The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 9, 2015, arraigned one Eze Mark Anthony, Managing Director, Dominus Vobiscum Investment Limited, before Justice B.M Agishir of the Federal High Court, Enugu State on an 11-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N670million. The accused person is being prosecuted for allegedly diverting depositors’ funds to personal use. His company, Dominus Vobiscum Investment Limited, had entered into short-term and long-term agreements with some depositors. According to the terms of agreement, customers who deposited the sum of N26, 000.00 (Twenty Six Thousand Naira) per slot…
Author: Kunle Edun
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 9, 2015 arraigned Bulus Adamu Samuel, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Gombe State on a 4-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, contract scam, misappropriation of public funds, theft and abuse of office. The accused who was formerly Chairman of Shongom Local Government, of the State, was arraigned before Justice M.G Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe. Samuel, while being the council boss allegedly inflated a contract for the electrification of 17.5 Km route covering nine villages in the Shongom Local Government Council awarded to Tican Engineering…
The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, has expressed his readiness to upgrade the facilities at the Commission’s Academy to make it a training centre for investigators of anti-graft agencies in the West Africa sub-region in furtherance of efforts to effectively curb economic and financial crimes in the region. Lamorde gave the assurance on Monday, March 9, 2015 when he played host to Mr. Issoufou Boureima, President, High Authority for the Fight Against Corruption and Similar Crimes, HALCIA, Republic of Niger who was at the Commission in furtherance of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed by both…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested two suspected fraudsters for allegedly stealing the sum of $2,250,000 (Two Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) from two bankers. The suspects: Uwem Antia and Alhaji Yerima Suleman allegedly approached the bankers: Gladys Aginwa and Ale Dennis in February, 2015, offering to sell foreign exchange to the tune of $10,000,000 USD to them. After agreeing on the exchange rate, a sum of N672, 750,000 (Six Hundred and Seventy Two Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) was transferred from BlueBeam Capital Investment Limited and Capital Field Investment…
Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Jalingo, Taraba State has fixed April 20 to 24, 2015 for continuation of hearing in the on going trial of a former accountant general of Taraba State, Joel Joseph, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for offences bordering on obtaining by false pretence. The accused person, who was arraigned on an 8-count charge in July 2014, allegedly abused his office and stole funds amounting to N1.5billion. He however pleaded not guilty and was granted bail by court.At the resumed hearing of the case on March 5,…
A witness in the ongoing trial of former governor of Kogi state, Prince Abubakar Audu, Uchenna Agagara on Friday, March 6, 2015, told Justice Adegbola O. Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja, that several millions of naira totalling about N926m were lodged into Diamond bank account of Bulkom Nigeria Ltd, between May 29, 2001 and July 23, 2003 when Audu held sway as the governor of the State. The prosecuting counsel tendered a statement of account from Diamond Bank showing the transactions of the lodgements which was admitted in evidence by the court and marked…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on February 27, 2015 secured the conviction of one Anthony Ikechukwu Nwoga, for offences bordering on obtaining by false pretence. Nwoga who was first arraigned before Justice F. A. Olubanjo of Federal High Court Umuahia, Abia State on February 23, 2013, was found guilty of the two count charge preferred against him and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. He was however given an option of N500,000 (five hundred thousand naira) fine. In addition, he is to refund the sum of N365,000 (three hundred and sixty five thousand naira) to the complainant. Media &…
Pioneer Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Emmanuel Akomaye, has said that the war on corruption is one that should not be left only in the hands of anti-graft agencies, if it must be won.Akomaye, who made the assertion at a two-day anti-corruption risk assessment training workshop for government institutions, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, March 4-5, 2015, reiterated the fact that while the agencies have the primary task of fighting corruption, they need the cooperation and collaboration of members of the society. “The political will and commitment of government and the leaders, to fight…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested a suspected fraudster, Obiechina Chikeluba for allegedly swindling Kieran Oakes, a UK citizen, the sum of £54,000 (equivalent of N20m) in love scam.Chikeluba, a 21-year-old student of Federal Science and Technical College Yaba, Lagos, met the victim on Facebook sometime in 2013. The suspect, using the assumed profile of an American, Lisa Jackson, entered into a relationship with Oakes, with the pair agreeing to get married. In the course of their relationship, ‘Jackson’ at various times collected money to the tune of £54,000 from Oakes, to enable him travel to the…
A former governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, who is being prosecuted at a Federal Capital Territory High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, for his alleged involvement in a contract scam to the tune of eleven billion naira, today threw decorum to the dogs when he ordered his security aide (a police officer) to assault an operative of the EFCC, Haruna Ashade, for daring to take his photograph in court. Ashade, a member of the EFCC team assigned to cover the proceedings, was carrying out his lawful duties when Audu’s aide descended on him. The sudden…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned twenty-three suspected illegal oil bunkers, before Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on a 3-count charge bordering on conspiracy, illegal dealing and storage of petroleum products.The suspects : Ala Atubokiki Ibanibo, Wole Ajayi, Adesunloye Alexander, Fani Kayode, Captain Daniel Lebile, Micheal Mgbanwa, Segun Ekundemi, Johnson Mashebinu, Ndidi Benjamin, Bright Nwaezuoke, Blessing Omoviye, Kayode Biboye Ireti, Chuks Isiwepkweni, Friday Nchikpa, Peter Bayo, Ubom Amos , Zuopamo Embiowei, Olabamerun Owolemi, Adams Husseini, Ebisingha Timmy, Godwin Oputeh, Ebimie Norwigeh (Still at large) and Olabamerin Damilola Smart ( at large),…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC again proved its mettle as repository of some of the best talents in law enforcement in Nigeria as its officer, Austine S. M. Adache clinched the top diadem as best student from other departments/agencies in the just concluded Defence Intelligence Officers Course (DIOC) 13/2014 at the Defence Intelligence College, Karu-Abuja.Adache, a member of Course 1 Cadet Officer Programme, distinguished himself in academic and general conduct among the participants from other agencies that attended the course. Citation from the college indicates that the honour is bequeathed on a course participant who exhibit exceptional brilliance,…
Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN) has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to be resolute in its efforts to rid the country of economic and financial crimes.Agabi, who was a special guest at the anti-graft agency’s maiden “Rewards and Recognition” ceremony held at the EFCC Academy, Karu, Abuja, on Monday, December 22, 2014, noted that building Nigeria was a collective effort, and EFCC had a pivotal role to play. He said, “Our country is ours to build, and you are in the remarkable position, having been appointed to investigate and…
Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, has convicted and sentenced the trio of James Ettete; Ekene Jude and Abidemi Adesanya to two and half years imprisonment each, for stealing the sum of N480,000( Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira only) belonging to Skye Bank Plc.They were arraigned in May 2014, on a six- count charge, bordering on conspiracy to commit felony, forgery and use of false document. Justice Ipaye found them guilty on all the counts and convicted them accordingly. The sentence is to run from the day of arraignment. Troubles came for the convicts,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC has arraigned the trio of Haladu Ibrahim (Mai Anguwa), Sa’idu Balarabe Sulaiman and Baba Sale Sarkin Magina before Justice Tukur Mu’azu of Kaduna State High Court on a 4- count charges bordering conspiracy, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence.The trio were alleged to have conspired among themselves to sell two plots of land behind the International Trade Fair Complex, Kaduna valued at N3, 000,000.00, using forged documents. One of the charges read, “That you Haladu Ibrahim, Saidu Balarabe Sulaiman, Aisha Mohammed and Baba Sale Sarkin Magina sometime in 2011 within the Jurisdiction…
Justice Kudirat Jose of a Lagos High Court sitting in Lagos, has convicted and sentenced Promise Ntuen Ekemini to one year imprisonment, for hijacking the e-mail of a lawful owner of a property, located in Western Australia valued at $800,000( Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars), and attempted to sell the property.He was arraigned in April, 2014 on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy to defraud, attempt to obtain money by false pretences and forgery. Justice Jose found him guilty of all the charges and convicted him. His sentence is to run from the day of his arraignment. Ekemini got…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, December 17, 2014 arraigned a Port Harcourt businessman, Christian N. Odum, before Justice U. N Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, on charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining money under false pretence. Odum is alleged to have used his company, Unichris International Limited to defraud Peter Akinyosoye, under false pretence, by claiming to be working for the Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC. Odum, and Stanley Alozie, who is still at large, defrauded Akinyosoye, on July 6, 2012 obtaining the sum of N640,000 from him under the pretence that…
Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has convicted and sentenced one Benjamin Segun Bright to 63 years imprisonment without option of fine.The convict was arraigned on July 10, 2012 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for stealing the sum of N4,994,000( Four Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Four Thousand Naira only) from various investors, whom he deceived, by making them believed that their money would be invested in his purported companies. The convict pleaded not guilty at the point of arraignment. He went through trial and was found guilty of all the twenty-one…
It was the end of road for a fraudster on Wednesday, December 17, 2014 when Justice Dije Aboki of the Kano State High Court, Kano convicted and sentenced one Ibrahim Hassan popularly known as Comptroller Kangiwa, to ten (10) years and six months imprisonment without option of fine in a case of conspiracy, personation and obtaining by false pretence instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.Hassan who was prosecuted on a four count charge, allegedly obtained the sum of N11, 074,500.00 (Eleven Million, Seventy Four Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) from one Alhaji Balarabe Sumaila, at Kano.…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on December 17, 2014 at a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, arraigned nine persons for offences bordering on illegally dealing in petroleum products. Clement Oguntuwase, Joseph Obie, Ifeoluwa Albert, Adams Amzat Akokhia, Isaac Ndidi Chima, Rafiu Momodu, Rasaq Mahmud, Godwin George, and Thomas Daniel were arraigned before Justice Lambo Akanbi on a 2-count charge of conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products. The accused persons were intercepted aboard MB SKYE by men of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield on November 14, 2014 in Brass waters, close to Nigeria…