The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today complained to a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos that the Enugu state government had tampered with the assets of companies associated with the former governor of the state, Chimaroke Nnamani.The four companies which had on May 19, 2015 pleaded guilty to a 10-count amended charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, are Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited and Renaissance University Teaching Hospital. The companies are alleged to have failed to comply with lawful inquiry made by the Commission. Their assets are…
Author: Kunle Edun
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has faulted the decision of the Federal High Court Abuja, which today dismissed the 42-count charge of stealing bought against a former governor of Bayelsa state, Timipre Sylva on the grounds of abuse of court process.According to the anti-graft agency, Justice A. R Mohammed in dismissing the charge, erred in law as the accused persons had not taken any plea; no proof of evidence was placed before the court and trial had not commenced. It noted that the dismissal of the charge by Justice Mohammed, following the application of the Commission to consolidate…
Six executives of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Patience Okoro Eye; Afolabi Olufemi Johnson; Ilori Adekunle Sunday; Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola and Fatai Adedokun Yusuf, and others being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over N8billion mutilated currency recycling fraud, are to remain in prison custody until June 15, 2015.Justice Ayo Emmanuel of the Federal High Court Ibadan, Oyo State today adjourned to Monday June 15 for ruling on the bail application brought by the accused persons. At today’s sitting counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, prayed the court not to grant the accused…
The trial of two officials from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation implicated in Economic Reforms and Governance Project contract fraud, Dogonyaro Audu (aka Abdullahi Dogonyaro Mohammed) and Yahaya Ayodeji, was stalled Tuesday in Abuja due to the unpreparedness of their counsel, Abubakar Sadiq Oderiku, forcing the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Jabi to adjourned the trial to June 25, 2015.Justice Halilu however ruled on the bail application of the accused persons who had been in prison custody since they were arraigned on May 26. The court had…
Justice A. O. Faji of the Federal High court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State today adjourned to Thursday June 11 for hearing of the bail application brought by three Central Bank of Nigeria staff and five others in the on going case of conspiracy, fraud and stealing preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.At today sitting, Justice Faji ordered both the prosecution and defence counsel to harmonize their processes by ensuring that all parties were dully served. The accused persons: Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muninu Adeola, Toogun Phikip (all CBN staff); Isaac Akano, Ayodele Festus Adeyemi Oyebanji…
Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, has described corruption as one of the causes of the pervasive poverty in Nigeria.Speaking at the weekend in Abuja during the annual National Association of Seadogs (NAS) Feast of Barracuda with the theme: A New Dawn in Nigeria: Practical Steps to Eradicate Corruption, Lamorde expressed the resolve of the Commission to continue to checkmate the activities of the morally corrupt people who have brought shame upon the Nigerian society. The EFCC boss, who spoke through the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Osita Nwajah, said: ‘‘It is heart-warming that Professor Wole Soyinka,…
A Kano-based legal practitioner, Abdullahi Muhammed Hanga was on Friday, June 5, 2015 arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Aisha Mahmud of Kano State High Court for alleged property fraud to the tune of Fifty Million Naira.The accused was given the property three years ago to sell by one Hadiza. But contrary to the instruction of the property owner to sell the said property to a particular buyer, Abdullahi, using forged documents, sold the property to one of his relations and converted the proceeds to personal use.When the charge was read to him, Abdullahi entered…
Justice Abdullahi Yusuf of Katsina State High Court, has convicted and sentenced one Nasiru Yahaya Gusau (alias Nasiru Succer) of the Ministry of Finance, Gusau, Zamfara state to 29 years imprisonment on a 9-count charge bordering on forgery and criminal breach of trust preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.Yahaya, a serial fraudster, was alleged to have diverted seven truck-load of fertilizer (4, 200 bags of fertilizer) meant to be delivered at Yola, Adamawa state to own use.When the charge was read to him, he entered a not-guilty plea. Count one of the charges read, “That you…
The trial of one Emmanuel Ade Toluhi who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust, cheating and fraud before Justice Bello Kawu of an FCT High Court sitting in Kubwa, Abuja began on Thursday, June 4, 2015 with the prosecution presenting two witnesses. Led in evidence by counsel to EFCC, Fatsuma Muhammad, the first prosecution witness, PW1, Godwin O. Ugwu told the court that, he bought a land from Toluhi after negotiating the price with him at the rate of N2 million, since there was structure already on…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday June 4, 2015 arraigned Ani Paulinus Onyeka before Justice Rita-Ofili Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Lagos on a 2-count charge of Money Laundering.Onyeka is alleged to have failed to declare the sum of $1,909,140 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Forty US Dollars) to the Nigeria Customs Service as required by law, upon his arrival at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. One of the counts reads: “that you Ani Paulinus Onyeka on or about the 10th of February 2014…
Three employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and five staff of First Bank Plc, were on Wednesday remanded in prison for defrauding the apex bank and First Bank of Nigeria Plc, the sum of N8,265,100,356.22( Eight Billion, Two Hundred and Sixty- Five Million, One Hundred Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty- Six Naira, Twenty-Two Kobo only).Their remand followed their arraignment on Wednesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before a Federal High Court sitting in Ibaban, Oyo State on a 28-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud and stealing.The suspects: Kolawole Babalola; Olamiran Muniru Adeola And Toogun Kayode…
Three employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and three staff of Wema Bank, were on Wednesday, remanded in Agodi Prison, Ibadan for defrauding the apex bank and Wema Bank Plc to the tune of N4,552,560,380.00( Four Billion, Five Hundred and Fifty-Two Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Three Hundred Eighty Hundred Naira only).Their remand followed their arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before a Federal High Court, sitting in Ibaban, Oyo State on a 20-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud and stealing.The suspects: Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola, Toogun Kayode Philip ( all Ex-CBN Staff); …
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on June 2, 2015 arraigned Friday Isodje before Justice U.N Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on a 3-count charge bordering on conspiracy, Impersonation, Internet fraud and obtaining money by false pretence.The accused was arrested sometime in 2013 alongside one Eloho Akarah following intelligence report on their lifestyles. The suspect was with a laptop computer containing scam mails. One of the counts read, “That you Friday Isodje, on or about the 10th day of July, 2013, at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did conspired with one Eloho…
Three employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria and two staff of Sterling Bank of Nigeria, were on Tuesday remanded in prison custody after their arraignment before Justice N. Ayo Emmanuel of a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State for defrauding the apex bank and two other banks a total sum of N1, 141,303,300( One Billion, One Hundred and Forty One Million, Three Hundred and Three Thousand, Three Hundred Naira only).The suspects: Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola, Toogun Kayode Philips- all former staff of the CBN and Salami Ibrahim and Oddiah Emmanuel, both staff of Sterling Bank Plc,…
The extradition process initiated against Franca Asemota, by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation before Justice A. Kafarati of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja came up for mention on Wednesday, May 27, 2015.Asemota is wanted by the UK government for trafficking of minors to Europe using London Heathrow airport as a transit hub. The suspect was arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, March 24, 2015 in Benin , Edo State on suspicion of money laundering offences. On arrest, checks on Asemota’s profile revealed that, she had…
Six staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, implicated in an N8billion defaced and mutilated currency recycling scam, were today remanded in prison custody following their arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice N. Ayo Emmanuel of a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State.The suspects: Patience Okoro Eye; Afolabi Olufemi Johnson; Ilori Adekunle Sunday; Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola and Fatai Adedokun Yusuf, were arraigned on a five -count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud and stealing. Specifically, the apex bank employees were alleged to have compromised the CBN’s Briquetting exercise, meant to mop…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, June 1, 2015 arraigned one Mallam Kabiru Jibrin before Justice M.G. Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, Gombe State on a three-count charge of obtaining money by false pretense to the tune of N1.56m (One Million Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira).One of the charges read: “That you, Mallam Kabiru Jibrin (M), sometime in September 2013 or thereabout in Gombe, Gombe State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with the intent to defraud, committed an illegal act to wit: obtaining the cumulative sum of N810,000.00 only through…
As a prelude to the consolidation of all the charges against former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, June 1, 2015, withdrew the six-count charge of fraud before Justice E. S Chukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.The withdrawal, according to the Commission, is to allow it consolidate the charges against the former governor, pending before two Federal High Courts in Abuja.In the charge which was withdrawn today, Sylva was being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly converting N2bn (Two Billion Naira) worth of properties and resources belonging to…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, June 1, 2015 arraigned Orji Chidi Festus, an assistant director and head, internal audit, National Gallery of Art, Abuja before Justice Bello Kawu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on a 3-count charge of obstructing the Commission’s investigation activities, contrary to Section 38 (2) (a) 0f the EFCC Act 2004.Festus was docked for failing to produce some suspects whom he allegedly stood as surety for in a bid to secure their administrative bail. The suspects: Hazeez Agbaje Esther, Dayo Jimoh and Daniel Madu Bwala who are been investigated…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 arraigned Julius Ola Peters, Emeka Iloegbunam, Ijeoma David Alanza, Dinijocs Nigeria Limited and Jonathan Wallang before Justice Ishaq U. Bello of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 12-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).Peters and Iloegbunam, who were former President and Vice- President respectively of the NLNG Staff Bonny Co-operative Investment and Credit Society Limited, alongside Alanza and Dinijocs, allegedly obtained the sum of N1,…