TheNewsGuru

Tag: Money Laudering

  • Alleged money laundering: Abuja High Court summons Ex-Kogi Gov Yahaya Bello to Appear on Nov 14

    Alleged money laundering: Abuja High Court summons Ex-Kogi Gov Yahaya Bello to Appear on Nov 14

    A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has issued a public summons against former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello over his ongoing alleged money laundering and corruption cases initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Bello had previously been declared wanted over allegations of money laundering and corruption to the tune of N80.2 billion.

    In September, the EFCC filed fresh charges against the wanted former governor, accusing him of N110.4 billion fraud.

    However, all efforts made by the EFCC to get Bello arrested had been thwarted by political interference.

    In September, the former governor honoured the EFCC’s invitation but he was accompanied by the Kogo State Governor, Usman Ododo, and the anti-corruption agency asked him to leave, blaming its refusal to detain him on his decision to come with the governor, who has immunity.

    EFCC operatives later stormed the Kogi State Government Lodge in Abuja in an attempt to arrest the former governor.

    The siege was announced by the Director of Yahaya Bello’s Media Office, Ohiare Michael, who raised the alarm in a statement titled, “Despite voluntary visit, EFCC officials surround Kogi Government Lodge, Abuja in an attempt to forcefully arrest former governor Yahaya Bello, fire gunshots.”

    In a court document released to the public on Friday morning by the EFCC, Justice Maryann E. Anenih issued a public summons, compelling Yahaya Bello to appear before the court on the 14th of November 2024.

    The summons was dated October 3, 2024.

    The document reads: “Complaint has been made this day on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that you (YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO) sometime within the year 2016 up until 2023 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit offences to wit: Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to Section 311 of Penal Code Law Cap. 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963, Punishable under SECTION 312 of same Law; and having possession or control of property reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained contrary to and punishable under Section 319A of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of the Northern Nigeria 1963.

    “You are hereby summoned to appear before the Federal Capital Territory High Court of Justice (High Court No. 3) sitting at Maitama on the 14th day of November 2024 at the hour of 9:00am to answer to the said complaint.”

  • Alleged N6bn laundering: EFCC investigator testifies against Mompha

    Alleged N6bn laundering: EFCC investigator testifies against Mompha

    An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Idi Musa, on Monday testified against a social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha popularly known as Mompha, charged with six billion Naira money laundering.

    Mustapha, still at large, is standing trial alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd., on eight counts bordering on money laundering.

    Musa, the sixth prosecution witness, while being led in evidence by the EFCC Counsel, Mr Suleiman Suleiman, told  the  court how he came across  Mompha and his company during the investigation.

    He said the commission received an intelligence information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that Mompha and his company led a cybercrime in the United States of America.

    “Sometimes in 2019, we received intelligence information from the FBI, U.S.A which was addressed to the commission informing us that first and second defendants were leading a cybercrime in U.S. A known as yahoo yahoo.

    “The intelligence information indicated that the  first and second defendants belong to a syndicate operating between Nigeria and across border, defrauding some internet users.

    “In the course of investigation, some letters were written to Zenith Bank requesting for account statement of the second defendant and also to the other bank linked to the first defendant, which include Fidelity Bank, and the account statement received was analysed.

    “During the analysis, we discovered N30 billion inflow through the account of the first defendant in Fidelity Bank and about N5 billion in Zenith Bank account,” he said.

    The witness further said letters were written to the FBI and the Special Fraud Unit of EFCC regarding the defendant claiming he was into Bureau De Change (BDC).

    He added that letter was written to the Central Bank of Nigeria and other relevant agencies.

    The witness said that investigation revealed that the first defendant did not reside in Nigeria and efforts to get across to him proved abortive.

    “A letter was written to the Nigeria Immigration Services on Oct.16, 2019, to arrest the defendant anytime he arrives Nigeria.

    “On Oct.18, 2019, the first defendant got the information that the commission was looking for him, while he was in Nigeria, he quickly got to airport, boarded a flight in other to escape arrest.

    “The team got the information through the immigration at the airport but Mompha had already boarded the flight.

    “He was arrested along with his properties and handed over to the EFCC,” he said.

    Musa told  the court that over N30 billion was discovered in Mompha’s Fidelity Bank account and that he was into the bureau de change business, a representation he knew to be false.

    He added that the commission concluded investigation on offences bordering on money laundering, operating BDC without a licence, in which Mompha was still standing trial before Justice Emma of Federal High Court, Ikoyi.

    “The combination of the FBI and an investigative report on Mompha’s iPhone, revealed that Mompha’s iPhone was used to send account details to a United Arab Emirates telephone number he used to search for swift codes of a bank.

    “During the course of his arrest, all the properties recovered were registered with exhibits keeper in the EFCC office and most of the properties were released to him on bond, except his I-phone 8 that was still with the commission.

    “All the items are proceeds of crime because when he was given assets declaration form to declared his assets, he did not include those items,” the witness said.

    The prosecution tendered two documents, the statement of first defendant and asset declaration which was admitted into evidence and labeled exhibit p5 and p6.

    Justice Mojisola Dada, however, adjourned the case until Oct.8 for continuation of trial.

  • JUST IN: 3 reasons why Obi Cubana is in EFCC custody

    JUST IN: 3 reasons why Obi Cubana is in EFCC custody

    Gradually, it is becoming clearer why popular socialite and businessman, Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana is under the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the EFCC as saying it did not arrest the Anambra State born businessman but that he voluntarily came to their office.

    Sources in the EFCC have said Obi Cubana was invited on allegations of money laundering, tax evasion and abuse of the Naira in public places.

    It was, however, not clear where Obi Cubana abused the Naira in public places, but the billionaire in the year threw a massive burial for his late mum during which Naira bills and other hard currencies rend the air.

    TNG reports Obi Cubana arrived at the headquarters of the EFCC at Jabi, Abuja, around noon on Monday, and is still at the commission at the time of filing this report.

    However, the EFCC has said the billionaire would not be held for more than 48 hours.

    “Obi Cubana came to our headquarters on Monday afternoon by himself. We did not arrest him. We extended an invitation to him two weeks ago.

    “As we speak, he is being grilled by detectives over allegations of money laundering, tax evasion and abuse of the Naira.

    “We will not hold him beyond 48 hours,” a source at the EFCC, who asked not to be named, told TNG.

  • Alleged money laundering: Ize-Iyamu gets new date in court

    Alleged money laundering: Ize-Iyamu gets new date in court

    Pastor Osagie Ize -Iyamu, the All Progressives Congress candidate in the 19 September election in Edo state has been given a new date by the court to defend his money laundering charge.

    A Federal High Court in Benin, adjourned the case till 14 January 2021.

    The EFCC contends that the money was unlawful.

    The other four defendants are Lucky Imasuen, former deputy governor of Edo State; Chief Dan Orbih, former PDP chairman in Edo State; Tony Aziegbemi and Efe Erimuoghae.

    At today’s sitting, counsel to the first defendant, Charles Edosomwan, SAN, informed the court that he has filed a motion challenging its jurisdiction on the grounds that the charge filed against the defendants are based on election matters.

    According to him, the appropriate court to try electoral matter was the Magistrate Court or High Court of the state.

    The same argument was canvassed by the counsel to the other defendants.

    However, the prosecuting counsel, Francis A.Jirbo countered the argument with the submission that the information before the court is a money laundering charge for which the Federal High Court has exclusive jurisdiction..

    After listening to both counsel, Justice M. G. Umar adjourned the case till January 20, 2021 for ruling.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu and other defendants were first arraigned before Justice P. I. Ajoku on an eight count charge bordering on money laundering on May 24, 2018.

    The defendants were alleged to have sometime in March 2015 in Benin City directly taken possession of N700 million without any contract award.

    The EFCC said the money was allegedly part of proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: fraud and corruption.

  • EFCC arraigns ex-governor’s son for alleged money laundering

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday arraigned former Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Adamu’s son, Nuriani Adamu, before Justice J. K. Daggard of the Federal High Court, Kano over alleged money laundering.

    He was arraigned alongside one Felix Onyago on an amended six-count charge bordering on money laundering and illegal diversion of public illicit funds of N32 million.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The counsel to the defendants, Mamman Lawan, made a bail application in respect of the defendants under Section 36 Sub-section 6 (b) 5 and Section 35 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “The defendants were early in September 2015, invited and detained by EFCC and at no time were they found wanting when they were granted bail.

    “If granted bail, the defendants would not jump bail, nor commit any offence and would not tamper with police investigation,” the lawyer said.

    Lawan urged the court to grant them bail because the law says they are still innocent citizens until they are proven guilty for the charges.

    The prosecuting counsel, B. M. Buhari, told the court that on December 10 and December 23, 2014, the defendants conspired between themselves and did an illicit money laundering under section 18 (a) and 15, 2, (b) of money laundering prohibition act .

    He said on the same date, Mr. Adamu transferred N18 million to Mr. Onyago’s First Bank Account 2024412016 of Bio block Technology, Kano.

    Mr. Buhari also alleged that Mr. Adamu on December 23, 2014, did an illicit money transfer of N9.7 million to Mr. Onyago’s First Bank account and they later took possession of the money.

    The prosecutor promised to call six witnesses in the next sitting to testify before the court.

    Justice Daggard thereafter ordered the remand of the defendants in EFCC custody and adjourned the case until February 7, for ruling of bail application.

     

    (NAN)

  • Alleged money laundering: Court convicts, sentences INEC official

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Wednesday sentenced an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yisa Olarenwaju, charged with obtaining proceeds of unlawful act.

    Justice Mohammed Idris sentenced the INEC official based on a plea bargain agreement he reached with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    EFCC had rearraigned, in absentia, the immediate past Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, alongside three officials of INEC -Christian Nwosu, Yisa Olarenwaju and Tijani Bashir.

    They were brought to court on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N500 million, which they pleaded not guilty but the second defendant later changed his plea to guilty.

    Olarenwaju, thereafter, entered into a plea bargain agreement with the EFCC on May 2.

    At the resumed hearing, Justice Mohammed Idris convicted and sentenced the INEC official.

    In sentencing the INEC official, Olarenwaju, who is the second defendant, Justice Idris held that, “there is no doubt that the second defendant is an elderly man.

    ” It is also not in contention that the second defendant is a first time offender.

    “This court will temper justice with mercy.

    “The court hereby adopts the plea bargain agreement as the judgment of the court”.

    The plea bargain agreement stated that,” Upon the conviction of the second defendant, he should forfeit to the Federal Government of Nigeria all the parcel of land and its appurtenances which was acquired with the sum of N23 million, the proceeds of the second defendant’s unlawful acts.

    “That a fine of N10 million be imposed on the second defendant, upon his conviction based on count four of the amended charge.

    ” That in paying the fine of the sum of N10 million, the second defendant shall raise a draft of N5 million in addition to the sum of N5 million already recovered from him.

    “He shall within seven days after the payment of the fine imposed by the court, enter into a bond with the EFCC, never to be involved in economic and financial crimes within and outside the shores of Nigeria”.

    At the last hearing, Justice Idris had thrown out an earlier plea bargain arrangement reached by the first defendant, Christian Nwosu.

    The judge had clearly maintained that the plea bargain arrangement could not save Nwosu from serving a stiffer sentence.

    Justice Idris made a declaration that the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) stipulates that such a convict deserves a sentence that was stiffer.

    Meanwhile, the third defendant, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was admitted to bail in the sum of N50m with two sureties in like sum.

    Idris held that the sureties must be owners of landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

    The case was adjourned until May 15, for counsel to return and address the court on whether the case should be transferred to another judge for it to start afresh.

     

     

    NAN

  • Alleged money laundering: Police raid Senator Goje’s Abuja home

    Alleged money laundering: Police raid Senator Goje’s Abuja home

    Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force, NPF on Thursday evening invaded the home of former Gombe State Governor, Danjuma Goje, in Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Goje, who is now a Senator, is being prosecuted for money laundering.

    His trial started in 2014 and it has dragged on for almost three years.

     

    A senior police officer, who confirmed the raid to The Punch explained that it was carried out by some police teams as part of a wider probe of the senator.

    The police source said: “It is true that our men raided Senator Goje’s residence in Abuja, as part of a wider investigation. Some documents were recovered from his house, but it is too early to know the significance of the recoveries.”

    However, Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood is yet to make any official comment as regards the raid.

    Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has denied participating in raiding Goje’s home in Abuja .

    The spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said this in a message sent to newsmen on Thursday.

    His message reads: “Please disregard online reports claiming the EFCC today, April 20, raided the Abuja home of Senator Danjuma Goje. The report is false as the commission was not part of such an activity.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Goje who was elected governor of Gombe State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP from 2003 to 2011, is currently standing trial before a Federal High Court for alleged fraud.

    He was also accused of contract inflation and spending N1bn on dictionaries for primary schools during his tenure.

    TheNewsGuru.com that the former governor, who was voted as member representing Gombe-Central senatorial district in the Upper legislative chamber on the platform of the PDP has since defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).