A former Oyo State Head of Service, Mrs Kudirat Iyabo Adeleke and eleven other suspects implicated in a N5.6Billion pension fraud, were today re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Adegboye Gbolagunte of Oyo State High Court, Ibadan on charges bordering on conspiracy, stealing and criminal breach of trust. The other persons who were re- arraigned alongside Adeleke are Muili Hakeem Aderemi, former executive secretary, Oyo State Pension Board; Adeduntan Johnson; Oguntayo Banjo, former internal auditor, Oyo State Pension Board, and Kareem Rasheed. Others are: Muili Adedamola; Adesina Jimoh Ayoade, former cashier, Oyo State Pension Board; Adebiyi…
Author: Kunle Edun
Justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja on Friday, May 2nd, 2014, told a former managing director of defunct Intercontinental Bank, now Access Bank, Mr. Erastus Akingbola and his associate, Mr Bayo Dada, that they have a case to answer. He therefore dismissed two separate applications filed by the defendants, seeking to quash the N47.1 billion theft charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for lack of merit. In his ruling, Justice Akapo said the duo were charged with stealing, obtaining money by false pretences and receiving stolen property ,which clearly distinguished their…
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, on Tuesday April 29, 2014 charged employees of both public and private institutions to take up the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes in order to make Nigeria a better society. He made the charge at a one -day sensitization workshop on Anti- corruption organized by the Anti- corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, in conjunction with the EFCC.In his address, Lamorde who was represented by Bolaji Salami, Director, Organisational Support, said the sensitization programme became imperative to assist…
An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, today postponed the re-arraignment of a former Oyo State Head of Service, Mrs Kudirat Iyabo Adeleke and 11 others implicated in a N5.6Billion pension scam. Justice Adegboye Gbolagunte postponed the re-arraignment till May 2, 2014 following the sudden collapse of one of the defendants, Mr. Oguntayo Banjo, who allegedly had an asthmatic attack when the court was about taking their pleas. They were to be re-arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy, stealing and criminal breach of trust. The twelve defendants were originally arraigned on November 7, 2013 before Justice Bolaji Yusuf, who…
Five persons have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over allegation of fraudulent transfer of a total of N5, 550,000.00(Five Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) from an account in Skye Bank. The suspects, Ademola Okunlola, 36; Tajudeen Oluwanisola, 41; Kolawole Adams, 52; Temitope Pedro, 27; Bayo Olowoyo, 39 and Otunba Biodun Adebanjo, 56, were picked up in different locations in Lagos by operatives of the anti- graft agency for allegedly effecting the fraudulent transfer of N5, 550,000.00 from the account of one Ajani Kareem Musibau domiciled in Skye Bank Plc.The fraudulent transfers took place…
The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde today, April 28, declared that Local government in Nigeria cannot achieve its aim of bringing development to the grassroots if the problem of systemic corruption was not curbed. Lamorde who was represented by Bolaji Salami, Director, Organisational Support, stated this at the opening ceremony of the EFCC/ALGON Training on Anti-Corruption, Fiscal Responsibility and Effective Leadership for principal officers of Local Government Councils in Nigeria. According to him, “the problem of corruption and lack of fiscal transparency perhaps remain one of the hydra-headed factors that accounts for the inefficiency…
Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Monday, April 28, 2014, dismissed an application asking the court to vacate the warrant issued against an oil marketer, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo. Ogunbambo is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside Habila Theck and their company, Fargo Energy Limited. over an alleged N979.6 million fuel subsidy fraud.In his ruling, the judge held that the application was misconceived as there was no exceptional circumstances warranting the court to vacate the bench warrant. “This is a part-heard criminal proceedings in which trials have been adjourned several times…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on April 23, 2014, arraigned one Tajo Sani Yunusu and his company, Sani Brothers Oil and Gas Limited, before Justice Dije Abdu Aboki of Kano State High Court on a 2-count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheque. The accused allegedly collected 125, 000 litres of diesel valued at N20, 000, 000 (Twenty Million Naira from the complainant, one Amanallahi Ahmad Mohammed, and gave him three Zenith Bank Plc cheques for the sum. However two of the cheques were dishonoured on presentation at the bank due to lack of fund standing to the…
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, has charged management and staff of National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to take up the gauntlet in the fight against economic and financial crimes in the country as the Commission cannot do it alone. Lamorde who was represented by Osita Nwajah, deputy director, Public Affairs, stated this on April 23, 2014 at the anti-corruption sensitization programme organized by the Commission for staff of NDE in Abuja. “The essence of this programme is to take the anti-graft campaign to the workplace, and encourage workers to have a buy-in, as the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today arraigned one Usman Salis before Justice Dije Abdu Aboki of Kano State High Court on a 3-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and forgery. The accused person is said to have induced one Alhaji Jibrin Umar to part with N8, 400, 000 (Eight Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira Only) under the guise that he is a land agent authorised to sell a property located at Tsamiyar Boka, Hotoro in Kano metropolis.However the accused fraudulently converted the fund for his use and disposed the property without the knowledge of the complainant.Count…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday March 17, 2014 arraigned one Funsho Babatunde Oladimeji before Justice Kudirat Jose of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja on a 3- count charge bordering on forgery and possession of fraudulent documents. The accused person pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him.In view of the plea of the defendant, prosecuting counsel, M. K. Basiru, prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the accused in prison custody. Basiru opposed the defendant’s bail application on the ground that, he has no valid identity based on the fact that…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on April 14, 2014 arraigned duo of Isiyaku Ibrahim and Alhaji Mallam Usman Hussain before Justice Fatu Riman of the Federal High Court, Kano on a 14-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence. Haruna Bello, the complainant, alleged that sometime in November 2012 he met Isiyaku Ibrahim who solicited for a place to pass the night and N400 as transportation fare, which he obliged him.Few days after, Bello said he received a phone call from an unknown person who claimed he was the same person he accommodated and that…
Khalil Ahmed Bappah, a self appointed agent to communications giant, Globacom has been arraigned before the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The accused was today docked before Justice Babatunde Quadri for offences bordering on obtaining by false pretence in relation to a petition by one Yusra Ali Babakusa, a female student of the Bayero University, Kano.Yusra alleged that sometime in April 2012, she was approached by Bappah, who posed as a GLO agent, promising he could help her become a GLO Ambassador through his contacts at Globacom. The accused subsequently obtained a…
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, today April 15, 2014, arraigned one Dr George Odabi along with his company, Deo Gratias International School Limited, Abuja before Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja on a 3- count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheque and breach of trust. The accused, who is the managing director of Deo Gratias International School Limited Abuja, is said to have sometime in September, 2013 received a forty million, one hundred thousand naira (N40, 100,000.00) loan from one Mrs. Egbunola Ogungbesan for the renovation of his school but reneged on…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday April 15, 2014, arraigned one Adagun Moshood Olalekan before Justice O. A Taiwo of the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, on a 17-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and possession of fraudulent documents. Olalekan pleaded not guilty to the charges. In view of the plea of the defendant, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that the prosecution had its first witness in court and was ready to commence trial. But the defence counsel, L. O. Balogun told the court that the defendant had already filed an application…
Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde today disclosed that the Commission has recovered N4.3billion from suspects involved in the petroleum subsidy scam. He made the disclosure Tuesday April 15 when the management of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency led by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Farouk Ahmed paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.The EFCC boss said the collaboration between the two agencies was pivotal to the Commission instituting court cases against 13 oil marketers indicted in the investigations in the subsidy regime. He called for a sustained partnership between the…
Further hearing in the N25.7billion theft charge preferred against former managing director of Bank PHB, Mr Fancis Atuche, his wife, Elizabeth and Ugo Anyanwu, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC was today ( April 15, 2014) stalled at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja following the absence of key defence witness, who is said to be a handwriting expert. Counsel to the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, reminded the court of several adjournments in the past to accommodate the absence of the same witness. “The absence of this witness does not stop the defence from calling other witnesses. The court…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC today told a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja that Fidelis Ogbechie, defence witness in the on-going trial of former managing director of defunct Bank PHB, Francis Atuche was not a witness of truth as his claim that that his employers, ICON Stockbrokers Limited was lead Stockbroker to Bank PHB is false. At the resumed hearing of the case Monday, April 14, prosecuting counsel Kemi Pinheiro SAN told the court that “the claim by the second defence witness that his employers, ICON Stockbrokers Limited, was the lead stockbroker or Joint-lead stockbroker was purely…
Justice U.N Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on April 14, 2014 convicted and sentenced one Gideon Nuka Vopna to two years imprisonment without an option of fine. Gideon pleaded guilty to two-count charge bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum products preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He bagged a two-year jail term on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently. The convict was intercepted sometime in January 2010, by men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDC) at Kpopie Junction in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State with 33,000…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, April 14, 2014 arraigned Sunkami Odewande, before Justice S. S Ogunsanya of Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja, on a 4- count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences and possession of documents containing false information. One of the charges read,”Sunkami Odewande sometime on or about December 2012 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of 1,500 USD (One Thousand Five Hundred United State of America Dollars) from Kate Melock by falsely pretending that the said sum represented over payments due to…