The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today arraigned the Taraba State Accountant – General, Joel Joseph Lenbang, before Justice Donatus Nwabueze Okorowo of the Federal High Court Jalingo for defrauding Taraba State Government to the tune of N1.56 billion.He was docked on an 8-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, offences contrary to and punishable under the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.When the charges were read to him, the accused person pleaded not guilty.The malfeasance came to light following a petition received from a concerned Taraba State indigene, sometime in February 2014, alleging massive looting…
Author: Kunle Edun
Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Tuesday, July 8,2014 convicted and sentenced the duo of Duru Cosmos and Paul Momoh of Mbakwha Cooperative Society to two years and three months imprisonment for conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.The duo were arraigned on June 29, 2012 by the EFCC on a 2-count charge of fraudulent conversion of project funds for personal use following a petition by the Ministry of Mines and Steels Development. The convicts who are the chairman and secretary of Mbakwha Cooperative Society respectively were said to have been awarded…
The fight against corruption in public life would acquire greater traction if citizens show more interest in monitoring budget implementation.This was the preponderance of views at a two-day workshop on Budget Tracking organized the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, through its Enlightenment and Re-orientation unit, E&R, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State July 8, 2014. In his keynote address, the Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde who spoke through Osita Nwajah, deputy director, Public Affairs, said the workshop became necessary because of the need to educate people on budget tracking and monitoring in the fight against economic and financial crimes. He said the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday July 7, 2014 arraigned one Emmanuel Nathaniel before Justice Othman Musa of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo on one count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and issuance of dud cheque to the tune of twelve million, nine hundred and ten thousand naira.When the charge was read, the accused pleaded not guilty.The count reads: “That you Emmanuel Nathaniel (M) on or about the 31st of March, 2012 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did obtain credit by…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday July 7, 2014 arraigned three suspects: Mohammed Rabiu, Raphael Olorunfemi Okomoda and Adegbdsan Theophilus; before Justice Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on different criminal counts, all bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false presence, stealing, impersonation, forgery, using false document and money laundering.While Lawan was charged with 19-counts, Okomoda and Theophilus were charged with 7-counts each. The defendants, Mohammed Rabiu Lawan (65), Raphael Olorunfemi Okomoda (50), and Adegbesan Theophilus (38), got into trouble, when they were arrested by operatives of the Commission, following a report of…
The planned arraignment of Timipre Sylva, former governor of Bayelsa State and six other persons before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, could not proceed today.The other three accused persons and their companies are Francis Okokuro, Gbenga S. Balogun, Samuel Ogbuku, Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited and Haloween – Blue Construction and Logistics Limited. The accused persons are to be docked on an amended 42-count charge of misappropriation of fund and money laundering.When the matter was called, prosecuting counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi who stood in for Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, informed…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, July 3, 2014 arraigned the former executive secretary of Delta State Scholarship Board, Peter Amromanoh and the chief accountant, Eloho Otiede before Justice C. O Emifoniye of the Delta State High Court, Asaba on a 5-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.Amromanoh is alleged to have abused his office by approving a sum of N36m (Thirty-Six Million Naira) which is above his official approval limit of N1million. Also, alongside Otiede, they fraudulently paid bursary to “ghost” students.When the charges were read to them, they pleaded not guilty.Count five of the charge…
Justice Fatu Riman of the Federal High Court Kano on July 2, 2014 sentenced one Stephen Onyekachi to 14 years imprisonment.The convict was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) June 6, 2013 on a 3-count charge of allegedly obtaining the sum of N220, 000 from one Auwal Shehu Garba under the pretext that he had a solar indicator for sale.According to the complainant, he was approached by the fraudster through a phone call and offered a business deal after which he made a payment of N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) and also sent him MTN…
Request by two accused persons who are standing trial before Justice V. N Agbata of the Anambra State High Court Onitsha, on a 12-count charge of obtaining money under false pretence, that their trial be discontinued as they have settled with the complainant, was rejected by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.Bernard Sunday Chukwuma and Anyiam Isabella, were arraigned by the EFCC on May 19, 2014 for allegedly obtaining various sums of money totalling about N1,800,000.00 (one million, eight hundred thousand naira) from one Okey Obiagwu and four others under the pretext of helping them to secure jobs at…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, July 2, 2014 arraigned Gboyega Tifase before Justice Sedoten Ogunsanyan of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on a 3-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining goods under false pretences and issuance of dud cheques.Tifase, allegedly defaulted in remitting the sum of N7.7million (Seven Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira only), being the proceeds that should accrue to Barrister Abolanle Shittu, for the supply of five vehicles to him for sale. Shittu reportedly offered the five vehicles to Tifase in the sum of N9.9million( Nine Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira only) but Tifase…
Justice Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on Friday June 27, 2014, dismissed an application filed by Mahmud Tukur and Ochonogor Alex, praying the court to quash charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.The judge dismissed the application for lack of merit and abuse of court processes.In his ruling, Justice Akapo upheld the prosecution’s argument that “the issue of sufficiency of proof of evidence cannot be raised until the prosecution had closed its case”. According to the judge, “this argument is vital and renders the application premature”. It would be recalled that,…
Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, today stopped further attempts by a former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Mr. Francis Atuche to delay trial in a N27.5Billion suit instituted against him and two other defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.At the resumed trial of the case on Wednesday, EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, insisted that the defence team, led by Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, call Atuche or his wife Elizabeth, to the witness box, following their failure to produce a witness who, according to them, was meant to come in from Abuja, but…
A former banker with one of the old generation banks, Oreoluwa Adesakin, was on Wednesday, June 25, 2014, arraigned before Justice O.M Olagunju of an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, on a 15-count charge bordering on stealing by fraudulent conversion, contrary to Section 390 (8) (C) Cap 38 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.The accused person who was in charge of Western Union Money Transfer at First Bank Nigeria Plc, allegedly used her office to convert a total sum of $ 368,203.00(Three Hundred and Sixty Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Three United States Dollars) for…
The ongoing trial of seven persons accused of complicity in the police pension scam, continued on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 before Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.The seven accused persons who are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are; Esai Dangabar, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira, Uzoma Cyril Attang and Christian Madubuke. The accused persons, who allegedly defrauded the Police Pension Office to the tune of N24billion, were arraigned on April 10, 2013 on a 20-count amended charge that borders on criminal…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Tuesday June 24, 2014 arraigned six suspected oil thieves; Adelaja David, Adedara Temitope, Bayo Edema, Alowakenu Mathew, Ojga Aghedo, Dauda Usman alongside their Vessel, MT CERGEN D, before Justice Iyang E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on a two-count charge bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum product. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.The accused were arrested sometime in Mach, 2014 by men of the Central Naval Command, Nigerian Navy, Yenagoa alongside their vessel, loaded with 2,356,000 litres of suspected crude oil and were handed over to the EFCC for…
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, Gombe today sentenced one Khalil Ahmed Bappa, 29, who claims to be a GLO Ambassador, to 24 months imprisonment for fraudulently extorting goods and money worth N267, 000 from a female student of Bayero University, Kano, Yusra Ali Babakusa, with assurances of making her a Glo Ambassador.Khalil who has been standing trial on charges bordering on obtaining by false pretences surprisingly changed his plea midway by pleading guilty to the 2-count charge. Troubles for Khalil started sometime in 2012 when he presented himself as a GLO agent and promised to help…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has charged stakeholders in the Nigerian capital market to be transparent and operate by the rules guiding the market.Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, gave the charge Tuesday at the Joint EFCC-Nigerian Stock Exchange Awareness Programme in Lagos.Lamorde, who spoke through the Commission’s Deputy Director, Public Affairs Osita Nwajah, observed that the Stock Exchange was the life wire of the ordinary Nigerian, who is daily investing in stocks and shares, and who must be assured that his investments are being handled with utmost integrity and transparency. “….the stock market is literally…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has closed its case against the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeniyi Ikuforiji. Counsel to the EFCC in the N503 scam suit preferred against the Speaker, Godwin Obla, SAN, told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday, that he had already presented two witnesses before the court and was satisfied with their testimony. “I am satisfied with the evidence brought so far, I will not be calling more witnesses”, he said. Counsel to Ikuforiji, Wole Olanipekun , SAN, prayed the court for a date in order to file…
Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde has said that, cyber security is crucial to the quest for growth and development of the economy.He stated this on Thursday, while delivering a Keynote Address at the National Cybersecurity Forum held in Lagos. According to him, the increasing usage of internet by Nigerians, is heavily strengthening online economy, and buoying up other indices of development across the country. However, the security of the cyber space, he says, becomes imperative, not only to ensure the growth of the economy, but also to safeguard it against local and…
Justice O. A. Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Thursday, June 19, 2014, convicted and sentenced the duo of Abdulmalik Suleiman a.k.a Ndanussa Bello and Adabenege Abdulaziz a.k.a Comrade Patrick Ugo to 10 years imprisonment for impersonation, conspiracy, forgery and attempting to obtain money by false pretence.The convicts were arraigned in May 2009 on 11-count charge of attempting to defraud one John Bernand Yusuf of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) Abuja by pretending to be operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The convicts had asked Yusuf to pay five…