Author: Kunle Edun

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…

Three former bank employees: Amina Magaji, Haruna Bulama Namadi and Muhammed Abdullahi (at large) were today arraigned before Justice Faruk Lawan of the Kano State High Court Kano for defrauding the Late Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Alhaji Ado Bayero to the tune of Seventeen Million Naira. The principal accused person, Magaji was appointed account officer to the late Monarch to oversee his account domiciled in one of the old generation banks in 2011. She reactivated the account which had been dormant for forty seven years and proceeded to withdraw monies in bits to the tune of N17, 060,000 (seventeen…

In a scandalous replay of the episode, a few years back, when Justice Abdullahi Kafarati, then of the Federal High Court Enugu, offered an option of N3.5million fine to Lucky Igbinedion, former governor of Edo State for corruption offences, his younger brother, Michael Igbinedion who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for siphoning N25billion from the Edo state treasury during the period his elder brother held the reins as chief executive, today received a fine of N3million from Justice J. Liman of the Federal High Court, Benin .The anti-climactic denouement to a trial that was…

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal today affirmed the jurisdiction of Lagos High Court, Ikeja to entertain the N1.9billion oil subsidy theft charge brought against Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo- Ndagi and Ontario Oil & Gas Limited by the Economic and Finacial Crimes Commission, EFCC.In a lead ruling delivered by Justice Amina Augie, the appellate court knocked off the three grounds on which Wagbatsoma and others objected to the ruling of the lower court affirming its jurisdiction and ordered accelerated hearing of the matter. Wagbatsoma’s grounds of appeal rested on the fact that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to…

Justice J. Liman of the Federal High Court Benin, Edo State, today convicted Michael Igbinedion, younger brother to Lucky Igbinedion, former Edo State governor, and Charles Eboigbodin .The duo alongside their companies; Gava Corporation Limited; Romrig Nigeria Limited; PML Securities Company Limited and PML Nigeria Limited, were prosecuted on an 81-count charge of money laundering, misappropriation of funds and abuse of office brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.The convicts had pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned, setting the stage for a full trail. In the course of trial, the prosecution called several witnesses to…

The trial of a former governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje, along with three others, who are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on charges bordering on conspiracy and money laundering, before Justice B. O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Gombe, continued on April 29, 2015 with the prosecution presenting more evidence against the accused persons.Prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, presented documents to prove the alleged fraudulent transactions carried out between 2003 and 2011.Accepted by the court as exhibits J and K, they showed suspicious transactions with respect to the supply of food items to…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a travel agent, Safiyanu Umar, at the Kano State High Court on a four count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.Umar had defrauded Salisu Bkeke along with eight others to the tune of N3, 050,000 in the guise of helping them obtain visa, air ticket, transportation and accommodation in Saudi Arabia for the 2013 lesser Hajj. Efforts of the victim to either secure the documents or get a refund of his money were futile, as the suspect became incommunicado. One of the charges read: “That you Alhaji…

The case involving a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice A. Y Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for allegedly stealing from the coffers of the state to the tune of N19.2bn while being the governor between 2007 and 2011, could not go on as expected, on Tuesday, April 28, 2015.The matter was initially adjourned to today for ruling on an application filed by the third accused, Gbenga Balogun, through his counsel Israel Olorundare, SAN, praying the court to first determine the legal standing…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, April 27, 2015 arraigned Sa’idu Gado before Justice Kabiru Auta of the Kano State High Court, on a three-count charge bordering on criminal conversion of land, obtaining by false pretence and forgery.The victim of his nefarious act, Mustapha Musa had petitioned the EFCC alleging that Gado sold a plot of land to him in Darmanawa, Tarauni Local Government Area of the state at the cost of N6million, with claim that the title documents were certified by the Kano State Emirate Council. In lieu of the full cash payment, Musa gave Gado …

A former Commissioner representing Akwa Ibom State on the board of the intervention agency, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Pastor Godwin Moffat Eyo was today convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment by an Akwa Ibom State High court for stealing 56 transformers meant for oil producing communities in the state.The convict who was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 56-count charge that borders on stealing and conversion of 56 electricity transformers released to him by NDDC for distribution to communities in Akwa Ibom state, was found guilty on 37 of those counts by Justice…

An internet fraudster, Okwuka Olisaebuka Ifeanyi, whose modus operandi is to hack into people’s email to commit fraud, was on April 23, 2015 sentenced to two years imprisonment by Justice H.A Nganjiwa, of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on a three count amended charge of forgery brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.Ifeanyi’s journey to jail started on April 21, 2014 when he was arrested by operatives of the Commission with various forged fraudulent documents in his possession. One of the charge reads: “That you Okwuka Olisaebuka Ifeanyi on or about the 3rd…

The planned arraignment of one Julius Ola Peters and four others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Ishaq Bello of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on charges of conspiracy, forgery and fraud was again frustrated on Thursday, April 23, 2015 due to the judge’s absence.It was the third time the arraignment would fail to hold. Peters and other suspects: Emeka Iloegbunam, Ijeoma David Alanza, Dinijocs Nigeria Limited, Jonathan Wallang and Swift and Hay Limited allegedly conspired and fraudulently used forged document to defraud the NLNG Staff Co-operative Investment and Credit Society to the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on April 23, 2015 arraigned one Ernest Jor before Justice Valentine Ashi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Apo, Abuja on a two-count charge of fraud.Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Ernest Jor, sometime in 2007 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, being entrusted with the sum of N6,000,000.00 (Six Million Naira Only) by MTN Nigeria Communication, for payment of lease running through August 2007 to July 2017, in respect of plot No. E17A, District Centre Layout, Kubwa…

A suspected fraudster, Julian Ndubueze Ezeji is currently cooling his heels in the holding facility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, following his arrest for allegedly swindling one Onyeka Okoye of the sum of N81,250,000 (Eighty One Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) in a phony oil transaction.Ezeji, 62, native of Ibeme, Isiala-Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State fraudulently presented himself as a petroleum dealer and approached Okoye to supply his company, Initial Energy Nigeria Limited, petroleum products to the tune of N81,250,000 (Eighty One Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) with a promise to…

A female staff of a popular eatery, Oluremi Olayinka was today convicted and sentenced to 266 years imprisonment by Justice A.A Akinyemi of Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, for stealing N8million belonging to her employer. The offence is contrary to sections 390(6)(7)(8), 467 and 468 respectively of the Criminal Code Law Cap 29, Laws of Ogun State.The court found the convict guilty on all the 34 count charges. She was sentenced to seven years on each of 30 counts and 14 years on the remaining four charges. The sentences are to run concurrently. Additionally, Justice Akinyemi ordered her to return…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Louis Monday Agbede before Justice I.B Gafar of the Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State.Agbede, who is also known as Biggy, is being prosecuted for offences bordering on criminal conspiracy, internet fraud and obtaining money by false pretence. One of the counts reads: “That you Louis Monday Agbede (alias Biggy) on or about the 10th of October, 2014 at Oko, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court obtained the sum of N22,200 (Twenty Two Thousand Two Hundred Naira) from one Anojie Ifeanyi Nwabueze under the…

The trial at of a former Governor of the state, Aliyu Akwe Doma, and a former Secretary to the state government, Timothy Anthony Anjide, before Justice Agatha A. Okeke of the Federal High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa, took a different dimension on Monday, April 20, 2015 as the defence counsel, Charles Edonsanwan, SAN, requested to subpoena the incumbent Secretary to the State Government.Edonsanwan told the court that, it needed to subpoena the incumbent Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dauda Egwa, to produce some documents, which he said would enable it properly cross-examine prosecution witness, Solomon Katsa, a former director of…