The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, July 8, 2015 arraigned two former state governors, Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, before the Federal High Court, Abuja on charges bordering on corruption, abuse of office and money laundering.Nyako and his son, Abdul-Aziz, a serving senator, were docked before Justice E. Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 37 count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering. The duo were charged alongside Abubakar Aliyu and Zulkifikk Abba. They are alleged to have at various times between 2011…
Author: Kunle Edun
A witness in the ongoing trial of Tahir Abdullahi Garba, a chief accountant in the Pension Office of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation whose company, Charo Bureau De Change Limited was allegedly used to siphon stolen pension funds, Mohammed Goji today told Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja that, a number of fraudulent payments were made into the accused person’s account from the Pension Account.Led in evidence by counsel to EFCC, Egwuagu Emmanuel, Goji told the court that, “our investigation revealed that, fraudulent payments emanating from the office of Head of…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, July 7, 2015 arraigned one Solomon Yakubu Ndam before Justice Jude Okeke of the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on a 13-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N5,540,000( Five Million, Five Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira).Nduma, a former employee of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, obtained the money from some unsuspecting persons, claiming that he would help them acquire some pieces of land being sold by the PHCN. Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Solomon Yakubu Ndam,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, July 6, 2015 arraigned Ali Gambo Abdullahi, a staff of Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Abuja, before Justice C. N Orji of the FCT High Court sitting in Apo on a 2-count charge bordering on conspiracy, bribery and abuse of office.Abdullahi’s arrest and subsequent arraignment followed a petition from one Rasheed O. Taiwo, who claimed that he paid a bribe of N1.8million to Mr. Danladi Umar, chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Abuja through the accused. Taiwo alleged that, Umar who claimed to be presiding over a case in which he was…
At last, hearing in the case of Helen Aninye, Chizobam Ben-Okafor and their company, Pon-Specialized Services Limited, before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, will commence tomorrow, July 8, 2015.The duo alongside their company were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, May 31, 2013 on an 18-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence to the tune of N1, 413,507,951.50 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Thirteen Million, Five Hundred and Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty One Naira and Fifty Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria under…
Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, July 2, 2015 adjourned to July 7, for ruling on the bail application of Yau Mohammed Gital, a former Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed and member of the Land Allocation Committee, FCT Administration; Shuaibu Yakubu, a former special assistant to the Chief of Staff; Jibril M. Tahir, Managing Director, Jibmir Ventures Nigeria Limited and Jibmir Ventures Nigeria Limited who are being prosecuted on a 10-count charge of obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy and forgery to the tune of N192,000,000 (one hundred and ninety-two million naira)…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered and returned the sum of 10,000 Euros (Ten Thousand Euros) about Two Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), to F. Mercade, a French citizen, who was victim of internet love scam.The fund was wired to the victim through his account in France on the recommendation of the French Embassy in Nigeria. Roger Balima, French Police Liaison Officer who confirmed the receipt of the funds by the victim, thanked the EFCC “for the good job.” Mercade was duped by two internet fraudsters, Omodara Adedapo Oluseye and Adesuyi Ayodeji Adedapo after he was…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, July 1, 2015 arraigned Raymond Duke Haruna before Justice O.C Agbaza of Federal Capital Territory High Court Jabi on an 11-count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheque and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N20,000,000.Haruna, was alleged to have collected N20,000,000 from Godwin Maduka as payment for a plot of land at an estate in Wuye District of Abuja belonging to Dove House Investment, which is run by him. He however, breached the agreement as he was unable to get Maduka the plot of land for which…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday July 1, 2015, arraigned the duo of Osaze Akhigbe and Ndekwu Jindu before Justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on an 11-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain goods and money by false pretence.The defendants, Akhigbe and Jindu were arrested by the EFCC sometime in 2013 based on a petition from one Jolanta K, an American. Jolanta alleged that she met jindu, who introduced himself as a self-employed Caucasian pharmacist, online in June 2012. Impressed by his profile she “fell in love” with him, and both agreed…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today received with shock, the ruling of Justice Rita Ofili- Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court Lagos, acquitting Mr. Femi Fani-kayode, a former minister of aviation, of the two count charge of money laundering preferred against him by the Commission.The Commission is making effort to obtain a Certified True Copy of the ruling, to enable it respond appropriately after careful review of the judgment. Media & Publicity1st July, 2015
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has rounded up two officials of the VIP Express Tourism Limited, a travel agency that is alleged to have swindled hundreds of Nigerians to the tune of N70million. The two officials, Banabas Magi, Accountant, and Owoseli Samuel, General Manager, were picked up on Monday, June 29, 2015 and are currently being detained by the Commission.Victims of the travel agency had on June 5, 2015, petitioned the EFCC. alleging that they’ve been defrauded by the company, which claimed to provide tourism services to Nigerians by providing holiday vacation accommodation to them at resorts in…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC will on September 15, 2015 re-arraign Julius Ola Peters, Emeka Iloegbunam, Ijeoma David Alanza, Jonathan Wallang and Dinijocs Nigeria Limited before Justice Ishaq U. Bello of Federal Capital Territory High Court Maitama on a twelve count charge bordering on forgery and obtaining money under false pretences to the tune of N207, 000, 000,000 (two hundred and seven billion naira). Ola Peters and Iloegbunam, former President and Vice President respectively of the NLNG Staff Bonny Co-operative Investment and Credit Society Limited, alongside Ijeoma David Alanza and Dinijocs Nigeria Limited, fleeced members of the Cooperatives…
Justice Abubakar Talba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court today rejected a plea bargain proposal mooted by persons accused of complicity in stealing pension funds.brahim Ahmed Mazangari, Muhammed Sani Suleiman, Hajiya Fatima Mazangari, Saleh Yerima Tsojon and Xangee Technologies Limited were to be arraigned by the EFCC on a 29-count charge bordering on staeling and obtaining by false pretence but the arraignment could not proceed owing to the absence of the 3rd accused, Fatimah Mazangari, whose counsel, Ibrahim Salau claimed, is very sick. He consequently pleaded for a short adjournment to allow his client recover and be present in…
Justice J.T Tsoho of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State has withdrawn from the trial of the Chairman of Bi- Courtney Highways Services, Mr. Wale Babalakin.His withdrawal from the case followed a letter written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court by Babalakin, through his counsel, Abiodun Layonu, SAN, expressing fears that his fundamental human rights may not be protected by the judge. He is, consequently seeking the reassignment of the case to another Judge. While delivering his ruling on the said letter, the Judge said he had no option than to hands off the case,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, June 29, 2015 arraigned Yau Mohammed Gital, Shuaibu Yakubu, Jibiril M. Tahir and Jibmir Ventures Nigeria Limited before Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court Gudu, Abuja, on a 10-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence, conspiracy and forgery to the tune of N192,000,000 (one hundred and ninety-two million naira).Gital, a former Chief of Staff to the FCT minister and member of the Land Allocation Committee, Federal Capital Territory Administration, allegedly conspired with Shuaibu Yakubu, a former special assistant to the Chief of Staff, Jibril M. Tahir, the…
Hearing of an alleged case of wrongful dismissal brought against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by one Juliet Ibekaku, a former assistant director, Legal and Prosecution, before Justice Babatunde A. Adejumo of the National Industrial Court, NIC, continued Monday, June 29, 2015 with Ibekaku telling the court that, the Commission has the power to transfer any of its employees for better performance.Ibekaku, while being cross-examined today by counsel to the EFCC, Mela A. Nunghe, told the court that, “I am liable to be transferred as an employee of the respondent.” “In the course of my sojourn of service…
Accused persons in the over N8billion currency recycling fraud at the Central Bank of Nigeria, today asked the trial judge, Justice Olayinka Faji of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State to hands off the case for the matter be reassigned to another judge by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court. Though the matter was slated for commencement of trial, trial was stalled as counsel to the second and third accused persons, Barrister Olalekan Ojo told the court that it was doubtful his client will get fair hearing from the trial judge. Ojo,informed the court that he had…
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Friday, June 26, 2015 turned down the bail application of Emmanuel Okoyomon, a former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPM, whose extradition is being sought by the United Kingdom government over his alleged role in the bribery allegation involving officials of Central Bank of Nigeria , CBN, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPM and Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008.However, the court granted Okoyomon’s plea for stay of execution on the order to extradite him. The UK government had, through the…
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, has called for an urgent review of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGRs) of higher institutions in Nigeria as a way of preventing leakages, mismanagement and outright corruption. Speaking at the EFCC anti-corruption sensitization programme organized in conjunction with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for Rectors and Provosts of Polytechnics in Nigeria on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at the NBTE Centre of Excellence (COE), Kajuru Close, Kaduna, he lamented the lack of accountability in the management of IGRs of higher institutions in the country. In his address titled…
The case involving a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a fresh 50 count charge bordering on stealing and money laundering, came up for mention Thursday, June 25, 2015 before Justice A. F. Ademola.of the Federal High Court, Abuja.Sylva is charged alongside Francis Okokuro, Gbenga Balogun, and Samuel Ogbuku. They allegedly used three companies – Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited, and Haloween-Blue Construction and Logistics Limited to move over N19.2 billion from Bayelsa State coffers between 2009 and 2012. Justice A. R. Mohammed of…