TheNewsGuru

Tag: fraud

  • Alleged fraud: EFCC grills two Benue officials

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday grilled two Benue State Government officials in connection with huge withdrawal of N23, 429, 938, 951.52 from the state accounts.

    Those questioned are a Director of Finance and Accounts in the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Gbaigyo Emmanuel, and a cashier, Andoor Festus.

    The EFCC also discovered that another suspect, Agbo Amada, has been dismissed by the state government to “avoid making him available for interrogation.”But this claim has not been independently verified by TNG

    The list of the accounts where the withdrawals were made was released by the anti-graft agency on Friday.

    The accounts and the funds are as follows:

    • Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs—N792, 039,884.00 (Sterling Bank —0017836093)
    • Joint State and Local Account—N1, 367, 043, 651.52(Fidelity Bank—5030058730)
    • Benue State Government House— N1, 916, 635, 206.00( UBA-1017348051)
    • Benue State Bureau of Internal Service and Special Service—N11,827, 455, 250 (UBA—1007540119)
    • Benue State Bureau of Internal Service and Special Service—N5, 886, 237, 150( First Bank—2023788057)
    • Benue State Bureau of Internal Service and Special Service—N1, 640, 527, 540 (Zenith Bank—1010653167)

    Recall that the state government during the week accused the EFCC of freezing its accounts. The action was roundly criticised by opposition parties, many groups and the Governors’ Forum.

    On Thursday, the accounts were defrozen.

    Alluding to the freezing of the account, another source in EFCC said: “The EFCC is not out to shut down the government in Benue State. We have been conducting investigation in the last two years. There is no political witch-hunt in any manner.

    “All we did is to caution withdrawal from these accounts with ‘Place No Debit’ which does not last more than 72 hours.

    “Despite the fact that the EFCC uncovered massive withdrawals from these accounts in tranches of N10million, top government officials have continued to divert funds paid into these accounts from the Federation Account.

    “As an anti-graft agency, the EFCC has the obligation to check diversion of public funds and money laundering.

    “We are continuing with investigation of these accounts. On Friday, a team of detectives grilled the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Gbaigyo Emmanuel and a cashier, Andoor Festus.

    “We are looking for another official, Agbo Amada, who has been dismissed by the state government to avoid making him available for interrogation.”

     

     

  • Police arrest U.S army personnel in Imo over fraud

    Operatives of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (F-SARS), of the Police Command in Imo says it has arrested a member of the U.S. Army, Mr Garrick Michael, over alleged advance fee fraud.

    The Commissioner of police, Mr Dasuki Galadanchi, disclosed this on Wednesday in Owerri while presenting to Journalists the suspect, Michael, and other suspects involved in different crimes ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping and child trafficking.

    Galadanchi said Michael is an American citizen who specialised in defrauding women of their huge money under the pretext of securing American visa for them.

    He named victims of the suspect as Sylva Chineyenwa, Wuchi Peace and Duny Glory.

    Michael told Our Reporter that he returned to Nigeria to visit his wife who resided in the country before he met his three alleged victims.

    He said his business deal with the women was still valid before his arrest.

    The commissioner also said that a kidnapper who had been on the police blacklist, one Reginald Durunzenwata, was arrested on Aug. 4 and would soon be charged to court.

    He said the suspect was allegedly involved in the kidnap and murder of a businessman, Chidi Eburuaji, in Imo, who was kidnapped and murdered in July.

  • 40 sentenced for defrauding people via phone calls

    Forty people, 35 from the Chinese mainland and five from Taiwan, were given prison terms ranging from three to 12 years on Friday.

    The sentence was handed to them after they were repatriated from Kenya over telecommunication fraud in August 2016.

    A court in Beijing said the group pretended to be government officials and cheated 20 people of about 180,000 dollars through money transfers via phone calls from Kenya.

    The convicted were fined and some of them deprived of their political rights.

    The defendants pleaded guilty in court and 10 of them returned their illegal income with the help of relatives.

    (Xinhua/NAN)

  • N7.6bn fraud: Court says Orji Kalu has a case to answer

    N7.6bn fraud: Court says Orji Kalu has a case to answer

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday dismissed the no-case submission filed by a former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, in response to the N7.6bn fraud charges pressed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

    Justice Mohammed Idris, in his ruling, said Kalu had some explanations to make particularly on certain documents tendered by the EFCC as exhibits in evidence against him.

    The same fate befell similar no-case submissions filed by Kalu’s co-defendants.

    The ex-governor is facing 39 counts alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited; and Ude Udeogu, who served under him as the Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House.

    The EFCC first arraigned them before Justice Idris on October 31, 2016.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charges, following which the EFCC opened its case, calling 19 witnesses and tendering a load of exhibits.

    At the conclusion of the prosecution’s case, however, the defendants filed a no-case submission, arguing that the EFCC failed to link them to any crime.

    They urged Justice Idris to dismiss the charges and set them free.

    The judge, however, disagreed with them in his Tuesday ruling, holding that they had explanations to make as to the fraud allegations pressed against them.

    The judge held, “The prosecution called 19 witnesses and tendered a number of exhibits which have been thoroughly examined. Going through the evidence of these witnesses, it appears to me that if taken as unchallenged and uncontroverted, some link might be established between the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants and some of the alleged offences in the light of Exhibits B1-B18; in the light of Exhibit D34; in the light of Exhibits D51-D68; in the light of Exhibits A58-F93; in the light of Exhibit H; in the light of Exhibit J2; in the light of Exhibit L; in the light of Exhibits N1-N15; in the of Exhibits P33-P34; in the light of Exhibits Q1-Q30; in the light of Exhibits T, H and U.

    “I will stop there and I will say no more.… I am of the view that the defendants have some explanations to make in the light of the exhibits and the evidence so far led. Again, I will say no more. The no-case submission is dismissed.”

    The judge called on the defendants to open their defence, reminding the parties that he had September ending deadline to finish the case.

    Kalu’s lawyer, Mr Gordy Uche (SAN), however, pleaded with the judge for a six-week adjournment to enable Kalu to go for a surgical operation.

    “The first defendant has a medical appointment for surgery and the lead counsel in this matter had actually written a letter he wants us to bring to the attention of Your Lordship with respect to the surgery,” Uche said.

    He pleaded with the judge to adjourn the case till September 10, 2018.

    But the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), pleaded that the case be heard in the first week of September, bearing in mind that the judge had to conclude the case by the end of September.

    Uche, however, said it was not realistic, explaining that the six-week adjournment was to avoid a situation where the case would come up and Kalu would not be available.

    In a short ruling, Justice Idris said he was constrained to grant Uche’s request, thereby adjourning the case till September 10 for the defendants to open their defence.

    In one of the charges, the EFCC alleged that Kalu, who was Abia State governor between 1999 and 2007, “did procure Slok Nigeria Limited – a company solely owned by you and members of your family – to retain in its account, domiciled in the then Inland Bank Plc, Apapa branch, Lagos, an aggregate sum of N7,197,871,208.7 on your behalf.”

  • Alleged N7.6b fraud: I have no case to answer – Orji Kalu

    Alleged N7.6b fraud: I have no case to answer – Orji Kalu

    A former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, who was charged with an alleged fraud of N7.65bn, told the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday that he had no case to answer.

    His lawyer, Prof Awa Kalu (SAN), urged Justice Mohammed Idris to dismiss the entire 39 counts filed against his client by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

    The lawyer contended that despite tendering several exhibits and calling a total of 19 witnesses, the anti-graft agency failed to establish a prima facie case against the former governor.

    He urged the judge to discharge Kalu and let him go.

    Similar applications and arguments were canvassed by Messrs Solo Akuma (SAN) and K.C. Nwofor (SAN) on behalf of Ude Udeogu and Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited, who were joined in the criminal lawsuit as the second and third defendants respectively.

    Akuma, in his arguments, said despite alleging that Udeogu, who was the Director of Finance and Accounts of the Abia State Government House during Kalu’s administration, aided the former governor to lodge funds in the accounts of Slok Nigeria Limited, the prosecution did not present any bank teller endorsed by Udeogu to back up its claim.

    On his part, Nwofor contended that the statements of accounts tendered as exhibits by the prosecution were bound to be dismissed, having not been signed by the bank contrary to the provisions of the Evidence Act.

    But the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the defendants’ no-case submissions, insisting that the prosecution had proven its allegations against them.

    Jacobs urged Justice Idris to order the defendants to proceed to open their defence if they had any.

    The prosecutor said Udeogu had, in his statements to the EFCC, clearly admitted “taking several millions of naira, while he was Director of Finance and Accounts, on the instruction of the governor to lodge for the purchase of Okrika (fairly-used clothes) in Aba.”

    “How can they now turn around and say this does not call for questioning?” Jacobs queried.

    After listening to the two sides, Justice Idris adjourned till August 31, 2018 for ruling.

  • N1.3bn fraud: EFCC goes after Fayose

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it is set to soon arraign outgoing Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose before a court of law over an alleged fraud case involving N1.3bn project money.

    TheNewsGuru reports the EFCC made this known on its Twitter handle on Sunday following the defeat of Prof. Kalapo Olusola, Fayose’s anointed candidate at the just concluded governorship election of the State.

    “The parri is over; the cloak of immunity torn apart, and the staff broken. Ekiti Integrated Poultry Project/Biological Concepts Limited N1.3bn fraud case file dusted off the shelves. See you soon,” the EFCC tweeted.

    TheNewsGuru reports Fayose lost the bid to install his deputy as governor of Ekiti after Dr Kayode Fayemi, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, foiled his political antics and several political prophecies to emerge victorious.

    Fayemi won the election after securing 197,459 votes to defeat Olusola, who got 178, 121 votes.

    Result of the poll, which held on Saturday, was announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday.

    Shortly after the INEC announced the result, the EFCC made the tweet.

    EFCC Fayose

    Meanwhile, the EFCC has deleted the tweet from its Twitter handle.

     

  • Alleged N400m fraud: Metuh begins ‘evidence-in-chief’ from outside witness box

    Alleged N400m fraud: Metuh begins ‘evidence-in-chief’ from outside witness box

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday permitted Olisa Metuh, former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to commence his evidence-in-chief from outside the witness box.

    Metuh, while attempting to enter the dock on May 21 with the help of a walking aid, fell after which he was absent from court on May 22, 23 and 24, the next adjourned dates.

    The court then decided to try Metuh in absentia, and on May 25, closed his case and asked the second defendant to open his case on the next adjourned date.

    The court, however, on July 3, vacated the order made on May 25 closing Metuh’s case. It reopened the case to allow him testify personally and to also call two additional witnesses.

    After the two witnesses had testified, Metuh prayed the court to allow him call a third witness, who according to him, would lay the foundation on which he would commence his evidence.

    The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang granted him leave to call the additional witness, saying that no sacrifice was too much for the court to make to ensure justice delivery.

    When Metuh’s counsel, Onyeachi Ikpeazu, called him to enter the witness box to commence his evidence-in-chief, Abang asked Metuh to remain on his seat.

    From his seat, following his affirmation to tell only the truth in the matter, Metuh told the court that he was a lawyer, a business executive, a politician and a real estate developer.

    Ikpeazu, who had earlier told the court that he would only introduce the evidence of Metuh, prayed the court to allow him stop and continue on the next adjourned date.

    He also craved the indulgence of the court to allow his client travel to attend his daughter’s graduation abroad.

    The judge said he could not act on the request since there was no formal application before the court.

    The case was adjourned till October 22 to October 24 for Metuh to continue with his evidence-in-chief.

    Metuh is standing trial along with his company, Destra Investments Limited, on a seven-count charge, including alleged laundering of $2 million.

    Metuh and Destra Investments Limited are also being prosecuted by the Federal Government for allegedly receiving N400 million from the office of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki.

  • Ex-PMAN president docked for alleged fraud

    Ex-PMAN president docked for alleged fraud

    Bolaji Rosiji, a former President, Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), on Monday appeared in an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos charged with defrauding a financial institution of N22 million.

    Mr Rosiji is facing trial on an eight-count charge bordering on stealing, obtaining money under false pretences, issuing of dud cheque, obstruction of justice and threat to life.

    He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Police Prosecutor Kehinde Omisakin told the court that the offences were committed sometime in May 2017, June 30, and June 29 at Modupe Johnson Crescent, off Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulere.

    She said the accused had approached Crystal Finance Ltd for a loan of N22 million which he intended to use to facilitate the launching of new pharmaceutical products.

    The accused claimed the loan was also to finance advance payments for musical artists and venue reservation for Nigeria/India Cultural Festival which was to hold in October 2017.

    “When it was time to pay back the loan, the accused issued a dud cheque and also threatened and obstructed policemen who went to execute a warrant for his arrest.

    “He had also threatened that the policemen would die if they touch his `spiritual stick’.

    “The accused also tore the Lagos State Government Biometric data issued to him,” she said.

    The offences contravened Sections 56, 112, 172, 287, 314, 319, 350 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The Chief Magistrate, A.O. Komolafe, granted the accused bail in the sum of N5 million with two responsible sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until September 6 for mention.

     

     

  • Alleged N400m fraud: Court announces date to decide Olisa Metuh’s fate

    Alleged N400m fraud: Court announces date to decide Olisa Metuh’s fate

    An FCT High Court, Maitama, on Thursday fixed July 11 for ruling on the no-case submission filed by Olisa Metuh, a former PDP spokesman, accused of destruction of evidence.

    Metuh was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in January 2015 on a two-count charge bordering on alleged destruction of evidence.

    The case which was before Justice Ishaq Bello, was adjourned until July 11, with consent of counsel as the court did not sit.

    The case was earlier adjourned to May 31, for ruling on the no- case submission.

    Metuh’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), had on October 10, 2017, told the court that they would enter a no-case submission at the close of the prosecution’s case.

    Arguing the no-case submission, Mr Ikpeazu had told the court that the prosecution had not established any case to warrant the defendant to be called to enter his defence.

    He said that the application was in pursuant to the provisions of Sections 302 and 357 of ACJA.

    The counsel added that the defendant had a constitutional liberty and could not be prosecuted where he either refused to make a statement or withdraw any part of his writing in the course of making a statement.

    Ikpeazu said that the defendant also had a right to cancel any part of his statement voluntarily.

    He reminded the court that the charge by EFCC was that Metuh destroyed his statement and obstructed EFCC officials by willfully tearing his statement.

    Ikpeazu argued that a piece of paper not signed did not qualify as a statement by the defendant, and urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendant.

    However, the prosecuting counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, urged the court to establish whether or not a prima facie case had been made against the defendant

    Tahir added that cancellation was different from tearing which was obstruction, and prayed the court to call upon the defendant to enter his defence.

  • EFCC arrests Lagos alleged swindler ‘man of God’ in Enugu

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a self acclaimed pastor, ThankGod Udechukwu, the founder of Jesus the General Outreach Ministry based in Lagos state.

    TheNewsGuru reports Udechukwu, who hails from Ozalla, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State and had taken advantage of one of his kinsmen who trusted him as a ‘Man of God’, was arrested on Wednesday in the Southeastern state.

    “I am his pastor and man of God, in fact, I used to pray for him to succeed and indeed, I prayed for him before he travelled out to Dubai,” the pastor boasted on his arrest.

    Apparently with this ‘Messiah’ mindset, the self-styled minister of God set out to rip-off his victim using lies, half-truths and manipulations, according to the EFCC.

    According to the victim and complainant who resides in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, his traumatic ordeals in the hands of Udechukwu started with a suggestion that he hands over four Highlander SUVs he imported to him, claiming that one of his church members was willing to buy the vehicles and other consignments imported with them all of which amounted to N16,000,000.00.

    After waiting for a while for the remittance of the monies realized from the sale, the Pastor having taken a huge sum from the total amount realized claiming they were for logistic purposes, muted the idea of starting a transport services business and suggested buying two Sienna buses. As if, under a spell, the complainant still agreed to the business idea.

    Again, with nothing coming out of the transport business, the complainant said he was no more interested in the venture and instructed the suspect to sell off the two buses. Udechukwu sold one of the buses and converted the proceed to his personal use.

    Some months after, the pastor further suggested a business to the complainant and introduced him to one Amechi Chuks Amechi who claimed to work with Nigeria Breweries and that he could assist in securing a dealership from the company.

    The matter is presently under further investigations.