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Tag: fraud

  • Alleged N2.1bn fraud: EFCC closes case against Raymond Dokpesi

    Alleged N2.1bn fraud: EFCC closes case against Raymond Dokpesi

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday concluded its prosecution of Raymond Dokpesi after calling 14 witnesses.

    Dokpesi, founder of Daar Communications, however, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he would be making a no-case-submission to wrap up his trial.

    The owner of Nigeria’s first private radio station is facing trial for the alleged diversion of N2.1 billion received from the office of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

    His lawyer, Kanu Agabi, made the application at the court on Monday.

    The application followed the closing of the case by the prosecutor, the EFCC.

    According to Kanu, his client believes that the evidences so far adduced is not sufficient to indict the defendant.

    Earlier on Monday, a witness brought in by the prosecution corroborated previous claims of financial diversions into accounts belonging to Daar communications from the office of the former NSA.

    The witness, Usman Aliyu, also told the court that part of the fund, N68 million, was used for the construction of Dokpesi’s country home in Edo State.

    According to the witness’s statement, N500 million of the said amount was transferred from the account of NSA domiciled in Central Bank of Nigeria to the account of DAAR communications in January 22, 2015.

    The witness also said the funds were transferred in various instalments of N500 million, N620 million, N113million, among others.

    However, the witness during the cross examination by Agabi said that he was brought into the matter this year.

    He added that his statement on the investigation was made at the commission on May 24.

    The case was adjourned to October 10 for adoption of address.

    Dokpesi, who denies the allegations against him, has also accused the federal government of defamation of character.

  • Alleged N400m fraud: Court closes Metuh’s case in absence

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday closed the defence of Olisa Metuh, former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in spite of the absence of both Metuh and his team of lawyers in court.

    The judge, Justice Okon Abang, made the pronouncement in a ruling on an application by the prosecuting counsel, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, asking the court to close Metuh’s case.

    Tahir in the application, said that the court adjourned the matter for the cross-examination of the 11th defence witness, Mr Oladeji Bamidele.

    He said that Bamidele had been cross-examined and discharged by the court, but no counsel from Metuh’s legal team was present to tell the court if another witness would be called.

    The prosecution added that no reason was also given by the defence team for their absence in court.

    Justice Abang said that the court on Jan. 25, granted Metuh’s application to call seven additional witnesses to the nine he had already called.

    The judge said he had ordered that the seven witnesses, must be in court at all times to give evidence, as the court would not grant any other adjournment in the matter at the instance of the first defendant, (Metuh).

    According to Abang, that order has not been appealed against, and so it subsists,“ so I wonder why neither Metuh nor any of his counsel was in court for the trial on Thursday and today with no reason.’’

    The judge said that this could only mean that Metuh had abandoned his defence, adding that the absence of his counsel in court showed a lack of interest in the defence of his client.

    “The first defendant is also not in court to call any of his witness to give evidence in the matter.

    “The only option the court has now is to close the case of the first defendant. I rely on Section 6 (b) of the constitution to close the case of the first defendant.

    “I cannot manufacture an application for adjournment for the first defendant; therefore, the case of the first defendant is now closed.”

    He said that the second defendant, Destra Investments Limited, Metuh’s company shall open its defence on July 2.

    Mr Kelechi Nwaiwu, counsel to Channels Television, which had been summoned by the court had earlier announced his appearance in court.

    It will be recalled that the court had summoned Channels to appear and show cause why the station should not be asked to play the video recording of a programme where alleged prejudicial comments were made.

    The comments were allegedly made by Mr Ben-Chuks Nwosu, a counsel in Metuh’s legal team.

    Nwaiwu told the court that the station was not only represented in court but had also filed an affidavit showing cause and an unedited DVD of the programme that allegedly contained the prejudicial comments.

    The judge adjourned the matter until July 2, and ordered Channels Television to be in court on July 3, with their equipment to play the DVD of the programme in the open court.

    Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited are being prosecuted by the Federal Government for allegedly receiving N400 million from the former National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki.

  • Shagari, four others docked for alleged N500m fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned a former Minister of Water Resources, Mukhtar Shagari, alongside four others before Justice Idrissa Kolo of the Federal High Court Sokoto on a five count charge of Conspiracy and Money Laundering to the tune of N500 million.

    Charged along with the former minister are Abdullahi Wali, Ibrahim Gidado, Nasiru Bafarawa and Ibrahim Milgoma.

    Trouble started for the defendants after the commission received intelligence that the accused person received various sums from the $115 million allegedly disbursed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Allison Madueke to senior members of the Peoples Democratic Party and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential elecvtion.

    The defendants allegedly benefitted the N500 million which was not distributed through any financial institution in flagrant violation of provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.

    One of the charge read that “You Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, Ibrahim Gidado and Ibrahim Milgoma sometime in March 2015, within the justification of this honourable court did conspire among yourselves to receive cash payment of the sum of N500,000,000 (Five Hundred Million Naira Only) from one Abdulrahaman Ibrahim without transacting through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 16(2) of the same Act.”

    All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

    Prosecution counsel Johnson Ojogbane requested a date for trial in view of the plea of the defendants and also asked that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.

    The counsel representing the 1st,3rd and 4th defendants, Ibrahim Abdulaziz, as well as counsel for the 2nd and 5th defendants, Ibrahim Idris and L.A Abdulkadir, respectively applied for the bail of their clients pending the determination of the case.

    Responding, Mr Ojogbane confirmed that he was served with the various bail applications by the applicants but also reminded the court that he was only served on Monday and therefore needs time to respond.

    Justice Idrissa after listening to the arguments exchanged between the parties remanded the defendants in police custody till Thursday for the hearing and determination of bail.

  • Alleged fraud: Court rejects Shagaya’s suit to unfreeze N1.9bn account

    A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday, dismissed an application seeking to unfreeze a Unity Bank account with a balance of N1.9 billion belonging to Bola Shagaya.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Shagaya is a Nigerian businesswoman and fashion enthusiast. She is believed to be one of the richest women in Africa. She is also the ex-wife of the father of Seun Bakare, who wedded the daughter of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, early this year.

    Judge, Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, in a judgment on Thursday, threw out Shagaya’s application, declaring that it lacked merit and that the said account was validly secured by the EFCC.

    Oguntoyinbo faulted Mrs Shagaya’s claims that she was not availed the opportunity to defend herself before the order was secured.

    According to the judge, the order was made through an ex-parte motion (without notice to other parties) and as such, there was no way the court would have listened to her own side of the story.

    “The interim order was made based on an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; an ex-parte application has no respondent and the court is not expected to hear from the other party.

    “Even when the other party is around, it can only be seen and not heard; therefore, the failure of Justice Hassan to hear the applicant cannot invalidate the order.

    “The granting of the interim order of attachment is not unconstitutional and does not constitute an infringement on the applicant’s rights to own property,” the court held.

    The court further noted that the failure of the applicant to controvert an averment contained in the counter-affidavit of the EFCC regarding her refusal to honour its invitation was fatal to her case.

    The judge said the claim by the applicant that the order was made in perpetuity had no bearing as there was no evidence that the EFCC has either concluded its investigation of the matter or filed any charge against the applicant.

    The court, therefore, held that it was erroneous to claim that the interim order had become permanent or in perpetuity, since the said order is meant to last until the conclusion of investigations by the EFCC.

    She held that there was no evidence to show that the respondent had concluded its investigations, and accordingly dismissed the applicant’s suit.

    Justice Muslim Hassan of the same court had on December 29, 2016, issued an interim order, attaching the account, following an ex-parte application by the EFCC.

    Hassan had held that the order would subsist, pending conclusion of investigations by the commission.

    Dissatisfied, Shagaya, through her lawyer, filed a motion before another judge, Oguntoyinbo, seeking to unfreeze the account.

    She claimed that the EFCC’s action violates her rights to own property, adding that she was never afforded an opportunity before the order was made.

    In its counter affidavit, the anti-graft agency claimed that the N1.9 billion represents the balance of a total of N3.3 billion, which Mrs Shagaya received as “founder fees” on behalf of an organisation named “Women for Change”.

    According to the commission, the organisation is spearheaded by a former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.

    The EFCC claimed that the N3.3 billion was realised from Shagaya’s “alleged fraudulent activities in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), where she allegedly influenced an allocation of Dual Purpose Kerosene to a company, Index Petrolube Africa Ltd., with the aid of the former First Lady.

    EFCC claimed that out of the N3.3billion, Shagaya had “paid a cumulative sum of N1.2 billion to the former First Lady, through her account, ‘Women for Change Initiative’, to which she (Patience) is sole signatory.

    The commission said that after paying N1.2billion to Jonathan, Shagaya warehoused the balance of N1.9 billion in her account.

    The EFCC said it was on this basis that it secured an interim order to attach the said account.

     

  • N700m fraud: EFCC arraigns Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, 4 others

    A Federal High Court sitting in Benin City has adjourned to June 11, 2018 for the arraignment of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the last gubernatorial election in Edo state.

    Four others to be arraigned alongside are: Lucky Imasuen, former deputy governor of Edo State; Chief Dan Orbih, PDP chairman in Edo State; Tony Azigbemi and Efe Erimuoghae Anthony.

    The quintet were said to have conspired among themselves to committ an offence contrary to the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

    During court proceedings today, May 16, 2018, the arraignment of the defendants could not hold because of the failure of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Chief Dan Orbih to appear in court in person.

    Counsel to Dan Orbih, Chief Ferdinard O. Orbih, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, told the court that his client was outside the shores of Nigeria attending to his health needs. .

    He further told the court that it was out of respect his client had for the court that he instructed him to be in court and that his client would be available at the next court sitting. .

    The same argument was canvassed by Ikhide Ehighelua, counsel to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who told the court that his client was out of the country attending to his health. .

    The EFCC is seeking to prosecute the five top PDP members in Edo State over their alleged role in the N700 million they purportedly received prior to the 2015 general election.

     

  • Governors allege fraud in NNPC, demand probe on subsidy payments

    The Nigerian Governors Forum on Wednesday accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of fraudulently doubling daily consumption of petrol from about 30 million litres to 60 million litres.

    The governors also demanded a thorough investigation of oil subsidy payments made from 2015 to date.

    A delegation of the forum led by its chairman, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, made the demand at a meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    The meeting was attended by the governors of Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa States.

    Also present were the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udoma, as well as a representative of the NNPC GMD.

    The governors also directed the NNPC to clearly differentiate its earnings in sales as against taxes before remitting funds to the Federation Account to avoid unexplained shortfalls.

    They also expressed concerns over the Joint Venture Cash Call claims by the NNPC and directed that further payments for such be suspended until details of exact amount paid since 2015 is provided.

    The governors also directed that all petrol stations less than 10 kilometres to Nigeria’s borders be immediately shut by the Department of Petroleum Resources until they are recertified, saying this was sequel to an excuse by the NNPC that sudden increase in petrol consumption is due to illegal export to neighbouring nations.

    Addressing State House reporters after the meeting, Yari said: “This is the second time we are meeting with NNPC in respect of remittances into the federation account.

    “And, governors and the federal government are not satisfied with the way remittances are being made because there are so many questions raised on Nigeria, more especially on the 425,000 barrel domestic and 180,000 barrel component of Nigeria from the Joint Venture Partners.

    “We met last week with the NNPC and we came and briefed our chairman of the National Economic Council. We raised three issues, one, the issue of royalties. Each and every barrel taken out of the country there is either 17 or 24 percent of it as royalty and there is 17 or 20 percent as tax.

    “So, our main concern is that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), said that the NNPC is not remitting any payment of royalty, what they do is that they transmit direct from the NNPC to the federation account which is not allowed by the law. According to the law that established the DPR, section 196 of the Act said all the royalty should be paid to DPR and then transmits it to the federation account, which is not observed by the NNPC.

    “So, we discussed today and we have sorted those ones out. The NNPC will not transmit to federation account with clear distinction that this amount is for royalty and X amount is for taxes, and X amount is profits from the sales. So we achieved that.

    “At the same time, NNPC is making payment on behalf of Nigeria on Cash-call contribution and also the NNPC is making payment of cash call arrears of Nigeria’s contribution. But, our main concern is that in 2015, they said about $16.8 billion which is outstanding was not paid by the last administration and they negotiated it down to $5.1 billion according to them.

    “What we said specifically is that they should bring to us how much they have paid from 2015 to date and what is outstanding. And we directed them to stop payment until the claims are proven and then we can give further directives. That too was achieved.

    “On the issue of cost recovery otherwise called subsidy, the issue of subsidy resurfaced again after the efforts of Mr. President. Before now, the oil was $40 per barrel and now it is about $78 a barrel, so therefore they are depending largely on importation. So therefore, the cost is higher than what they are selling at the filling station and they need more money.

    “When there was no cost recovery, the NNPC clearly gave us the number of 33 and 35 million litres per day as the consumption of Nigeria. But now with the new regime of cost recovery, NNPC is claiming daily consumption of 60 and 65 million litres per day, which we rejected and said no. So, many of our international partners are saying that even if we are feeding Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana and Niger, we cannot consume more than 35 million liters per day.

    “So, we are wondering where the 60 million litres is coming from. So, we are trying to sort that one out, that one is not yet resolved.

    But we are now taking a very hard decision, that because NNPC said the reason why they were lifting 60 million per day is because our borders are porous, so we have taken the decision that any filling station that is 10 kilometers on the border side should be closed by the DPR.

    “And then, we will do recertification according to the needs. Secondly, we have directed the Minister of Finance in collaboration with the DPR and the NNPC to put tracking devices on every truck in other to monitor where they are discharging the fuel. Because, we are suspicious of the number, we cannot confirm the difference from 30 million liters per day consumption to 60 and 65 million liters per day consumption. So these are our decisions on the NNPC.”

  • Alleged 6.3bn fraud: Court remands ex-gov Jang in prison

    The Plateau State High Court has remanded a former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, in Jos prison.

    The court made the decision after it denied an application by Jang’s counsel, Robert Clarks, for his bail following his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday.

    Jang, who is currently the senator representing Plateau North district, is facing a 12-count charge of diverting N6.3 billion alongside a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Yusuf Pam.

    They were alleged to have committed the offence while Jang was governor of the state.

    After pleading not guilty to the charges; their counsel, Clarks, applied for their bail.

    But prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, opposed the application, saying the accused, particularly Jang, has tough credentials as a three-time governor, former Nigerian military general and serving senator, and may, therefore, intimidate prosecution witnesses if given bail.

    He said granting them bail will not be in the best interest of justice.

    The trial judge, Daniel Longji, thereafter ruled that the accused persons be remanded at the Jos Prisons till the next sitting of the court on Thursday, May 24.

    Earlier on Wednesday, the court struck out charges filed by the Independent Corruption Practice and other related offensive Commission (ICPC) against Jang.

    This was after counsel to ICPC, Adeshina Raheem, told the court that the commission was withdrawing its case to avoid duplication of charges against the former governor.

    Recall that Jang has been in custody of the EFCC since Monday last week.

  • FIRING FROM ALL ANGLES: 22.8bn fraud: I need Alex Badeh’s statement, Amosu tells court

    A former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.), who is being tried for an alleged fraud of N22.8bn, has urged the court to direct the prosecution to supply him with the statement obtained from his predecessor, Alex Badeh.

    Amosu’s lawyer, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), insisted on Tuesday during proceedings before the Federal High Court in Lagos that he would not go on without being supplied with the statement made by Badeh to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

    He urged the judge to direct the EFCC to supply him with same and to adjourn the matter to enable him to use Badeh’s statement in the defence of Amosu.

    The EFCC charged Amosu with an alleged fraud of N22.8bn.

    He is being tried alongside Air Vice Marshal Jacob Adigun and Air Commodore Gbadebo Olugbenga.

    They were accused of using eight companies to embezzle N22.8bn from NAF’s coffers.

    But they pleaded not guilty.

    At the Tuesday’s proceedings, an operative of the EFCC, Tosin Owobo, who appeared as the second prosecution witness, said during cross-examination by Ayorinde, that the funds allegedly diverted by the defendants were meant for NAF’s operations, including Operation Lafiya Dole in the insurgency-troubled North-East.

    Owobo told the court that in the course of the investigation, his team interviewed and took statements from a number of NAF officers, including Badeh, who all confirmed that the funds were for operations.

    “We interviewed other officers like Sergeant Agbogiji Murphy, Air Commodore Yishau, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, Wing Commander Ifuegbu, and Umar Mohammed, among other NAF officials, ” Owobo said.

    Ayorinde then asked the witness if Badeh’s statement was obtained, to which the witness replied in the affirmative, adding that the statement was in the EFCC’s office.

    “Is Alex Badeh’s statement before this court?” Ayorinde asked.

    “Alex Badeh is not a part of this charge; so, we didn’t file Alex Badeh’s statement,” the witness said.

    Looking through NAF’s statement of account, Ayorinde pointed out a February 25, 2014 transaction of N5.1m and asked Owobo if Badeh was questioned as regards the transaction.

    Owobo said Badeh was questioned on the transactions in the statement of account and gave answers as to the transactions that fell within his time as the Chief of Air Staff.

  • JUST IN: EFCC arrests 6 notorious Abuja yahoo boys

    JUST IN: EFCC arrests 6 notorious Abuja yahoo boys

    Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested six suspected internet fraudsters also known as yahoo yahoo boys in one of their hideouts in the Kubwa area of Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru reports the suspects are Ihoeghian Aghasomwan, Precious Osarumen, Enabulele Osazee Frank, Osahon Scott, Efe Ehieorobo and Peter James.

    Yahoo boys arrested in Abuja
    Yahoo boys arrested in Abuja

    The operation, which was carried out in May by the Advance Fee Fraud Section (AFF) of the Commission through a sting operation, followed an intelligence report on the activities of the fraudsters.

    “Surveillance was carried out and the identity and location of the fraudsters who specialize in defrauding innocent citizens both within and outside the country through internet was identified,” the EFCC said in a statement.

    On the arrest, some of items recovered from the suspects include – one Toyota Camry 2009, 10 laptop computers, 4 ECOWAS International passports, 17 mobile phones, 2 flash drive, HP printer and Certificate of Award of Asian Professional Security Association in favour of Sun Yaje.

    Also recovered was a traveling bag and air piece check-in bag suggesting Abuja as its destination dated March 19, 2018 labelled with two paper clearance certificate of Custom Controlling Department, International Affairs China, No: 00548 and TDK courier service worldwide express service shipment details with track No: ME103178131.

    The EFCC said “All the hardware and digital devices recovered from the suspects would be subjected to forensic examination”.

    “The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded,” the Commission added.