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Tag: fraud

  • Comedienne Adeherself again appears in court over Internet fraud

    Comedienne Adeherself again appears in court over Internet fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on  Wednesday re-arraigned a social media influencer and comedienne, Adedamola Adewale alias Adeherself, for alleged N7.9 million internet fraud.

    Adewale was charged alongside two others at large, on a three-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, attempt to obtain money by false pretences and retention of proceeds of criminal conduct.

    She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    EFCC counsel, Mr Samuel Daji, informed the court that the case was re-assigned, and urged it to remand the defendant pending commencement of trial.

    Daji argued that the case was new before the court and there was need for proper bail application by defence.

    He said: “My lord, this case was heard before Justice Sherifat Solebo before she retired, and when it was transferred to this honourable court, I informed my learned friend that the case would be coming up on Jan. 25.

    “He said he thought it was the day before.

    “This is a matter that is starting afresh before your lordship, and we do not know if the sureties, who stood for her earlier, are dead or not.

    “It is proper for defence to apply afresh for bail before your lordship.”

    Defence counsel, Mr Kassim Molade, however, prayed the court to retain the bail granted by Solebo to the defendant, pending filing of a new bail application.

    According to Molade, the defendant has not been absent from court and is ready to make herself available for trial.

    “We passionately urge your lordship to allow the defendant to continue to enjoy the bail given to her by the sister court.

    “The reason we were not here on Jan. 25 is that prosecution did not get back to me.

    “I assure your lordship that before the close of today, I will rush to the sister court to get a copy on the ruling on the bail application,” he said.

    Justice Mojisola Dada consequently retained the bail granted to the defendant by Solebo pending filing of a new bail application by defence counsel.

    Dada also ordered the defendant to present her bank statement of account within three weeks.

    She held that failure to do so would make the court to order her remand.

    The EFCC alleges that the defendant with two others, Lasisi Adeleke and Sodiq Adeleke, still at large, with intent to defraud, attempted to obtain $6, 000 from one Mr Joseph Rumoro on the pretext that the money was meant for procurement of his passport and visa as well as tax payment.

    The commission also alleges that Adewale retained in her bank account, proceeds of cybercrime to the tune of N7.9 million.

    The alleged offences contravene Sections 8(a) and 1(3), 8(b) and 1(3) and 17 (a) and (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences, 2006.

    The case has been adjourned until April 18 for commencement of trial.

  • JUST IN: Diezani’s ally, Jide Omokore acquitted of $1.6bn fraud

    JUST IN: Diezani’s ally, Jide Omokore acquitted of $1.6bn fraud

    The Federal High Court, Abuja has discharged and acquitted Jide Omokore, Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited and an ally of former Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke of fraud.

    The court, however, convicted Omokore’s co-accused, Victor Briggs and Abiye Membere for recieving car gifts, an offence the court said is contrary to Section 98 of the Criminal Code Act.

    Delivering judgment on the alleged 1.6 billion dollar fraud charge leveled against the defendant the trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba held that the prosecution failed to prove it’s case beyond reasonable doubt against Omokore.

    The judge held that the prosecution failed to establish the offence of obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy, fraud and conversion leveled against Omokore.

    He subsequently discharged and acquitted him.

    The judge, however, found Briggs and Membere guilty of official corruption under Section 98 of the Criminal Code Act and convicted them of same.

    The judge said that Briggs and Membere collected car gifts which they admitted to in their extra judicial statements.

    Justice Dimgba said that being public officials, he was satisfied that the manner in which they received the car gifts was unethical.

    He ordered that the convicts be remanded in EFCC custody pending their sentencing on Wednesday.

    The offence of public corruption under Section 98 of the Criminal Code Act attracts a seven-year jail term.

    The defendants were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 15-count charge on July 4, 2016.

    They were alleged to have fraudulently diverted about $1.6 dollars alleged to be part of proceeds of sales of petroleum products belonging to the Federal Government.

  • EFCC arraigns Macmillan Nigeria Publishers for $922m fraud

    EFCC arraigns Macmillan Nigeria Publishers for $922m fraud

    The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Macmillan Nigeria Publishers alongside Prof. Adesanya Iyiola Adelekan and Bola Fasasi.

    They were arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos for an alleged $922m fraud.

    The defendants were arraigned on Thursday, February 2, 2023 on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of $922m (Nine Hundred and Twenty-two Million United State Dollars).

    According to a statement by the EFCC, “Macmillan Nigeria Publishers, Prof. Adesanya lyiola Adelekan and Bola Fasasi, sometime in 2018, obtained books for sale worth $226,900.00 USD by false pretence, from BHS Book Printing SD BHD of Selangor Malaysia under the pretense that they would sell the books and remit the money from the sales within two weeks of receiving the bill of lading, which pretence they knew or ought to know is false and committed the offence of obtaining goods by false pretence”.

  • Court discharges Rochas Okorocha of N2.9bn fraud charge

    Court discharges Rochas Okorocha of N2.9bn fraud charge

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, discharged former Governor of Imo, Sen. Rochas Okorocha, of N2.9 billion fraud charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, struck out the EFCC’s suit for being in contravention with Section 105 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which gives the Honourable Attorney-General (HAGF) of the Federation the power to recall a case.

    Justice Ekwo said that the directive of the AGF and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, in a letter dated Sept. 12, 2022, to the anti-graft agency to forward the case file as well as the EFCC’s comments on the issues for consideration and review was binding on the commission.

    “All that the law required of the respondent (EFCC) was for the respondent when directed by the HAGF, pursuant to any enactment, is to comply and not act as if it is not under the law or is exempted thereby.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the office of the HAGF is founded on the provisions of the constitution and is thereby preserved.

    “The controversies and drama surrounding this tral proceeding is needless and it is time to stop it,” he said.

    The judge further held that from the moment the AGF gave the directive to the EFCC, the commission ceased to have the legal authority to prosecute or continue the prosecution of the case.

    “In other words, the intervention of the HAGF in any criminal proceedings ends the authority of the prosecuting agency in the matter unless otherwise directed by the HAGF.

    “In the end, I find that non-compliance by the respondent with the directive of the HAGF as stated in Exhibit Okorocha 7 is fatal to this proceeding and has rendered it a nullity.

    “The respondent is not empowered by any law to continue with this proceeding after the HAGF issued the directive in Exhibit Okorocha 7.

    “With Exhibit Okorocha 7, it is only the HAGF that can decide whether or not to charge the defendants upon the case file being remitted to his office as directed,” he added.

    Besides, Justice Ekwo agreed with the defendants that the earlier judgment of a court of coordinate jurisdiction sitting in Port Harcourt in suit number: FHC/PH/FHR/165, between Okorocha and EFCC, retraining the agency from further proceeding on the alleged offence had not been set aside.

    According to him, the order is binding until it is set aside.

    “The fact that a person refuses to comply with the law does not change the law, neither does the law change to accommodate the act of non-compliance by any person.

    “What happens when a person elects not to comply with the law is that the law turns its back on the person.

    “When that happens, every action or decision taken by such person in the process of non-compliance becomes illegal and the court will set aside such act of non-compliance ex debito justitiae.

    “This is so because there is no machination that can be used to salvage an illegal act,” he said.

    The judge, who said that Okorocha’s and 5th defendant (Consolid Projects Consulting Ltd.)’s objections succeeded on merit, struck out the charge.

    “I therefore make an order striking out the charge which found this proceeding. The consequence is that the defendants are discharged,” Ekwo declared.

    The EFCC had said it received an intelligence report about criminal diversion, abuse of office and money laundering against Okorocha while running the affairs of Imo State government between 2011 and 2019.

    The commission said that the intelligence was investigated and confirmed to be true.

    The anti-corruption agency then filed a 17-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/28/22 against Okorocha and others.

    Okorocha, who is the 1st defendant, was arraigned alongside Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited as 2nd to 7th defendants respectively.

    He was alleged to have laundered funds to the tune of N2.9 billion while serving as governor of Imo.

    But Justice Ekwo, on May 31, 2022, admitted Okorocha to bail in the sum of N500 million with one surety in like sum.

    The judge also granted Okorocha’s co-defenndant, Chinenye, bail in the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted to him by the EFCC.

    But Okorocha, who currently represents Imo West Senatorial District, had filed a preliminary objection, alongside the 5th defendant, praying for an order quashing the charge and/or all counts of the charge preferred against him.

    The senator described the suit as being “unlawful, baseless, oppressive and a gross abuse of the process of the court.”

    He said that the investigation “on which the said charge was predicated, was subject matter of suit number: FCH/PH/FHR/165/2021 wherein this Hon. Court, Coram Pam, J. had, in final judgment at the suit of the applicant. declared unlawful and made an order prohibiting the EFCC from further proceeding.”

    But the EFCC, in its counter affidavit dated and filed on Nov. 18, said it had seen and read through Okorocha’s motion dated Oct. 28, that “the depositions therein are grossly misleading and untrue particularly paragraphs 3 and 4.”

    The anti-corruption agency urged the court to dismiss the application for lacking in merit.

  • How Prof. Ojerinde used me to embezzle public funds – ex-JAMB director

    How Prof. Ojerinde used me to embezzle public funds – ex-JAMB director

    Mr. JImoh Olabisi, former Deputy Director, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on Wednesday, alleged that Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, ex-JAMB Registrar, instructed him to open a bank account through which the Federal Government’s money was diverted.

    Olabisi, who stood as a witness of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), told Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court, Abuja.

    The ex-JAMB staff told the court during cross-examination by Ojerinde’s lawyer, Ibrahim Ishyaku, SAN, that he was in charge of opening accounts for the agency.

    He admitted opening an account in the name of JAMB/J.O. Olabisi in a commercial bank on the instruction of Ojerinde through which funds were moved out from government’s coffer.

    “The authority to open the account; the letter to the bank was jointly signed by Prof. Dibu Ojerinde and the then, Director of Finance and Account (DFA), Mallam Umar Yakubu, with specific mandate that I should be the operator of that account.

    “I explained in one of my appearances here that the account was opened following an agreement between the defendant (Ojerinde) and myself as a way of deviating from what we were using in NECO (National Examinations Council) to divert public funds.

    “So the defendant subsequently discussed the issue with the DFA, hence the letter,” he revealed.

    Olabisi also told the court that the account was opened without approval from the then Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Jonah Otunla.

    “The defendant knew the essence of such an account and there was no official statement from the Office of the Accountant General for the opening of that account.

    “However, the registrar convinced the then DFA, he told him that he had gotten approval of the Accountant-General of Federation, Mr J. Otunla, who happens to come from the same zone with the defendant,” he said.

    When Ishyaku asked the witness if there was any request preceding the opening of the account, he said: “He (Ojerinde) directed the then DFA to write the letter to the bank for him to sign.”

    He said though he was not there when Ojerinde instructed Mallam Yakubu, he said the DFA told him that he wrote the letter on the ex-registrar’s directive.

    He further said though the account name was JAMB/J.O. Olabisi, it was a public account.

    He, however, said that though it was a public account, the approval of the account-general of the federation was a prerequisite before a bank could open such account.

    Olabisi also disclosed that Ojerinde owned a microfinance bank, Osanta Micro Finance Bank Ltd, while serving in government.

    According to him, Ojerinde had over 80 per cent of the shares.

    He also admitted being a director In the bank.

    “Yes, I was a director and I was put there to ease the movement of government money to the bank.

    “The defendant is the Chairman and Board of Directors of the bank,” he said.

    The witness, who stated that Ojerinde’s companies were not registered with government funds, said the ex-JAMB registrar used his position to award contracts to his private companies through the Zenith Bank account number: 1012411301 of JAMB.

    Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter until Thursday for trial continuation after ICPC lawyer, Ebenezer Shogunle, prayed for an adjournment.

    The ICPC had, on July 8, 2021, arraigned the former JAMB registrar on an 18-count charge bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of N5 billion.

    He was said to have committed the offence during his tenure as registrar of NECO and JAMB.

    Ojerinde, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was later admitted to bail in the sum of N200 million.

    NAN reports that Ojerinde was also a registrar of NECO before his appointment as JAMB boss following his expiration of tenure.

  • Former Access Bank employees jailed for ATM card fraud

    Former Access Bank employees jailed for ATM card fraud

    Two former employees of Access Bank Plc named Agbo John Agama and Edoh Steve have been jailed after they used a primed automated teller machine (ATM) card to withdraw N9.4 million from a customer’s account.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Agbo John Agama and Edoh Steve, both former employees of Access Bank, were convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment on Wednesday.

    They were convicted and sentenced by Justice Mojisola Olajuwon of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, for conspiracy, aiding and abetting fraud to the tune of N9,400,000.

    The convicts were prosecuted on one count charge by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    According to the charge sheet, the former Access Bank employees used a primed ATM Card on an account operated by one Mejuru Chibueze Gospel with Access Bank, resulting in the loss of N9,400,000.

    The charge against them reads: “That you, Agbo John Agama “M” and you Edoh Oga Steve “M” while being employees of Access Bank Plc Makurdi Branch and others now at large, on or about the 8th day of January, 2021 at Makurdi, Benue State of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, used an unauthorized access device to wit: a primed ATM Card on Account No. 30041040648 being operated by one Mejuru Chibueze Gospel with Access Bank resulting a loss of Nine Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N9,400,000) Only to him, thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 33(2)(b) of Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act”.

    The defendants pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them. In view of their plea, prosecuting counsel, Mary Onoja asked the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

    Justice Olajuwon convicted and sentenced them to three year imprisonment each.

    They were also ordered to pay a fine of N100,000 each to the Federal Government of Nigeria and restitute the victim in the sum of two million, one hundred thousand Naira each.

  • BREAKING: Again, court jails Mama Boko Haram, 2 others for fraud

    BREAKING: Again, court jails Mama Boko Haram, 2 others for fraud

    For the third time in as many months, Aisha Alkali Wakil has been convicted for fraud as Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri, on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, convicted and sentenced her alongside Tahiru Saidu Daura, and Prince Lawal, to 10 years imprisonment for conspiracy, cheating and obtaining N 120,500,000.00 by false pretence.

    The defendants were arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, on five count amended charges.

    Count two of the charge reads ”That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyade whilst being Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager and Country Director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (Non – Government Organization) and Saidu Mukhtar (now at large) sometime in June, 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N45,000,000.00 (Forty Five Million Naira) from one Mohammed Umar Mohammed of Nyeuro International Limited under the false pretence of executing a purported contract of supply, installation and servicing of 10 pieces of Chison 600A, 2009 version deluxe ultrasound system, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.

    Count four of the charge reads: ”That you Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyade whilst being Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager and Country Director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (Non – Governmental Organization) and Saidu Mukhtar (at large) sometime between June and August 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire to do illegal act to wit; cheating by obtaining 3000 (Three Thousand) bags of 50kg white beans worth N65,000,000.00 (Sixty Five Million Naira) from one Mohammed Umar Mohammed of Nyeuro International Limited under the pretence of executing a purported contract of supply of the said beans which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 (a) and Punishable under Section 97 of the Borno State Penal Code Laws Cap 102.

    The defendants had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

    In the course of the trial, the prosecuting counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, called seven witnesses, including, Shehu Usman, an investigator with the EFCC, who testified that “Complete and Aid Care Foundation (Non – Governmental Organization) was ran as a Ponzi scheme, by robbing Peter to Pay Paul.”

    After the prosecution closed its case on March 16, 2020, the defendants choose to file a no-case submission, which was dismissed by the court on September 27, 2021, and the defendants were ordered to open their case.

    Delivering judgment today, Justice Kumaliya held that the prosecution proved its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

    “The Court hereby finds you Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyade guilty and convicted you as charged” the Judge ruled.

    Justice Kumaliya sentenced them on the first count to seven years imprisonment and ten years on the second count. On the third count, the Judge sentenced the defendants to 5 years imprisonment. The sentences are to run concurrently.

    The Judge ordered the convicts to jointly restitute the sum of N66m to the nominal complainant or serve an additional seven years jail term each.

  • Just In: Doyin Okupe pays N13m conviction fine for fraud

    Just In: Doyin Okupe pays N13m conviction fine for fraud

    Mr. Doyin Okupe, former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday evening, paid the sum of N13 million for the 52-year jail term bagged for N240 million money laundering offence.

    Justuce Ijeoma Ojukwu, in a judgment, had found Okupe guilty in 26 out of the 59 counts preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Ojukwu had ordered that the 26 counts, which attracted 2-year jail-term each, would run concurrently, meaning, the convict would only spend two years in prison.

    The judge, however, gave an option of N500, 000 in each of the counts, amounting to N13 million, which must be paid before 4:30pm (the close of work) today.

    She ordered that if Okupe failed to meet the option of fine within the time frame, he should be taken to Kuje Correctional Centre to serve his prison term.

    However, a check at the court at about 6pm showed that  Okupe, who is the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, had paid the money.

    It was earlier reported that the wife and son of Okupe had pleaded for leniency after he was convicted.

    Mrs Omolola and Mr Adesunkanmi Okupe, while testifying to the convict’s good character, begged the court to temper justice with mercy.

    Omolola decsribed her husband as a good man.

    “I got married to him on the 1st of May, 1991.

    “My husband is a very good person. He had been a role model to myself and children with sound Christian values

    “I have never found him in any allegation of this before,. I will like to appeal to the court for leniency.

    “My husband has dedicated his life to serve the nation and he is not here today because he is found guilty of the offence but because of his mistake.

    “I ask the court to consider his health and age which is 70 years.

    “He has run his family effectively my lord,” she said.

    Also, Adesunkanmi said: “I have known him for 31 years.

    “He is a man of honesty and integrity with great character..

    “I have a privilege of being mentored by him throughout my life time.

    “He had imparted in me high value of perseverance and hard work that greatness comes by following God, unbending faith and diligence.

    “This among many other is what I have learnt about Okupe.”

    He appealed to the court to be lenient

    Besides, former Governor of old Anambra, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and former National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Idi Farouk, had also urged the court to temper justice with mercy in Okupe’s sentencing.

    The judge had, earlier, stood down proceedings for Okupe to exercise his right under Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to call witnesses to testify about his character, before the court could proceed to pronounce sentence on the convict.

    The court presided over by Justice Ojukwu, had convicted Okupe for breaching the Money Laundering Act.

    The judge held that Okupe was found guilty of contravening Sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act, for accepting cash payments without going through financial institution, in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act.

    Okupe was said to have received N240 million in cash from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retired).

  • Gov Yahaya Bello’s nephew in trouble over alleged N10.3b fraud

    Gov Yahaya Bello’s nephew in trouble over alleged N10.3b fraud

    Justice James Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, remanded Aliyu Bello, a nephew to Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello and one Dauda Sulaiman in prison pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions.

    They were remanded upon arraignment alongside one Abdulsalami Hudu, Cahier of Kogi State House Administration ( now at large) on a 10-count charge of misappropriation and money laundering

    Bello and Sulaiman are accused of fraudulently withdrawing a sum of N10, 270,556,800 (Ten Billion, Two Hundred and Seventy Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-six Thousand Eight Hundred Naira), from the Kogi State treasury, which they delivered to a Bureau de Change operator, Rabiu Tafada in Abuja to keep or change to foreign currencies for personal gains.

    One of the charges reads: “That you, ALI BELLO, DAUDA SULEIMAN AND ABDULSALAMI HUDU (NOW AT LARGE)between January and December, 2021, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured RABIU USMAN TAFADA to take possession of the total sum of N5,865,756,800 (Five Billion, Eight Hundred and Sixty Five Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: criminal misappropriation from the treasury of Kogi State and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18 (c), 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act”.

    Another count reads: “That you, ALI BELLO, DAUDA SULEIMAN AND ABDULSALAMI HUDU (NOW AT LARGE) between January and December 2021, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court aided RABIU USMAN TAFADA to retain the total sum of N2,509,650,000.00 (Two Billion Five Hundred and Nine Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: Criminal Misappropriation from the treasury of Kogi State Government and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18 (a) 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act”.

    They however pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them by the EFCC.

    In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.

    Counsel to the second and third defendants, Abdulwahab Mohammed SAN, informed the court of his application for the bail of the defendants.

    Justice Omotosho admitted the defendants to bail in the sum One Billion Naira each and two sureties who are to provide a bond of N2billion each and have a landed property valued at N500 million. The title of the properties shall be registered with the chief registrar of the Court.

    Each of the sureties and the defendants shall submit their bank statements and international passports to the chief registrar of the Court.

    The sureties must also produce an affidavit of means and evidence of tax clearance for at least 3 years.

    The judge thereafter sent the defendants to Kuje Correctional centre, Abuja pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions and adjourned the matter till February 6, 2023 for hearing.

  • Internet scam ring nabbed for defrauding 31 women

    Internet scam ring nabbed for defrauding 31 women

    Police in Seoul on Thursday, reported that a total of 12 foreign nationals have been arrested on charges of defrauding female victims in internet romance schemes.

    According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) the suspects are accused of a wire fraud of 3.7 billion won (US$2.8 million) in total against 31 victims between November 2021 and October.

    The police said the suspects adopted various fake online identities to gain the victims’ trust and eventually establish a relationship with them online.

    On one occasion, the scammers allegedly posed as American doctors or soldiers dispatched to Ukraine to manipulate the vulnerable victims, mostly middle-aged women, the police said.

    Once the suspect ingratiated themselves with the women, they then allegedly concocted stories about why they needed money and asked for it, the SMPA said.

    SMPA also alleged that the suspects were part of a scam ring based in African nations including Nigeria and Mali.