Author: Kunle Edun

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on May 18, 2015 arraigned one Opara Edmund and his wife, Amarachi Opara before Justice O.O Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court Owerri, Imo State on a 2-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence. They pleaded not guilty to the charge. The accused persons were alleged to have collected money from one Okechukwu Ogbonna to the tune of Seven Million Naira (N7, 000,000.00) for a phony land deal situated at Federal Low Cost Housing Estate 11 Umuguma New Owerri. It was further revealed that the said land which was sold to …

The alleged case of wrongful dismissal brought against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC by two of its former employees: Juliet Ibekaku, former assistant director, Legal and prosecution and Michael Nzekwe, prosecutor in Legal and Prosecution Department, before Justice Babatunde A. Adejumo of the National Industrial Court, NIC, could not hold on Monday, May 18, 2015 for unstated reasons.Ibekaku and Nzekwe were dismissed by EFCC for desertion which is a serious offence against discipline going by the provisions of Section 43(e) (i) of the EFCC Staff Regulation which states that, “Any officer who wilfully absents for twenty one (21)…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday May 14, 2015 arraigned one Mary Ozala before Justice Kudirat. A. Jose of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on a 4- count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences. Three other suspects, Nwokeke C. Chukwunonso, Shedrach Umeh and Uchenna Okpala are at large.Ozala, 22-year-old student and her co-travelers are alleged to have hacked into the email account of the complainant whom they fraudulently defrauded of the sum of N2 million. When the charge was read to the defendant in court, she pleaded not guilty. One of the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on May 12, 2015 arraigned one Uche Obodoekwe alongside his company DE CANON Investment Limited before Justice M.B Idris of the Federal High Court Lagos on an 8-count charge bordering on Money Laundering.He allegedly used the property of an insurance firm, Royal Exchange Assurance Plc as collateral to secure a N500, 000,000 (Five Hundred Million Naira Only) loan from the defunct First Inland Bank, purportedly to purchase about two hundred million units of shares. However, after taking the facility, the accused neither used the money to buy shares nor service his obligation to the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, May 14, 2015, secured another conviction, as one Ofonome S. Enukora was sentenced to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine by Justice I.B. Gafar of the Federal High Court sitting in Akwa, Anambra State.The convict had earlier been arraigned on February 12, 2015 on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N4, 500,000( Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira). Though the convict was discharged and acquitted on the first count, he was found guilty of the second count and was sentenced to…

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, has described the establishment of the Commission in 2003 by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as one of the major steps towards the rebirth of the nation.Lamorde stated that prior to the establishment of the EFCC, Nigeria’s image in the international community had been dented owing to economic and financial crimes perpetrated by some individuals and organizations. He further said Nigeria had been synonymous with money laundering, weak law enforcement and ‘419’ before the creation of EFCC, adding that the citizens had been harassed at international ports…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on May 13, 2015 tendered the result of polygraph test conducted on Mrs. Rosulu Idowu Oluronke, a former Lagos Court Registrar standing trial for allegedly defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi of $300,000.EFCC’s polygraph expert and prosecution witness, Chinedu Enanya, who addressed the court on the result of the tests, said they showed that the defendant was deceitful. According to him, “the polygraph tests, after each examination, usually show whether the examinee was truthful or deceitful when asked relevant questions”. He explained that the tests could be pre-texts; in-texts…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 re-arraigned Mamman Ali, before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on an amended 49 counts of fuel subsidy fraud to the tune of N4.5bn. He is the son of a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party and Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation in the last general elections, Senator Ahmadu Ali.Ali was arraigned alongside his two alleged accomplices – Christian Taylor and Nasaman Oil Services Limited, an oil-marketing firm. The re-arraignment of Ali followed the ‘disappearance’ of one Oluwaseun…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 arraigned the Kwara State Commissioner for Information, Prince Olatunji Oyeyemi Moronfoye, and Ope Saraki, cousin to Bukola Saraki, former governor of Kwara State and Senior Special Adviser on Millennium Development Goals to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, before Justice A.O Faji of the Federal High Court, Ilorin for offences bordering on abuse of office, awarding contracts to cronies, diversion of public funds and money laundering.Moronfoye was docked on a three count charge while Saraki who was arraigned alongside his companies: Cogent Integrated Service Nigeria Limited and Ladida Support Service Limited…

The trial of a Lagos Court Registrar, Mrs Rosulu Idowu Oluronke, accused of defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, General Ishaya Bamaiyi of $300,000 continued today before a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja with legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, telling the court that he never offered any legal representation to Bamaiyi and could not have received payment to that effect by either Fred Ajudua or Oluronke.A prosecution witness from Afe Babalola’s Chamber, Adebayo Olanipekun (SAN) told the court presided over by Justice Lawal Akapo, that the law firm never took a brief from General Bamaiyi and did…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Mutairu Laisi before Justice Kudirat Jose of Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja on a twelve- count charge bordering on fraudulent accounting and stealing.Laisi was alleged to have fraudulently manipulated a customer’s account with the former Intercontinental Bank Plc( now Access Bank) and in the process withdrew a total sum of N5,000,000.00( Five Million Naira only). When the charges were read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty to them. One of the charges reads: “Mutairu Laisi on or about 26th day of March, 2009 at Lagos within the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 11, 2015 arraigned Uchenna Nwako, Ejikeme Oluchukwu, Nnamani Ikechukwu, Ibeh kodili Martins and Nwako Victoria Ifeoma before Justice D.V Agishir of the Federal High Court, Enugu, on a 16-count charge bordering on intent to defraud and obtaining N26,338,000 by false pretence.The five accused persons were picked up by EFCC operatives on February 27, 2013 after intelligence reports indicated that they were involved in fraudulent activities bordering on cybercrime. Part of the charge read: “That you Uchenna Nwako, Ejikme Oluchukwu, Nnamani Ikechukwu, Ibeh Kodili Martins and Nwako Victoria Ifeoma sometime in…

Billionaire lawyer and Chief Executive of Bi-Courtney Limited, Chief Wale Babalakin has approached a Federal High Court, Lagos for an ex-parte order to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from arresting or prosecuting him for alleged corruption and money laundering.Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, had on February 23, 2015 discharged Babalakin, who along with Alex Okoh, Stabilini Visioni Limited, Bi-Courtney Limited and Renix Nigeria Limited, was being prosecuted by the EFCC for alleged N4.7bn scam. But, rather than appeal Justice Lawal-Akapo’s ruling, the EFCC had settled for fresh charges against Babalakin…

The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a publication sponsored by Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, that appeared in some online news portals and Thisday Newspaper of Monday, May 11, 2015 alleging witchhunt of two former EFCC officers, Juliet Ibakaku and Michael Nzekwe, by the Commission.The sponsored publication is a reaction to the half page disclaimer published on the two officers on Friday, May 7, 2015, which primarily sought to alert the public that the ex-officers have long ceased to be in the employment of the Commission and anyone who had dealings with them inspite of…

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, on Friday, May 8, 2015 charged fresh cadets of the Commission to imbibe its core values, which include integrity, courage, professionalism, leadership and partnership.He stated this during the passing out ceremony of the EFCC Detective Superintendent Cadet Course 6 and Detective Intermediate Cadet Course 3 at the EFCC Academy, Karu, Abuja. According to Lamorde, the 85 cadets who had just completed a six-month basic law enforcement training, received the “best possible initiation into the community of law enforcement.” He said the cadets, in the course of their training,…

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission on Thursday May 7, 2015 arraigned the duo of Muhammed Yau Gital and Sani Abba, both senior officials of the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory, before Justice O. C Akpaza of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on a 4-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, obtaining by false pretence and abuse of office.Gital, former Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed and Abba, Deputy Director, Mass Housing at the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA allegedly conspired and defrauded one Chief Duru Mike Ejiogu, managing director of Visioni…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 arraigned the trio of Mohammed Zahradeen Bello, Abdullahi Musa and Yusuf Baba before Justice I. U Bello of Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 5-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence, conspiracy and forgery.The suspects allegedly conspired and stole a Right of Occupancy belonging to Freelands Estate Limited from the custody of Abuja Geographic Information Systems, AGIS. Count one reads: “That you Mohammed Zahradeen Bello, Abdullahi Musa and Yusuf Baba sometime in February, 2012 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC will on Thursday, May 7, 2015 arraign two senior officials of the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory over land scam.They are: Muhammed Yau Gital, former Chief of Staff to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Bala Mohammed and Sani Abba, Deputy Director, Mass Housing at the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA. The duo will be docked before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Jabi for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust, obtaining by false pretence and abuse of office. Gital and Abba allegedly conspired and defrauded one Chief Duru Mike Ejiogu,…

A 19-year-old suspected internet fraudster Ojosipe Adebayo, has been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice A.O Ipaye of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on a two- count -charge bordering on possession of a document containing false pretences and forgery.The defendant is allegedly a member of a syndicate of internet fraudsters that specialize in using fake cheques and scam mails to defraud unsuspecting victims. When the charges were read to the accused person, he pleaded not guilty. One of the charges read: “That you Ojosipe Adebayo (a.k.a. “Marty Jason” and “Candice”) on or about the…

Justice E. S Chukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Monday, May 4, 2015 ordered the extradition of Emmanuel Okoyomon, former managing director and chief executive officer, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPM, to the United Kingdom to face charges of corruption and money laundering.Okoyomon’s extradition is being sought by the UK 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. Arguing the matter, Alex Izinyon, SAN, counsel to…