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Tag: fraud

  • Alleged N950m fraud: You have case to answer, Court tells Shekarau, two others

    Alleged N950m fraud: You have case to answer, Court tells Shekarau, two others

    The Federal High Court sitting in Kano on Monday, struck out the no-case submission filed by the former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, challenging his alleged N950 million money laundering trial.

    The EFCC, arraigned Shekarau on May 24, 2018, alongside former Foreign Affairs Minister, , Aminu Wali and one Mansur Ahmad on six counts bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N950 million.

    Delivering his ruling, Justice Lewis Allagoa, held that the EFCC has made out a prima facie case against the defendants, warranting that they must defend themselves.

    “I have considered evidence by the prosecution against the defendants, it is sufficient that they have case to answer and defend themselves,” he said.

    Allagoa adjourned the case until Nov.18 and Nov. 19, for defence to open its case.

    Earlier, Counsel to Shekarau and two others, Mr Dauda Abdulrahman, and Mr Abdul Adamu, on July 9 filed a no case submission.

    Adamu said EFCC failed to present a prima facie case to warrant the defendants entering defense and urged the court to discharge his clients.

    Counsel to the EFCC, Mr Johnson Ojogbane, had earlier told the court that the defendants, between March 26 and March 27, 2015, conspired among themselves and received the said amount without going through financial institutions.

    He said that the money was issued to the defendants by the Peoples Democratic Party and former petroleum minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke.

    The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act and Section 15(1) of money laundering Act.

    The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    NAN reports that the defendants were earlier granted bail in the sum of N100 million each with two reliable sureties in like sum and during the course of trial, the prosecution called four witnesses and closed its case on May 8.

  • JUST IN: P&ID agents admit fraud, tax evasion charges

    Two agents of the now controversial Irish engineering firm, Process and Industrial Development Limited – have admitted guilt in charges of fraud and tax evasion brought against them by the Federal Government.

    The two – Mohammad Kuchazi, described as Commercial Director, P&ID Ltd, Virgin Island and Adamu Usman, identified as representative of P&ID Nigeria Limited, pleaded guilty before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday to an 11-count charge brought against the firms by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The charge was directed at P&ID Limited (Virgin Island) and its affiliate in Nigeria – P&ID Nigeria Limited. Kuchazi and Usman pleaded on behalf of both companies during the proceedings before Justice Inyang Ekwo.

    They were, among others, accused of fraudulently claiming to have acquired land from the Cross River State Government in 2010 for the Gas Supply Project Agreement (GSPA), in relation to which an arbitration tribunal that sat in London awarded damages estimated at about $9.6billion against Nigeria.

    The companies were accused of committing the offences in relation to the Gas Supply Project Agreement (GSPA) over which a British court recently granted the P&ID the permission to seize Nigeria’s assets in to secure the about $9.6billion judgment given in its favour.

    While Usman, who is a lawyer, represented himself, Kuchazi was represented by a lawyer, Dandison Akurunwua.

    More details shortly…

  • Fraud: ‘Billionaire’ Obinwanne Okeke remanded in prison, to forfeit $11m, diamond ring to U.S. Govt

    Fraud: ‘Billionaire’ Obinwanne Okeke remanded in prison, to forfeit $11m, diamond ring to U.S. Govt

    Obinwanne Okeke, the 31-year-old Nigerian being tried in the United States for Business email compromise fraud, has been remanded in prison custody until February 2020 for the continuation of his trial.

    Okeke’s trial commenced on Monday at the Newport News, Virginia, federal courthouse, following an indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    The 31-year-old has been in the custody of the US Marshals Service since early August.

    At the commencement of his trial at the Virginia federal courthouse, the judge declared the case as complex.

    The FBI accused him of orchestrating the theft of $11.5 million from UK subsidiary of American heavy equipment manufacturer, Caterpillar.

    A grand jury in September said Okeke should be made to forfeit at least $11 million in asset and an emerald-shaped diamond engagement ring found on him when he was first arrested on August 6.

  • Court remands whistle blower over false alarm on N700m pension, tax fraud

    Court remands whistle blower over false alarm on N700m pension, tax fraud

    An Ikeja High Court, Lagos has remanded a whistleblower, Lord Umoh Archibong Edem, in prison custody for raising false alarm over an alleged N700 million pension and tax evasion fraud.

    Edem was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday on a one-count charge bordering on making false statement to a public officer before Justice Hakeem Oshodi.

    EFCC prosecutor, S. O. Daji told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence on August 7, 2019, in Lagos.

    Daji said that the defendant provided false information to a public officer and the EFCC about the involvement of a company, Starsonic/Sacvin Group of Nigeria, where he is an employee, in a pension and tax evasion fraud.

    “The defendant claimed that the management and staff of the company were involved in massive pension fraud, tax evasion and other fraudulent activities to the tune of N700 million,” Daji said.

    The prosecutor added that the offence of making a false statement to a public officer contravened Sections 96 (a) of the criminal law of Lagos State, 2011.

    According to information before the court, “Edem had on August 7, with an intent to cause arrest and prosecution of the management staff of Starsonic/Sacvin Group Nigeria Limited gave information he knew to be false to the EFCC and Mrs Patience Kalu, a public officer, that the company is involved in a massive pension fraud, tax evasion and other fraudulent activities running over N700m”.

    Edem pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Vacation Judge, Justice Oshodi, thereafter remanded the defendant in prison custody.

    Justice Oshodi ordered the case file remitted back to the registry for re-assignment.

  • BBNaija 2019: Frood is a betrayer for nominating me- Tuoyo

    BBNaija 2019 housemate, Tuoyo has called Frood a betrayer for nominating him.
    Tuoyo who is the first male housemate to be evicted from the BBNaija ‘Pepper Dem’ season four, noted that he enjoyed every moment in the BBNaija house.
     
    The part-time stripper made this known in a recent chat with Pulse.
     
    “I think you are trying to refer to one person which is Frodd. Its a game and I think if we had stayed longer in the house, for like two months it would be normal for me to nominate and him to nominate me but I just felt it was too early because after nominating me, the bro became closer to me. He told me ‘i love you’ on my birthday. That’s being Judas Iscariot na…thats being Judas so i understand people might say he nominated me before we started to bond but I feel like if you are not my guy, you are not my guy and if you nominate me, just give me that space in the house let me just know that we are not relating at all, than you telling me your issues and trying to help the girl you like to like you back and still go and nominate me. I just feel it’s against the guys rule at that particular time. But its a game sha so I understand,” he averred.
    Speaking further, Tuoyo maintained that he wasn’t swift enough to show his housemates the stripper side of him.
    In his words:”I think like I told Ebuka at one time if I wear pant in that house every day, una go tire for me. So everything should be under moderation. So I felt like that first week lemme make them want it since they know that there is a stripper in the house like they would say ‘let us see this guy’ and I’ll be like I’ll give it to them later on. But I think that was my mistake. If I started early and show myself very well, am not sure I’ll be sitting down here right now. Normally, I’m a reserved person, I observe first before I start relating to people. I wanted to know who were the negative and positive people in the house. I was using my time that first week to observe every single housemate in the house. I think that was where I made that mistake,” he said.

  • Alleged $17, 000 fraud: Court orders EFCC to produce devices used by fraudster

    Alleged $17, 000 fraud: Court orders EFCC to produce devices used by fraudster

    A Federal High Court on Wednesday ordered the EFCC to produce the devices, phone and laptop used by Happiness Asuquo who allegedly defrauded an American of 17, 000 dollars.
    Justice Nkeonye Maha, gave the order following a guilty plea entered into by Asuquo.
    Asuquo was arraigned by the EFCC for allegedly impersonating an American citizen, James Bud, on the internet to swindle one Jean Persall, another American, of $17, 000.
    Justice Maha also ordered the EFCC to produce details of the victim of the offence, who is an American, in order to know how restitution would be made.
    The judge therefore adjourned the case until Aug. 2.
    Earlier, the EFCC Counsel, Richard Dauda, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on July 17.
    Dauda alleged that the defendant on who posed as James Bud, in June, impersonated an American citizen on the internet and obtained the sum of 17, 000 dollars from Persall.
    The prosecution counsel told the court that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.
    The defendant, who pleaded guilty, sought for a plea bargain.
    Speaking after the plea, Counsel to the defendant, Ms Rose Mbata, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that her client decided to enter a plea bargain in order not to waste the time of the court.
    NAN reports that plea bargain is in line with the Provisions of Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

  • Orji Kalu opens defence in N7.6bn fraud case

    Orji Kalu opens defence in N7.6bn fraud case

    A former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, on Monday opened his defence in an alleged N7.6 billion fraud trial involving him and two others before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
    Kalu is standing trial alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogu, and a company, Slok Nigeria Limited, on an amended 39-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N7.6bn.
    Kalu, who is also the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, allegedly committed the offence between August 2001 and October 2005.
    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on May 11, 2018 through its counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, closed its cases after calling 19 witnesses.
    Rather than open his defence, Kalu filed a no-case submission, which was afterwards dismissed by the trial court on July 31, 2018.
    Dissatisfied with the decision, Kalu approached the Court of Appeal, to upturn the ruling of Justice Idris.
    However, on April 24, 2019 the Appellate Court in a lead judgement by Justice M.L. Garba, upheld the decision of the lower court. The Court of Appeal also dismissed appeals filed by Kalu’s co-defendants challenging the jurisdiction of the court to further hear the case, following the elevation of Justice Idris to the Court of Appeal.
    The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, thereafter, issued a fresh fiat to Justice Idris to conclude the case.
    At today’s sitting, Jacobs stated that the day’s proceeding was for the defence to open its case.
    Responding, Kalu’s lawyer, Awa Kalu, SAN, informed the court that he received a letter from the prosecution informing him of the resumption of the case.
    The defence counsel also added that he had informed the prosecution before the resumed sitting that he would not be available in court due to his involvement in some election petition matters.
    He further stated that he had to appear in court out of the respect he had for the court so as to explain his predicament in person.
    “The election petition matters are constrained by time as stipulated in the Constitution and the time for concluding election matters cannot be extended by any court,” Awa Kalu said.
    He also told the court that the second and third defendants, Udeogo and Slok Nigeria Limited were not represented in court for today’s proceedings.
    The defence counsel also told the court that he had to rush down to Lagos from Abuja yesterday without the case file due to the fact that his Secretary, whom he said was bereaved, could not prepare the case file.
    Kalu’s lawyer, therefore, asked the court for a short adjournment for the defence to open its case.
    While acknowledging the receipt of the letter written by Kalu’s counsel, Jacobs argued that the defence could still open its case.
    Justice Idris noted that there had been a prior notice to all the parties in the matter, stating that the hearing of the case should resume.
    The Judge also held that the absence of counsels to the second and third defendants could not be justified, and therefore, ordered Kalu to open his defence.
    Kalu, thereafter, took to the dock to open his defence.
    Led in evidence by his counsel, Kalu told the court his name and stated that he was a manufacturer of home goods until he resigned some weeks ago to become a Senator.
    He also told the court that he had pleaded “not guilty” to all the 39-count charges preferred against him by the EFCC and that he was aware that the trial was a joint trial involving Ude Udeogo and Slok Nigeria Limited.
    Kalu’s lawyer, at that point, re-applied for an adjournment of the case.
    The prosecution did not object to the prayer of the first defendant’s counsel for an adjournment.
    Consequently, Justice Idris adjourned the case to August 26, 2019 for “continuation of defence” and further held that “the proceedings will continue on a day-to-day basis till it is concluded.

  • Alleged N25bn fraud: Why FG withdrew corruption charges against me – Goje

    Alleged N25bn fraud: Why FG withdrew corruption charges against me – Goje

    Former Gombe State Governor, Senator Danjuma Goje, on Thursday threw light on the withdrawal of criminal charges against him by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami.
    Goje in a statement by his lawyer, Paul Paul Erokoro (SAN), said that the two counts of the charge that were withdrawn by the Attorney-General were “an embarrassing triviality.”
    He said that the charges had become more of “persecution than prosecution.”
    He noted that it was, therefore, no surprise to those familiar with the case when the Attorney-General of the Federation withdrew the “ridiculous charges.”
    The Attorney-General, he said, did the right thing and should be commended for saving the face and the resources of the government, by terminating the futile proceedings.
    He also explained that the 19 counts of the charge that were framed around some monetary issues collapsed during the trial.
    He said that the prosecution’s own witnesses completely exonerated the defendants.
    According to him, it was for the reason of the exoneration of Goje by the prosecution witnesses that the 19 counts were all dismissed by the court, on the “No Case submission.”
    Entitled “Truth about the withdrawal, by the Attorney General of the Federation, of the criminal charges against Senator Danjuma Goje” the statement reads:
    “Following a spate of inaccurate and untrue reports in the media on the withdrawal of criminal charges against Sen. Danjuma Goje, it has become necessary for the correct facts to be publicly stated, to avoid genuine misunderstanding by well-meaning commentators and also expose the malicious insinuations of mischief-makers.
    “First of all, the so-called “N25b fraud” that has been bandied about in the media, never featured in the case. The sum total of all the monies mentioned in the charge was about N8b.
    “Of that total, N5b was a loan taken from Access Bank for completion of infrastructural projects such as the Gombe Airport, waterworks, numerous roads, Gombe Jewel Hotels, schools, hospitals and rural electrification. The bank testified in court that the money was properly utilized for the projects. The EFCC investigators also confirmed to the court that the projects were all completed.
    “On the N1b agricultural loan, the Central Bank testified in court that the loan was utilised in full compliance with the bank’s loan conditions.
    “Other witnesses told the court that the governor never awarded any contract for the supply of food to Government House and Government Guest Houses during his tenure for the N1b alleged in the charge or for any other sum.
    “On the N1.6b for the supply of English Dictionaries for primary and secondary schools, the Court was told that UBEC gave its approval and that the contract was advertised in two newspapers and that reputable book publishers and suppliers tendered and that SUBEB awarded the contract to the lowest bidder.
    “As can be seen from the above, the 19 counts of the Charge that were framed around the above monetary issues collapsed during the trial.

  • How fraudsters killed NBA chairman for withholding N18m Internet fraud proceeds

    Thirty-nine-year-old Kenechukwu Eze, a native of Amoli Edem in the Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, on Wednesday, said his gang members killed one Emmanuel Agundu because he withheld the N18m they realised from Internet fraud. The money was reportedly paid into his Nigerian bank account.
    Agundu, who was the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Udenu branch, was shot on August 15, 2018, at Obollo-Afor in the Udenu Local Government Area of the state by unidentified gunmen around 7pm, but he survived the attack.
    However, on September 2, 2018, he was trailed to Uru-Uwani Edem in the Nsukka Local Government Area around 2pm and shot dead.
    Although one of the gunmen was arrested and remanded in prison custody, Eze, a member of the five-man gang of Internet fraudsters based in Morocco, was apprehended on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, by the personnel of the Enugu State Police Command.
    Parading the suspect at the state police headquarters alongside 18 were arrested across the state for various offences ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, car snatching, vandalism, cultisim, unlawful possession of firearms and murder, the state Commissioner of Police, Suleiman Balarabe, said Eze was arrested with the help of credible intelligence, adding that the police had been tracking him since Agundu’s death.
    Balarabe said his arrest was part of the command’s efforts to rid the state of criminals.
    “We are also striving towards reducing crime to its barest minimum through proactive measures without losing sight of the respect for human rights and the rule of law,” the CP stated.
    Speaking to newsmen during the parade, Eze confessed that his group killed the legal practitioner, adding that the person who shot Agundu had been arrested and remanded in prison.
    He said, “I didn’t know the lawyer in person, but one of our members brought him to join us in the business. His job was to supply a bank account to pay the money we realised into.
    “So, we paid a total of N18m into the account he supplied and when we asked him to provide the money, he rebuffed us. Instead of making the money available for us to share according to our agreed formula, he started threatening to report the matter to security agents. That was why we decided to end it once and for all.
    “I was arrested because of the death of that lawyer that we did a fraudulent transaction together. He spent N18m and was killed because of that. The person, who shot him, is already in prison. We were five in number; Emmanuel Ebonyi, one Valentine and his younger brother, Agundu and I.
    “It was an online business, but the barrister supplied the account that we paid into. We paid a total of N18m into his account and he kept all the money.”

  • SEC, NFIU sign MoU to tackle ponzi schemes, fraud

    SEC, NFIU sign MoU to tackle ponzi schemes, fraud

    The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to combat Ponzi schemes and fraud in the capital market.
    Mrs Mary Uduk, the Acting Director-General of SEC, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
    She said the collaboration was necessitated by the need for SEC and NFIU to close ranks in the face of “insider dealings, reawakening of Ponzi schemes, cybercrime and other fraudulent activities that have engulfed the market in the last few years”.
    Uduk said the commission was paying close attention to digital transactions and was in the process of amending its laws to capture such activities.
    According to her, SEC already has regulations prohibiting shell companies from operating in the capital market.
    She stated that under the collaboration, NFIU would assist the commission in tracking suspicious transactions as they occur.
    “If we have solutions that will help us track transactions, it will greatly reduce the incidence of insider dealings.
    “We will be very willing to collaborate with you on that in our determination to ensure that our markets are efficient and transparent and all investors are protected’’, she said.
    The MoU, she said, covers training, secondment of middle cadre officers between the organisations, cross-border monitoring, repatriation of stolen funds from the capital market and prosecution of offenders, among others.
    On the rising incidence of Ponzi schemes in the country, Uduk stressed the need for more public sensitisation to ensure that unsuspecting Nigerians do not continue to lose their hard-earned money.
    In his remarks, Mr Modibbo Tukur, the Director of NFIU, assured SEC that the Agency would continue to play its part in ensuring that the financial system was safe for Nigerians to operate.
    He disclosed that NFIU was making efforts to ensure that the financial system was rid of shell companies, adding that, for companies to exist, they should have physical addresses.
    “If anyone establishes a company, it has to be a company indeed and we have to be firm on this.
    “This has become more important now given the roll out of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) single currency, because with that, we know that capital and investments will move across borders and it is a single currency.
    “So, we have to step up regulation to avoid fraudulent transactions. We will begin by September and some companies will have to be deregistered if they do not meet the criteria.
    “We will publish the parameters and also give them enough time to regularise after which those that do not comply before the deadline will be shut down.
    “If you have an empty company hanging in the system, it is a potential danger and we should not allow it to thrive,” Tukur said.
    Tukur added that when the NFIU began its due diligence on the shell companies, the information would be shared with SEC for further action.
    He commended SEC on its regulation barring shell companies from operating in the capital market.