Browsing: EFCC

The accused, a retired Assistant Director with the Federal Capital Development Authority, who also owns GYANO International Limited, is alleged to have defrauded one Uche Christian Okoli, an estate agent of N28,505,000 under the pretext that he had three plots of land for sale in Abuja

The accused persons, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, are among nine civil servants who allegedly conspired and used “third parties” to siphon monies meant for pensioners across the country

He was charged to court, alongside two other oil marketers, Opeyemi Ajuyah and Olarenwaju Olalusi, and their companies, Majope Investment Limited and Axenergy Limited

However, counsel to the accused person, C.O. Achilike, presented an oral bail application, which was not opposed by the prosecution

The suspects – Joseph Amaechi, Israel Friday, Ubadia Francis, Abayomi Adebisi, Abdullahi Idris, Samuel Job, Onah Peter Ode, Sabo Tasha Hassan, Abdullahi Moh’d, Abubakar Abdulkadir, Ehiogu Paul, Ibrahim Saidu, Garba Mohammed and Bartholomew Onyema – were arrested at a military checkpoint at Toto, Nasarawa State by officers of the 177 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army, while attempting to transport 14 trailer loads of crude oil to the Northern states

The duo, who were employees of Vanguard Media Limited, are alleged to have stolen N2,024,795 from their employer and, thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Penal Code Act cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004

The arrest of the former governor is sequel to his refusal to honour invitations by the Commission.

Obinna C. Onyekwelu, Emmanuel Ngwu, Ogunjimi Charles (at large) and Onyia Fidelia (at large) are alleged to belong to a syndicate, which extorts money from unsuspecting Nigerians under the pretext of helping them secure employment with the Federal Government

Sanni, a chartered accountant and operator of SIDAW Ventures, a bureau de change, was alleged to have fraudulently transferred various sums of money from more than seven customers of the former Intercontinental Bank into the account of SIDAW Ventures owned and operated by him without the customers’ consent, while Atoyebi was docked for allowing his passport-sized photograph and name to be used to open an account by SIDAW Ventures Limited in the name of Akanmu Babatunde

Aside from enforcing compliance with regulations, Angela Nworgu, Head SCUML, said the intelligence-driven raid is aimed at uncovering the beneficiaries of entities that could be used to launder money within and outside Nigeria

While being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, the prosecution witness who is an operative of the EFCC, Sanusi Ahmed told the court that the accused person only registered $10,000 in the Nigerian Customs Declaration Form only for a search to reveal that he had $50,000 on him

However, Ajibola Oloyede, counsel to the second and fourth defendants, challenged the admissibility of the documents, saying it was generated through a computer

According to her, she met the second accused, Zara Audu, whom she confided in, that she was interested in buying properties in Abuja but will prefer an arrangement that allows for payment by installment as she would be unable to mobilize all the funds at once for the type of properties which she desired

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, Sa’ad Hanafi Sa’ad, to request for a date for trial

Also re-arraigned were six other accused persons: Esai Dangabar, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira, and Christian Madubuke

Uwujaren said the appeal was informed by the EFCC’s belief that it was unwarranted and misdirected

Justice Mohammed granted bail to the accused person in the sum of $40,000 and one surety in like sum.
The surety must be a civil servant with either the federal, state or local government

Azeez, who contested the 2011 election on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, pleaded not guilty to the charges

The accused who were re-arraigned before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court were Downstream Energy Sources Limited, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Maula, Rocky Energy Limited, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel Morah.

Obla, however, urged the court to accelerate the trial as the case has been on going for a long time, more so when judgement was about to be delivered before it was re-assigned to Justice Onigbanjo