TheNewsGuru

Tag: fraud

  • BREAKING: FG approves Abba Kyari’s extradition to U.S.

    BREAKING: FG approves Abba Kyari’s extradition to U.S.

    The federal government of Nigeria has approved the extradition of the suspended Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari to the United States of America (USA).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the approval was given after the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) filed an application for Kyari’s extradition before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    Recall that in April 2021, a jury filed an indictment against Kyari with the approval of a U.S. District Court and demanded Kyari stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.

    Kyari was accused of conspiring with a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Nigerian, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi to commit the crime. The crime amounts to about $1.1million wire fraud perpetrated by Hushpuppi and 4 others

    Consequently, the US Embassy requested for Kyari’s extradition. The AGF said the application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022 was filed under the Extradition Act, and that it followed a request by the Diplomatic Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.

    The request is “for the surrender of Abba Alhaji Kyari, who is a subject in a superseding three counts indictment,” Malami said, adding that he was satisfied that the offence in respect of which Kyari’s surrender is not political nor is it trivial.

    The AGF also expressed satisfaction that the request for the surrender of Kyari was not made to persecute or punish him on account of his race, religion, nationality or political opinions but in good faith and the interest of justice.

    He said Kyari, “if surrendered, will not be prejudiced at his trial and will not be punished, detained or restricted in his personal liberty, by reason of his race, nationality or political opinions”.

    The AGF said having regard to all the circumstances in which the offence was committed, it will not be unjust or oppressive, or be too severe a punishment, to surrender him.

    Malami said he was also satisfied that Kyari has been accused of the offence for which his surrender is sought. He noted that there was no criminal proceeding pending against Kyari in Nigeria for the same offence.

  • N73.7m FRAUD: 2 former Bauchi accounts officers jailed

    N73.7m FRAUD: 2 former Bauchi accounts officers jailed

    The Federal High Court in Bauchi State has convicted and sentenced two former accounts officials of the state’s government to prison for issuing fake revenue receipts to intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Hajj in 2019.

    The two convicts, Kawu Chindo, a former Chief Accountant of Bauchi State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board and Ali Baba of the Office of the Accountant-General of the state.

    The duo were dragged before the court by Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The Bauchi State Ministry of Finance and Economic Development had alleged that both Chindo and Baba produced and issued fake revenue receipts to intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Hajj in 2019.

    Following a petition by the state government, EFCC investigated and arraigned the two before the court, accusing them of conspiring to appropriate to themselves public funds to the tune of N73.7million by diverting the said amount to personal accounts, thereby committing the offence of fraud.

    The prosecution further accused the convicts of diverting the money to their personal accounts with the intention of defrauding the state government and innocent people who paid the money rather than pay the sum into the accounts of the pilgrims welfare board.

    Delivering judgment in the case, Justice Abubakar found the defendants guilty of the charged filed against them by EFCC.

    He, therefore, sentenced Chindo to seven years imprisonment, while Baba was sentenced to three months imprisonment.

  • FRAUD: Court sentences man to 5yrs in jail

    FRAUD: Court sentences man to 5yrs in jail

    A Federal High Court sitting in Benin City has convicted and sentenced one Adanegbe Hope Osaze to five years imprisonment for fraud.

    The defendant was arraigned on one count charge by the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC for fraudulent impersonation.

    According to the charge: “That you Adanegbe Hope Osaze sometime in year 2018 at Benin City, Edo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did fraudulently impersonate the identity of Mark Hagen an American by sending his picture to Lynn Wri through the internet which identity you claim to be your own with the intent to obtain money from her, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2) (b) (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under section 22(2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.”

    The defendant, however, pleaded guilty to the charge.

    In view of the plea, the prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.

    However, the defence counsel, B.I Jaboro, urged the court to temper justice with mercy as the defendant is a first-time offender who has become remorseful for his actions.

    The trial judge, Justice C.A Obiozor, convicted and sentenced the defendant to five years imprisonment with the option of a fine of N500,000.

    In addition, the defendant shall forfeit his mobile phone to the Federal Government of Nigeria and undertake to be of good behavior afterward.

  • Alleged N400m fraud: Olisa Metuh’s trial reassigned to new judge

    Alleged N400m fraud: Olisa Metuh’s trial reassigned to new judge

    The trial of former National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, in the alleged N400 million fraud has been reassigned to a new judge.

    Justice Obiora Egwatu of a Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, had fixed Oct. 14, 2021, for Metuh’s re-arraignment after the Court of Appeal’s decision which nullified the trial court’s judgment.

    But on the adjourned date, Justice Egwuatu was not in court. He was said to have gone for the judges’ seminar in Lagos State. The court, therefore, fixed Feb. 15 for the former PDP spokesman’s retrial.

    But a check at Court 9 today, where the matter was expected to take place showed that the case between the Federal Government and Metuh was not on the cause list.

    However, it was gathered that the matter, which was yet to commence before Egwuatu, had been reassigned to Justice Emeka Nwite, the new judge who was recently transfered to Abuja division after the retirement of Justice Anwuli Chikere.

    But at Court 8, the chamber of Justice Nwite, though Nwite did not sit, a check on the cause list for today, Tuesday, indicated that Metuh’s matter was also not on the cause list

    It was, however, gathered at Court 8 that the deputy chief registrar of FHC had informed that many case files would be transfered to Nwite’s court.

    The matter was assigned to Justice Egwuatu last year following his transfer to Abuja division of the court.

    The Court of Appeal, Abuja had, on Dec. 16, 2020, nullified a Federal High Court judgement that convicted and sentenced Metuh to seven years imprisonment for money laundering.

    In a unanimous decision, a three-man panel of Justices of the appellate court held that the judgment of the trial judge, Okon Abang, delivered against Metuh on Feb. 25, 2020, was tainted with bias.

    The appellate court held that Abang had by disparaging remarks he made in the judgement betrayed his premeditated mindset against the defendant (Metuh) whom he accused of writing various petitions against him.

    According to Justice Stephen Adah who delivered the lead verdict of the appellate court, allowing the trial court’s verdict to stand “will set a dangerous precedent.”

    Consequently, it voided the conviction and sentence that was handed to Metuh and his firm, Destra Investment Limited, and remitted the case file back to the high court for a re-trial by another judge.

    Metuh was jailed over an allegation that he received the sum of N400 million from the former National Security Adviser, Col. (retd.) Sambo Dasuki, prior to the 2015 presidential election, without contract approval or execution.

    His earlier conviction followed a seven-count charge that was preferred against him and his firm by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

  • Alleged land fraud: Court remands lawmaker in EFCC custody

    Alleged land fraud: Court remands lawmaker in EFCC custody

    Justice Halilu Yusuf of an FCT high court, Maitama on Thursday, remanded Gabriel Zock (APC-Kaduna State) in the for custody of EFCC over alleged N185 million land fraud.

    The EFCC, charged Zock, representing Kachia/Kagarko federal constituency of Kaduna state with two counts bordering on fraud.

    Halilu gave the order of remands after EFCC counsel, Maryam Ahmed prayed the court to remand him until bail is granted to him.

    In granting the prayer, Halilu adjourned the case until Feb. 16 for the hearing.

    Earlier, the EFCC alleged that the lawmaker in 2015 in Abuja, under false pretext collected N150 million from Adeyemi Kamar for a plot of land in Guzape, District, Abuja.

    EFCC also alleged that Zock collected N35 million from Kamar to facilitate and obtain title document of the land which he knew was false.

    The anti-graft agency said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 1(1)(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3)of the same Act.

    Zock however pleaded not guilty.

    Mr O.S Adeyemi, whom the court asked to stand for Zock, who said his counsel was held up somewhere, made an oral application for his bail.

    Ahmed, counsel for EFCC, opposed the bail, arguing that the defendant’s counsel should apply for the lawmaker’s bail in writing.

  • Bank scam: Bill seeking 20 years jail term for fraudulent bankers passes second reading

    Bank scam: Bill seeking 20 years jail term for fraudulent bankers passes second reading

    …proposed law seeks yearly declaration of assets by bank staff

    A bill seeking 20 years jail term for fraudulent bank staff and yearly declaration of their assets has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports if passed into law such staff of commercial banks in Nigeria found culpable of defrauding customers of their deposits stand will liable to 20 years imprisonment and forfeiture of the excess asset or its equivalent in money to the Federal Government, upon conviction.

    The House is also moving to provide for yearly declaration of assets by bankers in the country with a view to ensuring that ill-gotten funds from fraudulent activities are not laundered through asset acquisition.

    The sanctions are stipulated in the proposed Bank Employee Declaration of Assets Act Amendment Bill, 2020 which scaled through second reading in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

    The Bill promoted by Hon. Francis Waive (PDP, Delta) seeks to make the punishment for fraud perpetuity by bank employees more punitive so as to serve as deterrent to other bank staffers.

    Lawmakers also proposed further amendments to the Bill to the effect that a holistic definition of bank employees should include CEOs, Chairmen of Boards and Board of Directors whom they said said are fond of taking loans without collateral only to decline payment, declaring same as bad loans, thereby wrecking the bank and putting it out of business.

    It therefore intends to amend section 7(2) of the principal Act to provide that any employee guilty of fraudulent activities shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for 20 years from the current 10 years and shall, in addition, “forfeit the excess asset or its equivalent in money to the Federal Government”.

    The proposed legislation also seek to amend Section 5 (1) of the principal Act by substituting the existing words with new words which read: “The Chief Executive of every bank shall once in every year, but not later than 7th January submit to the appropriate authority a list of all employees who joined or left the employment of the bank in the immediate proceeding 12 months expiring on 31st December of the proceeding year.”

    In a lead debate on the general principles of the Bill, the sponsor said it is meant to have updated data of staff for easy tracing of those involved in fraudulent activities and to increase their punishment to serve as deterrent to others.

    Waive said: “We are in days when bank fraud has increased with Yahoo business that the young people are doing. The aim here is to increase punishment up to 20 years imprisonment to serve as a deterrent so that this upsurge we are seeing today in fraudulent activities in bank accounts is brought to minimum or eliminated completely.”

    In his submission, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) however called for the increase of the imprisonment period for offenders under the proposed amendment beyond 20 years, just as he called for the passage of the Bill to serve as a deterrent to bank officials that take the trust between them and customers for granted.

    “Bank transaction between bank officials and customers is based on trust and everybody is aware of how some bank officials take that position of trust for granted. In different circumstances, bank officials suffocate and frustrate their customers for no reason because there is no legal framework that brings those officials to order.

    “So, Mr Speaker, I think we should not even be interested in the 20 years. In my opinion, it should be more. If I keep my money in your bank, fraudulently some bank officials conspired with frausdsters to take money from customers accounts and again they are under oath but they disclose information regarding some customers that do not play their own cards,” Gagdi said.

    Also speaking in support of the Bill,
    Nkem Abonta (PDP, Abia) said the scope of bank employee be broaden to include Managing Directors, Bank Owners, Board of Directors and others who are involved in banks operations so that sanction apply accordingly.

    “Mr Speaker, in view of the fraud going on now there will be need to strengthen banking industry. I want to approach this (Bill) from the angle of who is an employee of a bank – the Managing Director, the Board of Directors and owners of the banks are employees of the bank. Some frauds like we read, they will tell you one Managing Director is richer than the bank, they will tell you a board member is this and so on.

    “It has given a narrow description of employee of bank. Directors of banks should be interpreted for this purpose to be employees of of banks. You see Directors accessing loans without collateral. If you apply this law strictly, Directors are employees of the bank, bank owners or any body who is related to the bank should be deemed to be an employee of the bank”, Abonta argued.

    The Bill upon passing second reading was referred to the House committee on Banking and Currency, as well as Anti Corruption for further legislative inputs.

  • Six banking details never to disclose to anyone else

    Six banking details never to disclose to anyone else

    No doubt, more than any other time, cybercrime is on the increase in not just Nigeria, but across the globe.

    This has made it expedient to be very cautious when carrying out financial transactions online. One must be very careful in managing personal banking details.

    To be sure not to fall prey of cyber criminals, who are always on the lookout for their next victims, here are six banking details never to disclose to anyone else:

    PAN

    On the front face of your Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card is a 16 digits code. This 16 digits code is known as Permanent Account Number (PAN). The first 6 digits are the Bank Identification Number and the rest 10 digits are a Unique Account Number of the card holder. With your PAN on the wrong hands along with other details on the ATM card, cyber criminals can clean your bank account.

    BVN

    BVN stands for Bank Verification Number. It is a biometric identification system implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to curb or reduce illegal banking transactions in Nigeria. Once a fraudster gets hold of your BVN, they have obtained almost full information on a potential victim. They now have access to your name as it appears on your bank account, your mother’s maiden name, date of birth and the phone number linked to your account number. With these details, cyber criminals can easily manipulate you to clean up your bank account. BVN scams have even gotten sophisticated with the aid of insiders in banks these days.

    PIN

    PIN is known as Personal Identification Number. It is a numeric passcode used in the process of authenticating a user accessing a system. Every ATM card comes with a PIN. Your ATM card and ATM card PIN in the hands of the wrong person, spells calamity.

    CVV

    CVV stands for Card Verification Value. It is usually printed on the back or front of ATM cards. This number is vital for completing online transactions and should never be shared with anyone. Scammers often send phishing emails to victims or call victims tricking them to reveal their ATM card details, including the CVV code and card expiry date. Fraudsters can conveniently wipe out money from your bank accounts by using the details to engage in online transactions.

    OTP

    OTP is known as One-Time Password. It is a temporary, secure PIN-code sent to you via SMS or e-mail that is valid only for one transaction. A common OTP scam involves the scammer calling an individual pretending to be from banks or other trusted organisations and requesting an OTP that is just sent to their phones. This is usually after initiating a transaction using the banking details of the potential victim. Once the fraudster gets this access to your account, a deduction occurs. It is usually the final stage before your account is debited.

    Password

    If you use a mobile banking app, there is the likelihood that the app is password protected. Mobile banking app users have been targeted by phishing scam messages which aim to trick them into giving up their login details. If your mobile banking app details get into the wrong hands, they can clean up your account.

    You are the first and best layer of defense in combating online fraud. Learning to properly detect and avoid online scams is the ultimate protection against fraud.

  • Fraud: Hushpuppi to be sentenced on Valentine’s Day

    Fraud: Hushpuppi to be sentenced on Valentine’s Day

    Arrested Nigerian fraudster, Ramon Abbas Hushpuppi aka Hushpuppi will be sentenced on February 14, 2022, according to a new report allegedly confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice.

    “We expect him to be sentenced on February 14,” Thom Mrozek, Spokesperson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California reportedly said.

    A plea agreement document signed by Hushpuppi; his lawyer, Loius Shapiro; Acting United States Attorney, Tracy Wilkison, amongst others, revealed that he pleaded guilty to various offences bordering on internet scam and money laundering, among others.

    The anticipated sentence is coming exactly three years after Hushpuppi collided with a Canadian co-conspirator and North Korean military hackers – Jon Chang Hyok, 31; Kim Il, 27; and Park Jin Hyok, 36; to pull a $14.7 million cyber-heist on the Bank of Valetta, Malta’s oldest financial institution, on February 13, 2019.

  • Alleged $1m fraud: Court acquits rtd Air Commodore Umar Mohammed

    Alleged $1m fraud: Court acquits rtd Air Commodore Umar Mohammed

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, discharged and acquitted Rtd Air Commodore Umar Mohammed of money laundering charge preferred against him.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that the prosecution had failed to prove the essential ingredients of the charge.

    According to Justice Ekwo, I find that the prosecution has failed to prove counts one and two on the charge sheet beyond reasonable doubt.

    “Therefore, the prosecution has failed to discharge the burden of proof as required by law in this case.

    “The cardinal principle of law is that the commission of a crime by a party must be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

    “This is the law laid down in Section 138 (1) of the Evidence Act. The burden never shifts,” he ruled.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), on behalf of the Federal Government, had sued Mohammed and his company, Easy Jet Integrated Service Ltd, as 1st and 2nd defendants in the money laundering suit.

    NAN reports that Mohammed and his company, were prosecuted on five counts of money laundering, illegal possession of firearms and possession of classified documents without lawful authority.

    He and his company were accused of accepting one million, thirty thousand dollars ($1,030,000) of one hundred dollars ($100) denomination in cash from a firm, Worldwide Consortium PTY Ltd “as payment for flight services” without going through a financial institution as required by the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

    The government also accused him of having in his possession, at his No: 4, Lungi Close, Mississippi, Maitama, Abuja home, “classified/official documents without lawful authority and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(b) of the Official Secret Act and punishable under Section 7(1)(a) of the same law.

    Mohammed was accused of being in illegal possession of two pump action guns (marked: SBSG Magnum 397 and SBGS Interpress 09-1573) between June 1, 2011 and June 19, 2016 without valid licences thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 4 of the Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27(1)(b)(i) of the Act.”

    The retired officer, who was a member of the defunct Presidential Investigative Committee on Procurement of Arms and Equipment in the Armed Forces set up by President Muhammadu Buhari shortly after assuming office as President in 2015, had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

    In the course of the trial, the AGF called a sole witness (PW1), Stephen Olatubosun, who is a State Security Service (SSS) official.

    While testifying in court, Olatunbosun, who produced the currencies in court, said the monies were recovered from Mohammed’s residence and was crossed examined by the defence lawyer.

    However, after Mohammed was led in evidence as first defence witness (DW1) and a sole witness in his case, the prosecution closed their case without cross examining him.

    Delivering the judgment, the judge noted that at the conclusion of the case of the prosecution, the defendants entered a no-case submission which was overruled, and they were ordered to enter their defence with respect to count one and count two which bordered on money laundering.

    According to Ekwo, the evidence of DW1 (Mohammed) on these issues is that he is a businessman and is into the business of oil and gas both upstream and downstream, aircraft charter and aviation, air cargo both local and international.

    He noted that Mohammed had said that the money found in his residence was his personal money used in his business.

    “The prosecution did not cross examination DW1 after his evidence in Chief, instead, applied to close his case.

    “I agree with the learned Silk of counsel for the defendants that the evidence of DW1 not having been controverted is deemed as admitted. This is the position of the law.

    “The position of the law as settled in many authorities is that evidence adduced in court, that is relevant to the issue in controversy, and has neither been challenged nor successfully debunked becomes good and credible evidence, which ought to be relied upon by a learned trial judge,” he held, sitting previous cases to back the ruling.

    The judge further held that “in criminal cases, failure to cross examine a witness on vital evidence elicited during examination in chief is fatal as the prosecution has no other method of disputing such witness or his evidence save by cross examination.”

    Ekwo said the proper course was to challenge the witness while he was in the witness-box or at any rate to make it plain to him at that stage that his evidence was not accepted.

    “The vital ingredient in count one which is the allegation of conspiracy was for the prosecution to establish beyond reasonable doubt how the 1st defendant conspired with the 2nd defendant to accept the sum of $1, 0 30, 000 in cash from Worldwide Consortium PTY Ltd, as payment for flight services without going through a financial institution as required by the law.

    “I have not seen how the evidence of PW1 (first prosecution witness) and Exhibits PW1-A1 — A24, PW1-B, PW1-C1, PW1-C2, and, PW1 -C3 established the allegation of conspiracy.

    “In fact, Exhibits PW1-C1, PW1-C2, and, PW1 -G tendered before this court are not even mentioned in any of the counts in the charge sheet.

    “The sum of $1,030,000) mentioned in count one was never tendered in this court through out the length and breadth of the proceeding.

    “Now, if the money was never tendered in court, it suffices to say that there was no offence in the first place,” he stated.

    Justice Ekwo also said the prosecution could not establish the necessary ingredients in count two.

    “On the whole, I find that the prosecution has failed to prove counts one and two on the charge sheet beyond reasonable doubt.

    “Therefore, the prosecution has failed to discharge the burden of proof as required by law in this case.

    “Where at the conclusion of trial, the prosecution has failed to prove the essential ingredients of a charge, thereby leaving any doubt in the mind of the court, the court is bound to resolve the doubt in favour of the defendants.

    “As it is, the doubt in me is resolved in favour of the defendants and I so hold.

    “I make an order discharging and acquitting the defendants in this case.

    “This is the order of this court,” he ruled.

  • Fraud: I’m happy Alao-Akala gets justice before his death – Counsel

    Fraud: I’m happy Alao-Akala gets justice before his death – Counsel

    Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), a lawyer who represented the late Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala during his trial on N11.5 billion fraud charges, said he was happy that the former governor got justice before his death.

    Fagbemi made the assertions in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ibadan.

    While reacting to Alao-Akala’s death, Fagbemi said he was very happy that the former governor was able to clear his name on the fraud allegations against him.

    NAN reports that the fraud case against Alao-Akala was instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2011 at the Oyo State High Court.

    At the completion of the prosecutor’s case on the fraud charges before an Oyo State High Court in 2021, after the case had dragged for 10 years, he filed a no case submission.

    The court presided over by Justice Olalekan Owolabi, however, ruled that Alao-Akala had a case to answer.

    Alao-Akala, not satisfied with the High Court’s judgment, approached the Court of Appeal in Ibadan which, however, set aside the judgment of the lower court.

    The appellate court, therefore, discharged and acquitted Alao-Akala on Dec. 2, 2021.

    Fagbemi said, “You will recall that Court of Appeal gave him victory in respect of the fraud case filed against him by EFCC.”

    He described his late client as “a cheerful and loyal client”.

    According to him, his death is a big lost to Ogbomoso and Oyo State in general.

    “It is my prayer that God will take care of his family he left behind,” Fagbemi said.

    Similarly, an Ibadan-based businessman, Mr Femi Babalola, popularly known as Jogor, described the death of Alao-Akala, as a big blow to the state political landscape.

    Babalola described Alao-Akala as his political and family friend.

    According to him, the political landscape of Oyo State will never be the same with the death of Alao-Akala.

    “We were actually planning for the birthday of his wife slated for Saturday this weekend, not knowing that God will not allow him to witness it,” Babalola said.

    He prayed for repose of the soul of the deceased and commiserated with the family, Ogbomoso people and Oyo State in general.