Three former officials of Bassa Local Government Council, Kogi State have been convicted and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment over a N160m (One Hundred and Sixty Million Naira) fraud. Justice J.J. Majebi of the Kogi State High Court sitting in Okene, Kogi State made the ruling. The convicts: Joseph Y. Agbo, Director, Local Government and Head of Service; John Ekele, Treasurer and Financial Adviser to the Executive Chairman and Abubakar Adamu, Chief Environmental Health Officer, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on March 13, 2012 on a four-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of…
Author: Kunle Edun
The trial of Jigawa State former governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and his cohorts before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja could not continue yesterday due to the absence of the counsels to the defendants. Lamido is being prosecuted alongside his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, and two others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 27-count charge bordering on abuse of office and money laundering. At the resumed hearing today, the prosecution counsel, Chile Okoroma, presented to the court a letter dated May 6, 2016 from Joe Agbi, SAN , one of the…
In the on-going trial of a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi; a prosecution witness, Olamide Odusanya and six others have told a Lagos State High Court that the former DG approved the disbursement of all funds from the accounts of the agency. Testifying before Justice R.1.B Adebiyi on Thursday, May 5, 2016, Odusanya, an Assistant Director in the Financial Services Department of NIMASA, said Akpobolokemi approved the payment of N498,200,000 and N318,000,000 for the implementation of the Voluntary International Maritime Organisation Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS) project by NIMASA in 2014. Odusanya, who was led in…
The trial of former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswan and his finance commissioner, Okolobia Okpanachi continued yesterday with the prosecution presenting its fourth witness, PW4, Abubakar Umar, who told the court how monies were converted to dollars and given to the governor. Suswan and his co-accused are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) on a 9-count charge bordering on diversion of N3.1 billion before Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja. At the resumed trial, Umar, a Bureau de Change Operator and owner of Fanffash Resources while being led in evidence by Rotimi…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned one Irene Okeoha before Justice S. C. Amadi of the State High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on one-count charge of stealing to the tune of N8m (Eight Million Naira). Okeoha, who is the customer service manager, Ecobank Plc, Hotel Presidential branch, allegedly defrauded the bank of the sum of eight million naira. The charge reads: “That you, Mrs. Irene Okeoha on or about 17th February, 2016 at Hotel Presidential Port Harcourt, within the Port Harcourt Division of this Honorable Court did fraudulently steal the sum of N8,000,000.00 (Eight Million Naira)…
Justice E. A. Obile of the Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State has convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment, Osayemi Dumi. Dumi was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 4-count charge bordering on money laundering and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N26,200,0000 (twenty six million, two hundred thousand naira). Upon his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the 4-count charge, but later changed his plea to guilty. His latest plea changed the course of the trial. Justice E. A. Obile convicted Dumi and sentenced him to two years…
The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State presided over by Justice Mohammed Liman, on Thursday, May 5, 2016 admitted two exhibits against Stanley Emesibe, who is standing trial on a 3-count charge bordering on false information and forgery preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). At the resumed hearing of the matter on Wednesday, principal prosecution witness in the matter, Orji Chukwu, led in evidence by counsel to EFCC, O. B. Akinsola, told the court that, Emesibe forged a document of a Zenith Bank Cheque of N1.6million (one million, six hundred thousand naira).…
The troops of the 130 Battalion of the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police, Port Harcourt Barracks, Rivers State arrested five illegal oil bunkerers and handed them over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The suspects comprising four men and a lady are: Sokari Iminabo; Segun Olagunju; Uche Emmanuel; Obinna Ezime and Mrs Tony Patience. They were arrested at Anyako waterside in Sama Community of Asari Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State. They were intercepted with a 30-tons truck loaded with suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO). The truck was detected to have in-built locally constructed surface tank…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arrested a retired Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Sambo and will on Thursday, May 12, 2016 arraign him before a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on one-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira). Sambo, who connived with one Nuhu Bello Dabai, had allegedly duped the complainant, Abdul Malik Bello, Managing Director/ CEO, Ideal Sunbeam International Company Limited, the sum of N10,000,000.00, after claiming that he needed to defray both the survey and other preliminary expenses…
As trial of an Ex-Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi and six others continued yesterday, 3rd May, 2016 before Justice R.I.B Adebiyi of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, an account officer Oliver Ewerem of Access Bank Plc narrated how funds were transferred to Gama Marine Nigeria Limited and one Vincent Udoye from a NIMASA account. While being led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Idris Abdullahi Mohammed, Ewerem gave a breakdown of some of the transactions that occurred between 2nd – 11th February, 2015. “On 2nd February, 2015, there was a credit of…
One Mrs Obiageli Funmilayo Nwagu was on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a six count charge of Obtaining Money by False Pretence and Issuance of Dud Cheques before Justice C. O Ajah of the State High Court, Enugu. The accused person pleaded not guilty on all counts. In view of the accused person’s plea, the defense counsel, O.A.U Onyema prayed the court to grant the accused bail. But the prosecuting counsel, M.A Shehu opposed the bail application and immediately drew the attention of the court to two separate applications for bail by the…
Ighofose Oyoma was yesterday, May 3, 2016 arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice E. A. Obile of the Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State on a 7 count charge bordering on Conspiracy, Forgery and Obtaining Money by False Pretence to the tune of Nine Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($9,200). Ighofose was arrested sometime in May, 2015 in Calabar, Cross River state following intelligence report on his involvement in internet scams. During investigation different scam mails which he used in defrauding his victims , mostly foreign women by presenting himself as Mike Anderson, an American…
The investigation was triggered by a petition written by a group named, “movement for better future”, which alleged massive fraud in the Kaduna State Pension Bureau. The petitioners alleged that the then management of the Bureau conspired with the consultant to steal pension fund through enrollment of ghost pensioners. They identified some of the ghost pensioners to include “Mohammed Ibrahim (Keystone bank), Mohammed S. (FCMB) and Abdullahi Shehu (Access bank). Wetkas affirmed that documents received from the banks, and critical examination of the pension payroll revealed that, indeed, Mohammed Ibrahim and Mohammed S. were listed as pensioners and monies paid…
On Thursday April 28, Justice S. C. Amadi of the Rivers State High Court convicted and sentenced one Ernest Monday to six months imprisonment for stealing and fraudulent conversion of the sum of one million, eight hundred thousand naira (N1.8 million.) The convict was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on October 10, 2015 on a two count charge of stealing and fraudulent conversion contrary to section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code CAP C37 Vol 11 Laws of the Rivers State of Nigeria 1999. One of the counts read: “You Ernest Monday ‘m’ between the months…
One Sabo Sani Labaran was on Thursday, April 28, 2016 arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Abubakar Jauro of the Gombe State High Court sitting in Gombe on one amended count charge bordering on impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N242,000.00 (Two Hundred and Forty- two Thousand Naira). The convict, who is a member of a syndicate, had, in October, 2015, allegedly obtained the sum of N242,000.00 from one Alhaji Hussaini Mai-Magani, having promised to award him a contract for the supply of some hospital equipment. However, the convict, whose Facebook profile…
The trio of Segun Osho, Roland Alozie and Abass Kolawole were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, 28 April, 2016 before Justice M.O Opara of the Rivers State High Court, Port-Harcourt on a 3-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent conversion to the tune of Nine Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty Six Naira, (N9,554,286.00). Osho and Alozie, both staff of Access Bank Plc , Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, conspired to convert an EcoBank Manager’s cheque for Nine Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty Six…
The trio of Patience Owerema, Nwakoba N. Francisca and Okafor Kingsley were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, April 28, 2016 before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office, forgery, impersonation and diversion of funds to the tune of N3,766,160.00 (Three Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty-six Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Naira). The accused persons allegedly conspired among themselves to divert the sum of N3, 766, 160.00, which was the terminal benefit of the late Udemba Clement, a former employee of…
Nnaji Steven and Nnamani Sunday were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday April 27, 2016 on a four count charge bordering on forgery, uttering and conspiracy to obtain the sum of N330,000.00 (three hundred and thirty thousand naira ) by false pretence, under the guise that they own a piece of land at Nike in Enugu State which they claimed was up for sale and swindled a certain Ofurum Uchida of the said sum. The offence is contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The…
The cross-examination of a prosecution witness, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushau, a former Director of Finance and Accounts, Nigerian Air Force, in the ongoing trial of ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, continued on Wednesday April 27, 2016, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja. At the sitting, Yushau stated how he had accompanied Alex Badeh Junior, one Hussein Umar and one Engr. Kabir Salau to inspect three (3) properties, including one at No. 19, Kumasi Crescent, Wuse, Abuja, which was eventually purchased and renovated by the ex-Chief of Defence Staff for his son.…
President of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Anthony Chukwuemeka Nzom, FCNA, has sought collaboration between the association and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the area of forensic study, as part of efforts to rid the country of corruption. Nzom, who led a delegation of national and state executives of the association to the office of the acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, in Abuja, on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, said: ‘‘Very soon, we shall be opening our resource centre. Some people have donated money for us to complete the centre. When it is completed,…