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Tag: alleged

  • Alleged N82.8m theft: Court hears motion on jurisdiction

    Alleged N82.8m theft: Court hears motion on jurisdiction

    An Ikeja  Court, will tomorrow hear  an application challenging its jurisdiction to try the Managing Director, Cross Country Limited(CCL), Chief Bube Okorodudu for an alleged N829 million theft.

    The Economic and Financial Crimed Commission (EFCC) preferred charge against Okorodudu, his company, Cross Country and Car Link Limited.     The commission alleged that Okorodudu and his company  stole  N82.9m which was the proceeds of  17 units of Volkswagen transporter buses belonging to AG Moeller Limited.  In the charge signed Mr. Francis Usani, the commission had alleged that Okorodudu stole the money from AG Moeller between February 13, 2008 and August 14, 2009.

      The EFCC claimed the buses were fraudulently sold to GMT Nigeria Limited; Multichoice Nigeria Limited; and Law Union and Rock/TFS Finance Limited. Okorodudu was said to have forged a document titled, ‘Nigeria Customs Service Motor Vehicle Duty Certificate’ with number A008911777 to facilitate the alleged stealing.

     The alleged stealing offence contravenes Section 390 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17 Vol. 2 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003. EFCC further claimed that other offences of forgery and uttering violated provisions of Sections 467 and 468 of the same law, respectively.

    Unfortunately since the  matter came before the court early in the year, the EFCC has not been able to arraign the defendant to take his plea. Rather the defendant thorough his counsel, Chief Roberte Clarke challenged the jurisdiction of the court to try him.

    Consequent upon the application the EFCC on March 3, asked the court for a bench warrant for the arrest of the Chief Bube Okorodudu. The request followed  the defendant’s alleged failure to appear in court for  the second time. At the hearing,  EFCC counsel, Emmanuel Jackson asked the court to issue a bench warrant against the defendant because on two occasions, failed to show up in court to take his plea. Clarke  opposed  the application,  insisting  that there is a subsisting application by his client challenging the jurisdiction.

    He argued that the proper procedure was for the court to first resolve the issue of jurisdiction before ruling on EFCC’s application for bench warrant. Chief Clarke submitted that the court cannot make pronouncement on a case where  its jurisdiction is still been challenged.

    After listening to both counsel, Justice Lawal-Akapo directed both counsel  to provide him with authorities to assist him in his ruling.

    He adjourned the matter till April 8, 2014 for ruling.

    But on the next adjourned date of April 8, 2014, a new twist was introduced into the matter as counsel to the defendant, Chief Ladi Williams (SAN), informed the court that both defendants were not served with the said application. Williams argued that his clients were legal personalities and had the right to be heard in the proceedings. He therefore requested for a short adjournment to enable the second and third defendants to be served with the application and file their replies.

    The EFCC counsel, Mr Emmanuel Jackson, while opposing the call for adjournment, noted that the bench warrant was being sought against only Okorodudu. “We never applied for any warrant against the second and third defendants. So they have no right to file written addresses on the issues we have raised. “The balance of convenience will weigh against the state if the defence keeps seeking for an adjournment even when the defendants are yet to be arraigned,” Jackson said.

    In a short ruling ,  Justice Lawal-Akapo ordered the EFCC to serve the second and third defendants with the said application and fixed ruling again on the application of the commission for bench warrant for April 28, 2014.

    At the resumed trial two weeks ago, Justice Lawal-Akapo declined to grant  the request by the EFCC for a bench warrant of arrest against Chief Okorodudu.

    The court cited a ruling of the Appeal Court, Sokoto Division to back its rejection of the application.

    He said the Court of Appeal in the matter  between Dr Attahiru Bafarawa and the state  “held that the presence of the accused can be dispensed with pending the hearing and determination of the application challenging the charge.

    “The lower court is bound by the decision of the higher court.

    “Therefore, the invitation to issue the bench warrant is declined and the application is hereby refused.”

    The trial judge thereafter adjourned the matter till May 7, 2014  for hearing of Okorodudu’s application which challenged  the jurisdiction of the court.

  • Senate orders probe into INEC’s alleged disregard for court judgments

    Senate orders probe into INEC’s alleged disregard for court judgments

    Senate President David Mark has directed that investigation be conducted into alleged refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to obey court judgments.

    Mark’s directive was particularly to the Senate Committee on INEC, headed by Andy Uba. The committee is to investigate the commission’s alleged “flagrant refusal to comply with valid and subsisting orders”, with focus on the direct implications of such refusal.

    The Senate President’s position is contained in a letter, dated April 1, by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Victor Abang.

    The letter acknowledged the receipt of the allegations in the petition, a copy of which The Nation obtained in Abuja at the weekend.

    Abang said the petition “has been referred to the Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC for further necessary action.”

    The petition, dated March 31, was written to Mark by a group, Partners for Electoral Reform (PER), with copies sent to President Goodluck Jonathan and other stakeholders in the country’s democratic project.

    The group alerted the stakeholders to the possible threat the INEC refusal posed to the nation’s electoral process.

    It warned that if not urgently checked, INEC’s continued defiance to court orders and judgments could derail the democratic process.

    PER, in the petition written by a lawyer and rights activist, Malachy Ugwummadu, referred to about six cases in which the court had allegedly given orders against INEC and which the commission disobeyed.

    The group referred to, among others, the judgment given against INEC and others by Justice Ibrahim Auta of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on January 28, in a suit filed by a firm, Bedding Holdings Limited (BHL).

    INEC allegedly disobeyed the court verdict.

    The court, in the judgment, held that BHL possessed a valid and subsisting patent right over the process of application of the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines for voter registration.

    It ordered that INEC and others first obtain BHL’s consent before applying the company’s patented process.

    PER noted that although INEC was not the only government agency that disregard court orders, the implication of the commission’s refusal to obey court orders, especially those related to the electoral process, was worrisome.

    PER recalled that in all the cases filed against INEC and others by BHL, the courts have “recognised and pronounced the plaintiff as the undisputed and bona fide exclusive patentee of the transparent ballot boxes as well as the owners of the patent rights and copyright in and over the process and application of the products used for voters’ register”.

  • Man held for alleged $50,000 theft

    Operatives of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, Lagos have arrested an employee of a Bureau de Change and his wife for allegedly stealing  $50,000 from his employer.

    The suspect, Festus Chukwuemeka, was arrested following a petition dated January 27, ehich was addressed to the Commissioner of Police, SFU, alleging that he was sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with three other employees by the complainant to collect $50,000 each for foreign exchange business.

    It was alleged that Festus made away with the whole money and could not be reached.

    The suspect, it was learnt, changed his phone numbers and was only in contact with his wife, Blessing, and his girlfriend, Susan Ehwefan.

    The police, in collaboration with a communication company, succeeded in tracking him down at his hide-out in Republic of Benin.

    Police said 32-year-old Festus, who hails from Umuoma Okpofe in Ezinihite Mbaise, Imo State, is a Mechanical Engineering graduate of Abia State University.

    In his statement, Festus said he was employed as a driver to the petitioner and was sent with the others to collect $50,000 from CBN, adding that after collecting the money, he fled to Cotonou and switched off all his phones.

    Spokesperson of the SFU, Ngozi Isintume-Agu, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the suspect, who is married with four children, alerted his wife, Blessing, to run away with the children.

    “He was arrested in Benin Republic with the assistance of Benin Republic police authorities while he was trying to purchase a Hiace bus,” she said.

    Isintume-Agu said the suspect confessed to the alleged crime, and that he kept $17,000 with his wife at a village near Idiroko.

    “His wife, Blessing Chukwuemeka, a 26-year-old petty trader with no formal education, was also arrested. She is a native of Ehime Mbano in Imo State. She admitted that the husband called her on January 21 and told her to run away from home to avoid police arrest because he had stolen a huge sum of money from his employer.

    “She further admitted that the money was kept in her custody and that her husband came from time to time to collect it from her.  She was arrested at Idiroko in a friend’s house, where she was hiding.  The sum of $15,000, $2,620,000.00 Cefa and N76,500.00 was recovered from her”, Isintume-Agu said.

    She said after ongoing investigations, the suspect and his wife would be charged to court to serve as a deterrent to others.

    The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), SFU, Zubairu Muazu, also urged the public to be careful of the kind of domestic servants they employ to take care of their homes.

    “Employers must not expose domestic servants to valuables that will tempt them to misbehave,” he said.

  • Oyinlola seeks AGF’s probe over alleged discrepancies in DPP’s status

    Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to order the investigation of the Minister for Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN) over the discrepancies in the actual personality of the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation.

    Oyinlola, in a letter to the President, accused Adoke of alleged “unacceptable conduct” in the manner he had handled the issue.

    Oyinlola accused the minister of “parading Simon Egede, who is his Special Assistant, variously as Acting Director of Public Prosecutions and Director of Public Prosecution in flagrant breach of Public Service Rules and general convention.

    “In other words, Simon Egede and Mohammed Adoke have unlawfully teamed up to perpetrate the criminal act of impersonation in their bid to obstruct justice.”

    Oyinlola said Egede, who had appeared in court as the DPP, had committed an offence of impersonating a public servant,contrary to Section 132 of the Penal Code which provides thus:

    “Whoever pretends to hold any particular office as a public servant knowing that he does not hold such office or falsely personages any other person holding such office, and in such assumed character does or attempts to do any act under colour of such office, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years…”

    Oyinlola said the AGF had also committed an offence of making wrong conferment of responsibility contrary to Section 132(a) of the Penal Code.

    He also presented a letter written by Egede where he signed as Director, Public Prosecutions on behalf of the AGF to the President .The former governor also attached another letter from the AGF, where the AGF admitted that Egede’s purported appointment as DPP was null and void

    The AGF, in the letter, said: “On October 24 last year, the Federal Civil Service Commission. informed the Ministry of Justice that his (Egede) purported engagement into the Federal Civil Service was null and void.

    “Consequently, he was directed to cease to work in the Department.”

    Documents attached to the letter showed that Egede was never appointed as DPP but it was A.A Akintewe who was appointed DPP.

    The AGF and Egede could not be reached for comments.

  • Alleged false kidnap report: Police arraigns 52-year-old in court

    Alleged false kidnap report: Police arraigns 52-year-old in court

    The Police in Abuja yesterday arraigned a 52-year-old businessman, Dr. Chukwunazom Obi, in court for allegedly making false claim of kidnap.

    Obi, who was arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone Two, was accused of providing false information to the police that one of his adversaries in a land dispute, Chief Kris Ikeme, and some others, attempted to kidnap and kill him.

    The Police, in a First Information Report (FIR) filed before the court, stated that the accused on August 2013 “falsely alleged that Chief Kris Ikeme and others conspired while armed with guns attempted to kidnap and kill you, a complaint you know to be false and does not believe in its truth and thereby committed the above offence.”

    The Police added in the FIR signed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Chris Ojeh, that the offence of “false information with intent to mislead public servant is contrary to section 140 [a] and [b] of the Panel code Law.

    Obi, the Chief Executive Officer of Trust Link Ventures Limited pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

  • Senate aborts report on alleged rape of kid

    Senate aborts report on alleged rape of kid

    The Senate yesterday shelved the consideration of the report of its Committee on Police Affairs over the alleged rape of a two-year-old girl by Police Corporal Anthony Onojo.

    Senate President David Mark, after receiving the report, said it would be wrong to subject it to open debate on the floor of the Senate since the case was before a court of competent jurisdiction.

    Onojo has been dismissed from the police and is being prosecuted at the Nasarawa State High Court in Lafia.

    Police Affairs Committee Chairman Paulinus Igwe said the committee interacted with all the stakeholders in the case to know the truth.

    He listed those who testified before the committee to include the mover of the motion, Senator Helen Esuene, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar, parents of the rape victim, Nasarawa State Police Commissioner and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Mararaba Police Division ‘A’.

    The senator said the committee also visited the Lafia Prison to see Onojo to confirm that he was in lawful custody and to get him ready to answer the allegations against him.

    Igwe noted that from the interaction with all concerned, the committee realised that the police responded immediately the matter was reported to them by the mother of the victim.

    The senator said the suspect and his family, “in a desperate move to subvert justice, attempted to bribe the parents of the victim”.

    He added that the public outcry against the incident followed the failure of the police to create public awareness on the actions the police were taking.

    He confirmed that the suspect had been dismissed from the police and his case charged to court.

    The committee recommended that the case be closely monitored to ensure that justice is not only done but seen to have been done.

    It advised that the rape victim and her parents be provided with adequate security to ensure that none of them come to harm for exposing the dastardly act.

    The committee also said the media should be commended for bringing the matter to public notice.on

  • Businessman petitions IGP for alleged harassment

    An Aba businessman, Chief Ugwumbe Okafor, has petitioned the Inspector- General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar over alleged harassment and unprofessional conduct by CSP Friday Freedom of the General Investigating Section of the Force CID, Abuja.

    In a petition by his lawyer, Emeka Nnaji, dated December 20, Okafor alleged that Freedom, stormed his home at 196, Port Harcourt Road, Aba, Abia State, accompanied by other officers to arrest him for an offence he said he never committed.

    The petitioner alleged that the other officers, obeying Freedom’s instruction, climbed the fence and broke into his home after breaking the glasses, doors and windows.

    He alleged that Freedom and his men ransacked his home and in the process, his gold wristwatch valued at N350, 000 and N800, 000 belonging to his church got missing.

    The lawyer said: “Freedom, in a war-like disposition, went to our client’s home and without seeing the man, he instructed his men to climb the fence and break into his home, which they did.

    “Our client’s vital documents were removed although he and his family were not at home. This action can be likened to daylight robbery.”

    Okafor appealed to the IGP to intervene and investigate the alleged unprofessional action of Freedom.

    Contacted on his mobile phone, the police officer denied the allegation. He declined further comments.

  • Banker held for alleged N50m fraud

    An account officer with GT Homes has been arrested by operatives of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) in Ikoyi, Lagos, for allegedly using fake authorisation to defraud a customer of over N50million.

    The suspect, Adeola Olokojobi, was arrested following a petition to the Commissioner of Police in charge of the SFU, Mr Tunde Ogunsakin, by the customer.

    The petitioner had alleged that his account officer had not been forthcoming with his account balances, adding that the balance given to him was at variance with what he actually had in the account.

    Ogunsakin said before the alleged fraud was reported to the SFU, the bank’s internal investigation into the account showed a forged instruction by the account officer in April, transferring N15million into an unknown customer’s account.

    “Also, the bank discovered other various fraudulent withdrawals made by the account officer from other customers’ accounts in his care through fake transfer instructions amounting to over N50million,” Ogunsakin added.

    Olokojobi (31), was paraded by SFU’s spokesperson, Ngozi Isintume-Agu, a Deputy Superintendent on Tuesday.

    The suspect, a graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking & Finance, according to Isintume-Agu, confessed to the crime.

    “I used the money to finance my political campaign, a proposed pure water factory and the purchase of an uncompleted building at Sango-Ota, Ogun State,” he said.

    Isintume-Agu said arrangements were being made to arraign Olokojobi in court soon.

  • Alleged N25.7b theft: Trial of Atuche, others continues

    Alleged N25.7b theft: Trial of Atuche, others continues

    ALagos High Court, Ikeja presided by Justice Lateefat Okunnu will today continue with the trial of former Managing Director of defunct Bank PHB, Francis Atuche and two others over an alleged N25.7 billion theft belonging to the bank.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Atuche, his wife, Elizabeth and former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu before the court for the offence.

    At the last trial, Atuche’s counsels, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN) and Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), had during the trial complained that their client was not being given a fair hearing by the court.

    Idigbe, who led the defence team, had asked Justice Okunnu to recluse herself from the case, claiming that ”the court has descended into the arena.”

    In his submission, Oyetibo complained that the EFCC was creating an impression that they would secure conviction of the defendants before Okunnu, adding that the judge presiding over a similar charge against the defendants at the Federal High Court, Lagos, Justice Sarah Ofili-Ajumogobia, had on Tuesday reclused herself from the matter at the request of the EFCC.

    Oyetibo said:” The impression being created by the prosecution is worrisome. At the Federal High Court, the judge reclused herself because they told the court that she would not jail the defendants,” he submitted.

    Chief Idigbe further informed the court that he and Oyetibo would appeal a N10,000 cost awarded against them by the court on October 3, 2013, for being absent from proceeding.

    The judge had penalised them for “wasting tax payers money,” following their absence from the proceedings on the matter.

    Moving an application dated October 9, 2013, Idigbe argued that himself and Oyetibo had written a letter to the court regarding their absence, hence there was no need to award the cost against them.

    They therefore sought the leave of the court to appeal against the order at the Court of Appeal.

    They urged the court for a stay of execution of the order, pending the decision of the appellate court.

    Counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) did not oppose the application to appeal the order of the court.

    Justice Okunnu granted Idigbe’s application, but refused to recluse herself from presiding over the trial.

    The judge, assured the defendants of fair trial, but stressed that the situation at the Federal High Court had no bearing on the matter before her.

  • Ex-Oyo commissioner remanded in prison for alleged N77m fraud

    A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday remanded a former Oyo State Commissioner, Kazeem Adedeji, in prison for alleged N77 million fraud.

    The ex-commissioner with Yinka Fatoki and Kolawole Adewole were remanded in custody by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, following an application by prosecuting counsel, Effiong Asuquo.

    The trio are standing trial on six counts of conspiracy and fraud, to which they pleaded not guilty.

    Asuquo told the court that he was just served a bail summons at the court by the accused counsel, Bode Iranloye and he would require time to file his counter affidavit.

    The prosecutor told the court that the accused committed the offence between last July and June.

    “Sometime in 2012, while Adedeji was still commissioner, the Oyo State government entered into an agreement with the Bank of Industry (BOI) known as OYSG/B.O.I. Fund, to create a pool from which indigenous entrepreneurs could access credit facilities.

    “Both parties had made a contribution of N500,000,000 each, which amounted to N1 billion joint contribution.

    “The joint venture was aimed at promoting micro and medium business in Oyo State.

    “But Adedeji lodged the contributions into Enterprise Bank where his wife worked as an account officer, without the consent and approval of the Oyo State government,” Asuquo said.

    He told the court that the accused conspired with the other defendants to obtain over N77 million, which they allocated to non-existing companies.

    The prosecutor alleged that Adedeji granted the facilities to Josh-Tolani Ventures; Tembenatil Ventures; Ojoo God’s Grace Cooperative Society; Agric Preserve Company Ltd and Adis Steel Work Limited.

    He said upon investigation at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), it was discovered that none of these companies existed.

    According to Asuquo, the offences contravened sections 1(1), 1(3) (a) and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2004.

    Aneke, after listening to the parties, remanded the accused in prison and adjourned the case till October 8 for hearing on the bail application.