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Tag: fraud

  • Alleged N6.3bn fraud: Ex-Plateau gov, Jang appears in Court on Monday

    Alleged N6.3bn fraud: Ex-Plateau gov, Jang appears in Court on Monday

    A former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, will be arraigned on Monday at the Plateau State High Court in Jos, after he would have spent 168 hours (one week) in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja, a family source has said.

    “Jonah David Jang has not been released. The case is coming up on Monday and he will be arraigned before Justice Daniel Longji of Plateau State High Court in Jos on the 12 counts filed against him by the EFCC,” the source said.

    The EFCC had preferred 12 charges against him over an alleged fraud amounting to about N6.3bn.

    The ex-governor, who currently represents Plateau-North Senatorial District, allegedly embezzled some special funds released to the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria. He was said to have perpetrated the fraud two months to the end of his tenure as governor in 2015.

    Jang, in a motion on notice filed by his team of lawyers led by Christopher Eichie, Yakubu Philemon and Kola Oseni, before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja to enforce his fundamental human rights, said he was diabetic.

    He asked the court to order the EFCC to pay him N500m in damages for his detention without trial and to offer him public apology in two national newspapers.

    In a related development, the General Overseer of the Evangelical Outreach Ministries International, Prophet Isa El-Buba, has said that Nigerians seeking to contest the Presidency in the 2019 general elections with President Muhammadu Buhari should expect mass arrest.

    He also warned that Nigeria would soon cease to exist if the trend of killings and attacks on Christians by suspected Fulani herdsmen in different parts of the country continued unchecked.

    El-Buba said this in an interview with journalists in Jos, while reacting to the continued detention of Jang by the EFCC, without trial.

    He said, “The continued detention of Jang without trial is jungle justice. One thing I know about Jang is that he can fight injustice and oppression. The Bible is very clear; a government that establishes itself on the seat of righteousness and justice will live.

    “But a government that establishes itself on injustice and unrighteousness will be taken off and this is what we are going to see. As we prepare for the 2019 elections, Nigerians should expect mass arrest. Anybody seeking election should be ready for arrest.

    “I don’t see any reason why the EFCC should continue to keep Jang without arraignment. There is no reason for the confinement of Jang because he has always shown up whenever he is invited.”

  • Alleged N3.2bn fraud: EFCC closes case against Kalu

    The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Friday closed its case against a former Governor of Abia, Orji Kalu and two others charged with N3.2 billion fraud.

    The EFCC Prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), announced closure of the prosecution’s case at the Federal High Court, Lagos. He, however, informed the court that the prosecution intended to amend the charge against the accused to reflect more evidence.

    The EFCC had on Oct. 31, 2016, slammed a 34-count charge bordering on N3.2 billion fraud against Kalu, his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo, and Slok Nigeria Ltd. The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bails.

    Jacobs had led the 17th prosecution witness, Chidi Chukwuka, in evidence at the last adjournment.

    At the resumed trial of the case on Friday, Kalu’s counsel, Mr Awa Kalu (SAN), continued the cross-examination of the witness. Chukwuka had earlier told the court that he was a Deputy Director in the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and an investigator with the EFCC as at the time of the alleged fraud.

    He said during his investigations, he had obtained statements from Mr Samuel Iheke, a former Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

    He said he also obtained statements from Mr Chinedum Elechi, the then Secretary, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Abia.

    Awa applied to tender the statements the witness had identified and same were admitted and marked as Exhibits Z to Z9 respectively. When the witness was asked what the state officials had told him was the reason for the N26 million monthly withdrawals from the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) account of the state, the witness replied: “The officials had claimed that the withdrawals were used for sanitation in Abia State.”

    He testified that over N2.5 billion was transferred from the Abia Government House main account to Abia State University and Secondary Education Management Board accounts.

    Counsel to the second accused, Mr Solo Akuma (SAN), asked if the witness was fully involved in the investigation to which he responded in the affirmative.

    Akuma : By count 24 of the charge preferred by the EFCC against the accused, is it correct to say that the N554 million came in various cheques?

    Witness : I don’t know, He said the EFCC did not investigate the accused before the petition from Eyinnaya Abaribe.

    Mr Kingsley Nwofo (SAN), counsel to Slok Nigerai Ltd., asked the witness if any of the statements had shown funds move from the Government House accounts to the third accused (Slok), he responded in the negative.

    There was no re-examination and the witness was discharged.

    Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned the case until May 30 and May 31 for defence to open their case.

    The EFCC alleged that Kalu and the others committed the offences between August 2001 and October 2005.

    The commission accused Kalu of utilising his company, Slok Nigerai Ltd., to retain N200 million in the account of First Inland Bank ( acquired by First City Monument Bank, FCMB).

    It said the sum formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the state government.

    The commission also said that the accused had in different bank accounts about N2.5 billion belonging to Abia and diverted about N3.2 billion from the coffers of the government.

    The offences contravened sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005 and the Money Laundering Act of 1995 (as amended by Act No.9 of 2002 and Section 477 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 1990.

  • N4.7bn fraud: Ladoja diverted part of Oyo shares’ sale proceeds – EFCC

    A prosecution witness, Mr Abubakar Madaki, on Thursday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that former Gov. Rasheed Ladoja of Oyo admitted taking part of proceeds of the sale of the state shares.

    Madaki, an Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) operative, gave evidence in the trial of Ladoja and a former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Waheed Akanbi, for N4.7 billion fraud.

    The accused were brought before Justice Mohammed Idris on Dec.14, 2016, but they pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge preferred against them by the EFCC.

    The judge granted them bail.

    At the resumed trial of the case on Thursday, the prosecution counsel, Mr Oluwafemi Olabisi, continued examination of the witness.

    Madaki said that Ladoja confirmed it his statement before the EFCC that he used part of the proceeds from the sale of Oyo State shares to purchase four cars.

    The counsel had asked the witness what happened to N400 million out of the N1billion difference of the proceeds which he was to investigate.

    Olabisi noted that the witness had identified N600 million out of the N100 billion.

    “Part of the proceeds was used to purchase four cars by Ladoja; he promised to return them but he has failed to do so.

    “The cars are a jeep, a bus and two other cars supplied to members of the House of Representatives loyal to him,” Madaki said.

    He added that the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) conducted a discrete investigation into the alleged fraud and issued a report to the EFCC to that effect.

    Olabisi applied to tender the report from the NSE as an exhibit.

    The counsel also sought to tender as exhibit, the search warrant for the residence of the Managing Director of McLean Securities.

    Messrs Bolaji Onilenla and Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, counsel to Ladoja and Akanbi, respectively, did not object to Olabisi’s request.

    Consequently the documents were admitted and marked Exhibit H3 and Exhibit H4 respectively.

    Madaki also testified that Ladoja approved the reduction of the sale of the shares without any state executive resolution.

    The witness identified a correspondence between the commission and Oyo State Government with accompanying documents, which the state obliged the EFCC.

    When Olabisi sought to tender the documents, Onilenla objected to that, arguing that the documents were certified only by the commission.

    Olabisi then withdrew the documents and prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the prosecution to “do the needful”.

    Justice Mohammed adjourned continuation of the trial until May 30.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused were charged with conspiring to siphon and launder N4.7 billion from the coffers of Oyo State Government.

    The EFCC also accused them of converting N1.9 billion belonging to the state for their personal use through the account of a company known as Heritage Apartments Ltd.

    The anti-graft agency claimed that the accused retained the money sometime in 2007 in spite of their knowledge that it was proceeds from a criminal activity.

    Ladoja was accused of removing 600,000 pounds from the state coffers in 2007 and sent to his daughter, Bimpe, in London.

    In addition, the ex-governor was accused of converting N42 million belonging to the state for his personal use and subsequently used same to purchase an armoured Land Cruiser.

    The EFCC added that Ladoja converted N728 million and N77 million at different times in 2007 for his personal use and transferred same to Bistrum Investments for the purchase of a property in Ibadan.

    The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 14, 16, 17 (a) and 18 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, according to the EFCC.

  • Alleged N2b fraud: Witness testifies against former HoS, Oronsaye

    Alleged N2b fraud: Witness testifies against former HoS, Oronsaye

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has adjourned the case of a former Head of Service, HoS of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye, who is standing trial for an alleged N2 billion pension fraud to May 14, 2018.

    Mr Oronsaye along with Osarenkhoe Afe, managing director, Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, are alleged to be complicit in several contract awards during his tenure as HoS.

    At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, the first prosecution witness, Rouqayya Ibrahim, an EFCC operative, was cross-examined by Ade Okeaya-Inneh, lead counsel for Mr Oronsaye, after prosecution counsel, O.A. Atolagbe, informed the court that it was done with its evidence-in-chief.

    Under cross-examination by Mr Okeaya-Inneh, the witness who has been in the box since June 14, 2016, told the court that the Pension Fraud Team of the EFCC investigated the pension fraud in the Office of the Head of Service, OHSC.

    She said: “We investigated payments to companies and individuals, and we observed that if we pick up the statement of account, what would be reflected would be payments for biometric enrolment contracts, consumables, and supplies for different types of narratives, but none of them existed except for Uptrack and Innovative Solutions.”

    Ms Ibrahim further added that during investigations, it was observed that “the powers of the Permanent Secretary who should be the Accounting Officer were taken over by the Head of Service, then Oronsaye, through his actions.”

    She had during her examination-in-chief, also stated that a number of the contracts awarded were “fictitious contracts.”

    “Many of the contracts did not exist, with the exception of one of the biometric contracts, specifically Uptrack and Innovative Solutions, and it was the one that was supposedly done, all other payments investigated, there were no contracts, there were no documentations for them,” she said.

    She further added that: “All the payments were made during the tenure of Oronsaye as Head of Service, and though the Permanent Secretary ought to have been the Accounting Officer, it was not the case from findings during investigations.”

    According to Ms Ibrahim, “no contracts were awarded to Frederick Hamilton who received about N119 million for biometric enrolment”, stressing that Innovative Solutions was awarded the contract but brought in Frederick Hamilton and Uptrack, “who were asked to do the contract verbally”.

    Mr Okeaya-Inneh, made reference to 66 bank accounts investigated by the EFCC during the course of investigations, and asked how the anti-graft agency came about labelling them as “illegal accounts”.

    “We wrote to the Accountant General of the Federation and he referred to them as illegal accounts, and in the reply stated that the accounts were opened without his approval,” she said.

    Ms Ibrahim intimated the court that a Task Force set up at the Head of Service, had nothing to do with the EFCC’s investigation of the pension fraud.

    Oluwole Aladedoye, counsel for Afe and Frederick Hamilton, rather than cross-examine the witness, however, sought for an adjournment, noting that he needed to bring some documents to court, which he wanted to confront the witness with.

    But, Mr Atolagbe objected to the application, arguing that the reason was not “cogent”, and “he has been aware of today’s proceedings and there had been four previous adjournments, so he had the opportunity to bring to court, the documents he needed.”

    However, Justice Kolawole adjourned to May 14, 2018 “as it serves the interest of justice”, to allow time for Mr Aladedoye for “cross-examination of PW1 and re-examination if need be.”

  • Facebook romance turns sour, lover ends up in jail

    Facebook romance turns sour, lover ends up in jail

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday secured the conviction of a Facebook lover, Ikechukwu Elom Awoke.

    TheNewsGuru reports Awoke conviction was secured before Justice A. Y. Sanya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a 2-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy and cheating to tune of N350,000.00.

    He was sentenced to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N50,000 for conspiracy on count one and eighteen months imprisonment with option of fine of N50,000 for cheating on count two.

    The case was triggered by a petition dated August 16, 2017 by one Noami Wanya, who claimed she met the convict through Facebook, and in the process entered into a relationship with the aim of marrying each other.

    In the course of the relationship, Awoke fraudulently obtained N350,000.00 from the petitioner through his account domiciled in one of the old generation banks, prompting the victim to petition the EFCC.

    According to the EFCC, Awoke’s offence is contrary to and punishable under Sections 320 (a) and 322 of the Penal Code Law Cap 102, Laws of Borno State.

    Awoke pleaded guilty to the two counts and was convicted and sentenced by the court after a review of the facts of the case.

     

  • Fake Vin Diesel, 2 others end up in jail

    Fake Vin Diesel, 2 others end up in jail

    The Benin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of a fake Vin Diesel and two other fraudsters at the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State.

    Two of the convicts, Prince Henry Ofeyi and Afatakpa David were convicted and sentenced by Justice P. I. Ajoku on Wednesday April 2 while the third convict, David Abumhere was convicted and sentenced on Thursday April 3, by the same judge.

    Henry Ofeyi and David Afatakpa were arraigned by the EFCC on a one-count charge each bordering on intent to defraud.

    Prince Henry Ofeyi was said to have on or about the 5th of October, 2017 falsely represented himself to be one Dexter Smith, a false identity he used in defrauding his victims.

    Court jails fake Vin Diesel, 2 others for internet fraud

    For Afatakpa David, he was alleged to have represented himself as Vin Diesel, an American movie star on social media platforms, an identity he used to defraud his victims.

    Upon arraignment, the duo pleaded guilty to charge prompting the prosecution counsel, Aso Larry Peter to ask the court to convict the accused persons accordingly.

    He also told the court that the EFCC recovered from Prince Henry Ofeyi the sum of N400,590.00 and a Toyota Corolla Saloon car while the sum of was recovered from Akatakpa. D.Tageme.

    The defence counsel Moses Oriazowan pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy saying the accused persons were remorseful and have promised never to go back to such despicable act.

    After listening to both counsels, Justice P. I. Ajoku sentenced the accused persons to one month imprisonment each adding that the proceeds of crime be forfeited to the Federal Government so that their victims can be restituted.

     

  • Davido lavishes N45m on girlfriend, keeps mum over N60m fraud allegation

    Davido lavishes N45m on girlfriend, keeps mum over N60m fraud allegation

    The social media has been abuzz since Nigerian musician, Davido, presented his girlfriend, Avril Chioma Rowland, a Porsche worth N45m as birthday gift on Monday.

    The ‘FIA’ crooner made the presentation of the car gift at a party she organised for her heartthrob, Chioma last week Sunday.

    But unknown to many, the pop star has kept mum over a sixty million fraud allegations leveled against him by one of his old time friends, who identified himself as Afolabi Kazeem.

    Kazeem who claimed the singer allegedly absconded with his N60m and now resorted to threatening his life when he contacted him on the issue.

    Aggrieved by Davido’s unwillingness to pay the supposed debt, Kazeem took the whole drama to his social media space, shared details of what transpired between them.

    Read his posts and also screenshots below.

    ”@davidoofficial I think and know that you know and understand what it means to bring this whole drama on to social media.

    I am doing this cause you have threatened not just my life but the life of my loved ones.

    I am taking this step by step use your head my nigga and send my 60 million naira i have proofs.

    Wicked soul.

     

    Part 2

    One of the many police invites carrying david adeleke’s name.

    One of the many invites he refused to show up for.

    One of the many invites david adeleke refused.

    Davido you put me through troubles.

    You resisted all arrest, you and bayo adeleke @bredhkn resisted arrest from the police.

    Nigeria a corrupt country, where a citizen a normal civilian resisted arrest for years. You threatened me and my family (proofs intact).

    Now you block me here i would fight you david @davidoofficial

    I don’t care how many police men you bribe i would get my money from you.

     

     

  • Olunloyo’s son, Akintunde, charged over alleged N40m fraud

    Olunloyo’s son, Akintunde, charged over alleged N40m fraud

    Akintunde Olunloyo on Monday was arraigned by The Police Special Fraud Unit on Monday . The son of a former governor of Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, is being charged for an alleged fraud of N40m.

    Olunloyo was arraigned on two counts alongside his entertainment firm, Code Media Limited, before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Igbosere.

     

    The police asserted that the defendants approached a financial institution for a loan facility and “with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N40m” property of the complainant.

     

    The police also alleged that Olunloyo falsely represented to the financial institution that the money was “to facilitate the renovation of his company’s entertainment premises and hall.”

     

    He was said to have, however, diverted the money.

     

    The prosecuting counsel for the police, Sylvester Azubuike, told the court that Olunloyo and his firm committed the crime “sometime in November 2014,” in connivance with some accomplices still at large.

     

    Azuibuike told the Magistrate, O. O. Oshin, that the defendants acted contrary to sections 312(1)(b), 312(3) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

     

    But upon reading the charges to them on Monday, the suspects pleaded not guilty.

     

    The defence attorney, Seyi Soremekun, pleaded with the court to admit Olunloyo to bail on self-recognizance or in liberal terms.

     

    In his ruling, the judge, who noted that Olunloyo was facing another criminal case before her, granted him bail in the sum of N500, 000 with one surety in like sum.

     

    The case was adjourned till June 5, 2018.

    Japan jail escapee nabbed after massive 3-week manhunt

  • EFCC quizzes former Aviation Minister over alleged N3.9b fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday interrogated a former Minister of Aviation Osita Chidoka over an alleged N3.9billion fraud in connection with the procurement and Installation of sensitive security cameras/ infrastructure in five International Airports.

    The contract was awarded to Bri and Bru Limited.

    Before Chidoka was invited, the EFCC had quizzed the Managing Director of Bri and Bru Limited, the managers of the five international airports, the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority Nigeria( FAAN) and some offiicials of the ministry of aviation.

    According to a top source, the ex-minister arrived at the 15 A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi Lagos office of the EFCC at about 12.30pm.

    As at 6.30pm, EFCC detectives were still grilling the ex-Minister, who is a former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

    A fact-sheet on the investigation said: “The former minister is being quizzed in a case of alleged conspiracy and diversion of public fund in the N3.9billion contract for the procurement and Installation of sensitive security cameras/ infrastructure at the five International Airports, awarded to a company named Bri and Bru Limited.

    “Part of the said contract sum was allegedly fraudulently diverted to the use of the company and its cronies rather than the execution of the project under the watch of Chidoka as minister.

    “In the course of investigation, it was discovered that upon awarding the contract, payments were to be made according to stages of job done and the first payment of 15 per cent was done via the company’s Heritage Bank Account and also another payment of 60 per cent was done which brought the total payment received by Bri and Bru for the execution of the project to 75 per cent or N2,865,961,323,19.

    “Investigators discovered that Bri and Bru sub contracted the project to another company Surcomtec Nigeria Limited owned by one Chibuzo Obi. The total sum of $4,370,365.00 which is the equivalent of N2,400,000,000.00 was traced to Surcumtec inc Account in America ostensibly for the purchase of equipment for the project.

    “From the account of the company various payments were made to the former minister and some of his family members, director of Consumer Investment Limited and his younger brother, Obinna Chidoka, who is a member of the House of Representatives.

     

  • Buhari’s NPC nominee remanded in prison for alleged N182m fraud

    A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has remanded Dr. Saadu Alanamu in prison custody for alleged fraud to the tune of N182m and abuse of bail condition.

    Incidentally, Alanamu’s name was forwarded to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari last week for confirmation as a commissioner of the National Population Commission.

    Recall that there had been reports last year that Alanamu was nominated into the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) by the then acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, despite being probed by the same agency.

    However, following public outcry, Osinbajo withdrew his nomination after which the ICPC arrested and arraigned him for fraud.

    Alanamu, who is a former Chairman of the Governing Council of the Kwara State Polytechnic, was charged alongside the Chief Executive Director of Namylas Nigeria Limited, Salman Sulaiman, for allegedly collecting a bribe from a contractor.

    He was initially granted bail by Justice Mahmud Gafar but was remanded in prison on Monday following allegations by the judge that some persons had offered him a bribe to dismiss the case.

    The spokesperson for the ICPC, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, said in a statement that in the course of trial, the defence counsel alleged that Alanamu was “forced, harassed, intimidated and coerced” into making his statement to the ICPC investigators and therefore, the statement should not be admitted in evidence.

    Consequently, Justice Gafar ordered a trial-within-trial, which commenced the same day.

    This, he said, was for the court to determine whether the statement was made voluntarily or not.

    While delivering his ruling on the trial-within-trial, Justice Gafar overruled the objection of the defence and admitted Alanamu’s confessional statement into evidence.

    The trial judge also went on to revoke Alanamu’s bail for abuse of bail conditions.

    The case was adjourned till Thursday (today) for hearing.

    The commission, in the charges accused Alanamu, who was also the Chairman of the Kwara State Polytechnic Tenders Board, of collecting N5m bribe from a contractor, Salman Sulaiman, as a kickback for the award of a contract.

    The counsel for the ICPC, Sunny Ezeana, told the court that Alanamu received the bribe through his First Bank account on February 11, 2015 from Namylas Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Sulaiman, who is also his friend.

    The court heard that Alanamu ensured that the contract for the construction and furnishing of an auditorium in Kwara State Polytechnic, at the cost of N182,369, 625.00, was awarded to Namylas Nigeria Limited even when it was found that the company was not qualified to execute the contract.

    The ICPC said its investigation into the petition had revealed strong evidence of collusion, bid rigging and corrupt practices against Namylas Nigeria Limited in the bid process; and that the company used falsified, forged and doctored PENCOM Compliance Certificate, Tax Clearance Certificate and ITF Certificate of Compliance to submit its bid during the bidding process.