tune of N3billion from the coffers of the Nigerian Air force to acquire properties in different parts of Abuja and Yola for himself and his family. Led…
The spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, on Thursday, March 16, asked the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, to re-assign his case to another judge for fear of being denied justice by the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang. Metuh is standing trial on a 7-count charge bordering on illegal diversion of funds meant for the procurement of arms preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He allegedly received the sum of N400 million (four hundred million naira) from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki…
The Federal High Court, Abuja sitting on Thursday, March 10 and presided over by Justice Okon E. Abang, has granted the former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (retd), bail in the sum of N2billion. Badeh, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Iyalikam Nigeria Limited on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption to the tune of N3.97 billion, had on March 7, 2016 pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial judge had adjourned till Thursday to rule on his bail…
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on March 7th 2016 arraigned one Bolaji Quadri (aka Philip Coffert) before honorable Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye seating at the Lagos State High Court on a 6-count charge of forgery and obtaining money under false pretence. The defendant allegedly duped one Raedeena Collins of the sum of $1000 by falsely claiming to be on Phillips Coffert. At the point of his arrest, several fraudulent documents were found in his possession including forged cashier’s cheque from international banks in both United States and United Kingdom. One of the charge reads that “you Bolaji Quadri (a.k.a Philip Coffert) …
The Federal High Court seating in Abuja and presided over by Justice E. S. Chukwu, has adjourned trial of Sani Lulu Abdullahi, a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and three other former NFF top officials to April 12, 2016, expressing concerns over what seems a deliberate attempt by their counsels to “frustrate” the trial. Abdullahi and his co-accused persons – Amanze Uchegbulam, a former NFF first vice president; Taiwo Ogunjobi, and Bolaji Ojo-Oba, former NFF secretary-generals, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for offences bordering on conspiracy and breach of due process.…
On Wednesday March 9, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Rickey Tarfa, SAN, before Justice A. A. Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere on a 27-count charge bordering on alleged willful obstruction of authorized officers of EFCC, refusing to declare asset, making false information and offering gratification to a public official. When the charge was read to him, Tarfa pleaded not guilty. In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, asked the court to fix a date for trial and to remand the defendant in prison custody. However, counsel to Tarfa, Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, told the court…
On Wednesday, March 9, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, dismissed the “no-case” submission brought by the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, who is standing trial on a 7-count charge bordering on illegal diversion of funds meant for the procurement of arms preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He allegedly received the sum of N400m (four hundred million naira) from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) who is being tried for laundering $2.1 billion. Metuh had on Thursday, February…
On Thursday, March 10, 2016, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned one Asabe Abdulkareem before Justice Y.N. Galadanci of the Kano State High Court, Kano on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretense to the tune of N3,000,000.00 (Three Million Naira). The complainant, Al-Amin Abba Dabo, sometime in November, 2013, allegedly transferred the sum of $7000(Seven Thousand Dollars) into the company account of one Mubaraq Abdulkareem in Century Path Nigeria Limited for the importation of some cars (Mercedes Benz C300, 2014 model, Mercedes Benz CLA 250, 2015 and Range Rover Vogue) from Canada into…
On Thursday, March 10, 2016, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Abumere Joseph Osagie, a Deputy Director, Regional Tax Office of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and one Jamila Ojora on a 2-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and receipt of gratification before Justice O. O. Goodluck of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja. Osagie and Ojora had on January 27, 2016 allegedly approached Senator Datti, the Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja and gave him a tax assessment of N20,029, 496.00 through a letter of intent, which he paid. However, when Senator Datti requested for the assessment…
On Tuesday, March 8, 2016, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Mohammed Ahmed Katun who was a former Assistant Director, Pension Account at the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHCSF) on a 12-count amended charge bordering on diversion of pension funds to tune of 81.4 million naira before Justice A. R. Mohammed of Federal High Court, Abuja. Katun’s re-arraignment followed amendments to the 3-count charge on which he was docked on April 9, 2014 by the EFCC. He is being accused of fraudulently diverting pension funds at different times to the tune of N81.4 million,…
Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday convicted and sentenced a former court registrar, Mrs Rosulu Idowu Oluronke, to 10 years Imprisonment. Oluronke, a former registrar to Justice Joseph Oyewole, was prosecuted on a two- count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence, preferred against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. She was initially charged alongside a Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye for defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, General Ishaya Bamaiyi ( retd), the sum of $8.4Million (Eight Million, Four Hundred Thousand United States…