The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, December 13, 2013 told a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja that it had filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division striking out the theft charge instituted against a former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FinBank Plc, ( now First City Monument Bank), Mr Okey Nwosu. The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, had on November 21, 2013 struck out the theft charge preferred against the former banker. The court ruled that the Lagos High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain…
Author: Kunle Edun
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission note with concern two separate decisions by court on December 13, 2013 in cases investigated by the Commission. The first was the acquittal of former Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Chief Olabode George and five others by the Supreme Court. The other was the acquittal of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and two other by a Federal Capital Territory High Court. Without going into the merit or otherwise of the Supreme court ruling, it is unfortunate that the apex court disagreed with the decision of the two lower…
Two applications, one seeking the transfer of case to another judge and, the other, a notice of appeal against the refusal of bail to the defendants today stalled the trail of Mrs Kudirat Iyabo Adeleke and 11 other defendants who are being prosecuted at Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over a N5.6billion pension fraud. At the resumed sitting Thursday December 12, 2013, counsel to the 6th defendant, Richard Ogunwole, holding brief for all other defendants, told the court that a letter had been written to the Chief Judge, Oyo State,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, on Thursday, December 12, 2013 prayed a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja to issue a bench warrant on Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and grant it power to verify a medical report presented to the court by the accused. In the medical report, Ogunbambo claimed to be sick and could not present himself in court for trial. Counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that Ogunbambo’s medical report should be ignored until its authenticity was established. “In view of the antecedents of the 4th defendant (Ogunbambo) this medical report should not just be taken…
The Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) has charged Self- Regulatory bodies in Nigeria to prevail on their members to comply with Money Laundering law and regulations. Bala Sanga, Director SCUML who gave the charge Thursday, December 12, at the start of a three-day retreat organized by the agency for heads of self regulatory bodies at the EFCC Academy, Karu, Abuja, revealed that aggressive enforcement of compliance by Designated Non Financial Institutions, DNFI’s will begin in January 2014. Sanga equally informed the participants that registration with SCUML “is compulsory for all DNFI’s; and has been made easy with on-line registration”.…
There was a mild drama in Lagos on Monday, December 9, 2013 as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, through its counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, told Justice Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja to revoke the bail granted Chairman of Bi-Courtney Highway Services Limited, Dr. Wale Babalakin. Babalakin is standing trial alongside Alex Okoh and three companies: Stabilini Visioni Limited, Bi-Courtney Limited and Renix Nigeria Limited on a 27-count charge that borders on conspiracy to commit felony, corruptly conferring benefit on account of public action and retention of proceeds of a criminal conduct to the…
There was a mild drama in Lagos on Monday, December 9, 2013 as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, through its counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, told Justice Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja to revoke the bail granted Chairman of Bi-Courtney Highway Services Limited, Dr. Wale Babalakin. Babalakin is standing trial alongside Alex Okoh and three companies: Stabilini Visioni Limited, Bi-Courtney Limited and Renix Nigeria Limited on a 27-count charge that borders on conspiracy to commit felony, corruptly conferring benefit on account of public action and retention of proceeds of a criminal conduct to the…
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde has again restated the Commission’s resolved to eradicate corruption and other forms of economic and financial crime in Nigeria. Lamorde stated this at an event to mark this year’s World Anti-Corruption Day, held at the Shehu Musa Yar ‘Adua Centre, Abuja. Lamorde who was represented by Chile Okoroma, director, Legal and Prosecution posited that the fight against corruption was irreversible and therefore called on patriotic Nigerians to support the Commission in fighting the social malaise “We will not relent until we make the country free from corruption. This is…
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Monday, December 9, 2013 postponed till March 2014, the re-arraignment of a former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), Mr. Erastus Akingbola and his associate, Bayo Dada who are standing trial in a N47billion stealing charge instituted against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Justice Lawal Akapo who was taking over the case from the former trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, told Godwin Obla, SAN and M. I. Igbokwe, SAN, prosecuting and defence counsel respectively, that he would need time to…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, December 9, 2013 re-arraigned the quartet of Mahmud Tukur, Alex Ochonogor, Abdullahi Alao and Eternal Plc on a nine- count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, forgery and uttering contrary to section 468 of the Criminal Code. They were re-arraigned before Justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja. The accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them by the EFCC. In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs SAN, quickly called the attention of the court to the preliminary…
A 4- man team from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, today Thursday December 5, 2013 paid a courtesy visit to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission headquarters in Abuja. They were received by Ibrahim Lamorde, chairman EFCC and other management staff. Led by Rabih Abdallah, Liaison Officer for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the team said they were in the Commission based on the training need assessment for staff. Abdallah further told his host that two courses were available to complement the previous trainings that some officers of the Commission had received. He said the training is expected to commence…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday December 3, 2013, raised the alarm over threats to its witnesses slated to give evidences against a former governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose in a N416million suit instituted against him by the Commission. Counsel to the EFCC, Adebisi Adeniyi told Justice Adamu Hobon of the Federal High Court sitting in Ado- Ekiti, Ekiti state that the witnesses are being harassed, intimidated and threatened and cannot present themselves in court. ”My lord, there is an issue I need to draw the attention of the court to. The serious issue that we…
The arraignment of the former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Marlin Sylva and six others before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja did not go on today as earlier announced. Sylva was to be re-arraigned following fresh evidence linking him with a bouquet of fraudulent transactions that borders on money laundering during his tenure as governor of Bayelsa State between 2009 and 2012. The other accused persons are Francis Okuburo, Gbenga S. Balogun, Samuel Ogbuku, Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited and Haloween Blue Construction and Logistics Limited. Though, the ex-governor was present in court, his counsel, Lateef Fagbemi,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned Fisayo Ajibola before Justice O.A Ipaye of a Lagos High Court,Ikeja, on an 8-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining money by false pretence. The accused person allegedly conned one Audun Gerhardsen via Western Union by falsely representing to him that he was a white lady, Mary Morgan based in Britain. He also duped two other individuals in similar fashion. Several fraudulent documents were recovered during a raid on his home by operatives of the EFCC in Ibadan. One of the charge reads: “Fisayo Ajibola on or about…
Three internet fraudsters who are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a 4-count charge that borders on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence were Monday December 2, 2013 convicted and sentenced to four months imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. The convicts are Okolie Emmanuel Emeka (a.k.a. Michael Eze, Roy), Nwakusor Stephen Reachi (a.k.a. Rowland Blount, Joel) and Olowu Segun (a.k.a. Travis Tade Johnson). Emeka who is the arrow head of the syndicate was alleged to have obtained the sum of 17,544.59 South Africa Rand from one Elizabeth Gertrude Von…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC will tomorrow, December 3, 2013 arraign former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva and six others on a 42- count amended charge before Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The other accused persons are Francis Okuburo, Gbenga S. Balogun, Samuel Ogbuku, Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited and Haloween Blue Construction and Logistics Limited Sylva’s re-arraignment is sequel to fresh evidence linking him with a bouquet of fraudulent transactions that borders on money laundering during his tenure as governor of Bayelsa State between 2009-2012. Media and Publicity 2nd…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on, Thursday, November 28, 2013 secured yet another conviction as Justice Shuaibu of the Federal high court 1, Enugu State sentenced one Ifeanyi Onyie to 7years imprisonment for obtaining $45,000 under false pretence Ifeanyi was alleged to have defrauded one Pakawan Samneang of the sum of ($45,000.00) Forty five thousand United States Dollars, when he presented himself as a British business man and wanted Pakawan Samneang to partner with him in a phony deal. Justice Shuaibu sentenced Ifeanyi to 7 years imprisonment without an option of fine with effect from April 20, 2012. One…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Wednesday November 27, 2013 arraigned one Richard Onomeh Akaighe, before Justice Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Warri on one count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence. Richard allegedly obtained the sum of N28, 312,570 (Twenty Eight Million, Three Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy Naira) from one Anunwa Jeremiah through phony petroleum products supply deal. According to the complainant, the accused person refused to pay him the said sum, being the cost of five truck load of automotive gas oil which he supplied to Chevron yard in Delta…
Former Oyo State Head of Service, Mrs Kudirat Adeleke and eleven other accused persons who are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for their involvement in a N5.6billion pension scam today lost their bid to regain freedom as an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan refused their bail application. Justice Bolaji Yusuf, in her ruling, turned down the pleas of all the counsel to the 12 defendants seeking bail for their clients on the ground that the offences for which they were arraigned were bailable. Rather, she ordered that their trial be accelerated. “This is…
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday, November 25, 2013 convicted Augustine Onwe for failing to declare Seven Million, Eight Hundred and Fifteen Thousand CFA( 7,815,000 CFA) to men of Nigeria Customs Service at Seme border post. Justice Ibrahim Buba convicted the accused and ordered that the entire sum of Seven Million, Eight Hundred and Fifteen Thousand CFA (7,815,000 CFA) be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria The accused was arrested on July 17, 2013 at Seme border while trying to cross from Nigeria to Benin Republic after he failed to declare Seven Million, Eight Hundred and…