Justice L.B Lawal Akapo of the Lagos High Court today ( Tuesday, March 4, 2014) heard how Abdul Azeez Bello, a former Kogi Senatorial Candidate impersonated the Director of Operations of the EFCC, Mr. Olaolu Adegbite. At the commencement of the trial on Tuesday, prosecution witness, Chuks Offor, Personal Assistant (Protocol) to the Wife of the Executive Governor of Abia state, Mrs Mercy Orji, while being led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, O.A. Owodunni told the court that the impersonation scam started in early 2013, when a group of governors came on tour of Abia state.A caterer, Mrs. Ola,…
Author: Kunle Edun
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , EFCC, today (March 4, 2014) arraignedone Grant Samuel before Justice Raliatu Adebiyi of the Lagos High Court sittingin Igbosere on one count charge bordering on stealing Specifically, Samuel is accused of fraudulent wire transfer and obtaining thesum of N6,000,000.00( Six Million Naira ) under false pretence.He allegedly defrauded oneBabatunde .A. Banjo of the amount when he falsely represented to him that oneof his friends wanted to sell the dollar equivalent of N6m ($80,400), knowingthat Banjo deals in used cars and would gladly embrace the offer. The fund was transferred electronically only to be…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today (March 4, 2014) arraigned the duo of Sadiq Bello and Usman Aminu before Justice Sanusi Tukur of Katsina State High Court on a 5-count charge of forgery. The accused persons allegedly collected 162 motorcycles worth N14, 580, 000 from one Usman N. Madabo, managing director of Madabotext and Supply Company Limited with the understanding that they would be paying N750, 000 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira ) monthly for a period of eighteen months. However, since the delivery of the motorcycles in March 2009, the accused persons were able to pay only…
Notorious advance fee fraud suspect, Fred Ajudua today lost his bid to be admitted to bail ahead of arraignment on a 14-count criminal charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd) to the tune of $8.39m. Justice Oluwayemi Ipaye of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on March 3, 2014 dismissed the bail application filed by counsel to Ajudua, Olalekan Ojo on the grounds that it was premised on a repealed law “with no factual support for the request for bail”. “Facts are yet to be established…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on February 28, 2014 arraigned the duo of Apiri Richard Tonye and Paul Charles before Justice Kate Abiri of the Bayelsa State High Court, Yenegoa, on a 4-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing. The accused persons, Apiri Tonye, a former Head of Capital Expenditure in the Bayelsa State Accountant-General’s office and Paul Charles, former Accountant, Bayelsa State Directorate for Project Monitoring and Implementation allegedly diverted and stole about N14.7m meant for the monitoring and supervision of ongoing projects in the state.One of the charge reads ; “that you Apiri Richard Tonye and Paul…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a legal practitioner, Barrister Ayodele Owoka, 47, over allegations of bribery. He was arrested on Thursday, February 27, 2014 at the Commission’s office in Ikoyi, Lagos as he attempted to bribe a team of operatives investigating a case of contract inflation, abuse of office, stealing, embezzlement and misappropriation of funds at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State. The suspect confessed that he offered the operatives N1.2 Million( One Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira) which was allegedly given to him by the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. O. A. Omotosho to…
Senator Victor Lar, Chairman Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for the number of convictions it secured in 2013. He made the remark Thursday at the 2014 Budget defense of the EFCC. The Commission recorded a total of 117 convictions in 2013. An elated Lar said the record is significant in the face of the erroneous perception by some persons that the Commission was not doing much. “The 117 convictions is a very good record. We hope that the Commission will put in more efforts” he said. Lar expressed…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 25, 2014 arraigned the trio of Pastor Glory Okeoghene Abrefera, Reverend Vincent Okpogo and their company, Mustard Seed Microfinance Limited before Justice Inagite- Kuejubola of the State High Court, Effurun, Warri on a 38-count charge bordering on conspiracy, diversion and stealing. The accused persons who were earlier convicted by Justice I.N Buba on a separate charge and offence in 2011, allegedly obtained the sum of Three Million, Four Hundred and Eighty Naira (N3, 480,000.00) in a phony investment transaction through Mustard Seed Microfinance Limited. They however, pleaded not guilty to all the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday February 26, 2014 arraigned Dr Godwin Karma before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja on a 2-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and forgery. He was alleged to have fraudulently offered to sell Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) on the high sea to a businessman, Kunle Adeyinka. He thereafter collected various sums of money, totalling $100,000 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) from Adeyinka for the hiring of vessel and other charges, aimed at conveying the oil but failed to deliver the consignment to the businessman.…
Justice R.M Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on Wednesday February 26, 2014 convicted and sentenced one Ibiba Jack to thirty five years imprisonment without an option of fine. The convict was found guilty on all of the 5-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment on each of the counts. The jail term is however to run concurrently. Justice Aikawa also ordered that the convict should return the sum of N14, 795,000.00 (Fourteen Million, Seven Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand Naira) in restitution to the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on February 25, 2014 arraigned one Kanu Jacob Okoro before Justice S.M Shuaibu of the Federal High Court, Owerri, Imo State on a 5-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence. Okoro, a staff of First Bank Nigeria Plc is alleged to have fraudulently collected the sum of N2.1 million from Ifeanyi Dike, whom he convinced to invest in his business with a promise of good return on maturity. However, on maturity of the investment, Okoro became evasive and efforts by the complainant to get his money and interest were unsuccessful.One…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday February 25, 2014 arraigned one Pastor David Ayoade before Justice H.A.Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on an 8-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence. The accused allegedly obtained the sum of N5, 200, 00.00 (Five Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira) at different times from one Mrs. Odimba Chinenye Darlington on the pretext that he was going to invest the money in forex trading with promise of attractive interests on the invested sum within three months. But the victim neither got the promised interest nor was she…
A witness in the on-going trial of Dodo Chilla Bulus, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, today February 25, 2014 told Justice E.S Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja how the accused person conspired with vandals to break crude oil pipeline and siphon product. Bulus is currently being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 2-count charge bordering on oil theft and pipeline vandalism.At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Lolade Longe, an operative of the EFCC who was led in evidence by Elizabeth Ayodele, counsel to Commission, told the court that the accused person…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 arraigned Akindoyin S. Kehinde a former employee of Union Bank Plc before Justice Mohammad Ishaq Sani of the Federal High Court, Akure, Ondo State. The accused was docked on one count charge bordering on failure to exercise due diligence before confirming payment of one hundred and forty six million naira from the account of Godwill Comm Services domiciled in the Akure branch of the bank. The scam involving was reported to the EFCC on January 15th, 2013 through a petition by Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. The bank…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 arraigned one Kingsley Nwaeweche before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja on a 3-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation. The accused is alleged to have fraudulently converted the sum of N6, 940,802.00, part of the rent on a property, for personal use. One of the counts reads: “That you, Kingsley U Nwaeweche ‘M’ ( being a Director and major shareholder in Aukings Properties Limited) and Aukings Properties Limited, sometime in January, 2012 at Abuja, within the judicial division of this Honourable Court did…
Justice M. L. Shuiabu of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, on Monday February 24, 2014 convicted and sentenced one Gift Onyegam to ten years imprisonment without an option of fine for duping a blind teacher, Rosemary Ihekanacho of a sum of N830, 000 under the pretext that he would help her son secure employment with an oil company. The convict was also ordered to pay the sum of N711, 000 (seven hundred and eleven thousand naira) in restitution to the victim. Onyegam, who was arrested in 2013 following complaint by the victim, was prosecuted by the Economic and…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , EFCC, on Monday February 24, 2014, arraigned one Paul Onwughalu before Justice S.S. Ogunsanya of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja on one count charge bordering on failure to conduct due diligence in financial transactions. Onwughalu, a former employee of Union bank, allegedly failed to conduct due diligence in a mega scam that rocked the bank on 10 January, 2013 when some fraudsters hacked into its data base and pulled out hundreds of millions of naira.The accused allegedly failed to conduct due diligence on Dan Kawu Bureau De Change’s account domiciled in Union Bank, …
The trial of former Director, Pension Accounts, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Sani Shuaibu Teidi and one Omoefe Eric Uduesegbe has been put on hold as Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, today, 21 February, 2014 adjourned the case sine die just as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission filed an application for final forfeiture of Brifina Hotel, one of the properties linked to Teidi. The adjournment followed an application by Teidi seeking the transfer of his case.Dr. Teidi is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC…
The head, Enlightenment and Re-orientation Unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Aisha Larai Musa has called on the youths to shun corruption and join in the fight against economic and financial crimes as a way of creating a better future for themselves. She said corruption remains the bane of the country’s development and challenged the youth to take up the gauntlet in the fight against the malaise. Musa who was represented by Zainab Bello Tifi made this call during a sensitisation visit to Government Secondary School, Kuje, Abuja. Musa charged the students to be law abiding citizens…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today, February 21, 2014 arraigned one Sa’idu Abdullahi Fanyabo before Justice Dije Aboki of the Kano State High Court on 2-count charge that borders on cheating and issuance of dud cheque. The accused person is alleged to have subcontracted the painting work of theCollege of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, Kano at the cost of N7, 350, 000(Seven Million Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira ). He paid thesubcontractor N2, 450, 000 (Two Million Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira )as mobilization fee with a promise to pay the balance of N4, 900,…