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Tag: businessman

  • Businessman docked for alleged N8m Canadian visa scam

    A businessman, Evans Ukanna, who allegedly forged a Canadian visa after obtaining N8 million from a potential traveler, was yesterday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Ukanna, 30, was charged with a four-count of conspiracy, fraud, forgery and stealing before Chief Magistrate O. O. Oshin.

    Prosecuting counsel, Mr Daniel Apochi, said Ukanna committed the offences between last October and November in Lagos.

    The lawyer said the defendant obtained N8 million from Mr Innocent Egbo, under the pretext of securing a Canadian visa and a travel ticket for him.

    The court heard that Ukanna told Egbo that he had connections at the Canadian Embasy and that he could help him secure a visa.

    “When the defendant could not secure the visa, he forged a Canadian visa and issued it to the complainant so that it could be acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of the complainant,” Apochi said.

    According to him, the offences contravened sections 285, 312, 363 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    But Ukanna pleaded not guilty.

    His counsel, Mr E. E. Eze, applied for his bail.

    Chief Magistrate Oshin upheld his application and granted him bail for N500,000 with two sureties in the like sum.

    The case continues on August 7.

  • Businessman threatens to sue EKEDC for ‘illegal’ disconnection

    The Chief Executive Officer of Samwoly Guest House, Surulere, Michael Oladipupo Ogunbiyi, has threatened to sue the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) for alleged victimisation and illegal disconnection.

    He said EKEDC workers from Orile Business District invaded his business premises to disconnect his power supply despite not owing electricity bill

    According to him, the EKEDC officials claimed he was disconnected because they were denied access to the premises, which he said was false as the place had unhindered access.

    The businessman claimed he was being victimised because of a petition he wrote against an EKEDC official who he accused of unwholesome practices and extortion.

    Ogunbiyi said an investigative panel, headed by the Chief Compliance Officer Mrs. Sherry Adegbenro, was set up to investigate his petition, at the end of which he was informed that the employee would be sanctioned.

    He was however surprised that it was the same man he wrote the petition against who led the team to disconnect his business premises.

    Ogunbiyi urged the EKEDC management to get rid of its corrupt workers who are tarnishing its image and to reconnect his power supply.

    He said if his demands were not met, he would instruct his lawyers to institute legal action against the company to seek redress.

     

  • Businessman ‘sexually assaults’ girl, 10

    A 42-year-old businessman, Bakare Adesina, has been remanded in Kirikiri Prisons by an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old.

    The accused, who lives at Akindua Street, New Market Road, Lekki, Lagos, was arraigned for indecent assault.

    The Prosecutor, Inspector Benson Emuerhi told the court that the offence was committed on June 2, at 9.30am at Akinogun Street, Maroko, Lagos.

    Emuerhi said the case was transferred from Maroko Police Division to the gender section of the Nigeria Police, Ikeja.

    The incident, he said, was reported by the victim’s mother, Mrs Fatima Suleiman.

    Emuerhi said the victim was sent to the market to buy food stuffs.

    “The survivor ran back home to her mother crying that she was assaulted by Adesina on her way to the market,’’ he said.

    The prosecutor said the victim told her mother that the accused called her, collected the sum of N600 from her, forcefully took her into a room, covered her mouth and face, then rubbed cream on her face and fingered her private part with the cream.

    “The accused covered her mouth so that her voice would not be heard and assaulted her,” Emuerhi said.

    Chief Magistrate Olufunke Sule- Amzat adjourned till June 19.

  • Businessman charged with duping friend of $70,000

    A businessman, Chidiebere Onuoha, was yesterday brought before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding his friend, Austin Chukwudi, of $70, 000 (about N26.2 million),.

    Onuoha, 51, is standing trial on a two-count charge of fraud and stealing before Mr B. I. Bakare.

    Prosecuting counsel Henry Obiazi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), alleged that the defendant committed the offences sometime in September, 2017, in Ajah, Lagos.

    According to him, Onuoha obtained the money in a currency exchange deal, but neither delivered the naira equivalent nor returned the $70,000.

    He said: “The defendant obtained 70, 000 US dollars from the complainant under the guise of getting the naira equivalent for him. He converted the money to his personal use.”

    Onuoha pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Bakare granted him N5 million bail, with two sureties in the like sum.

    The case continues on July 3.

  • Businessman in court for ‘raping Facebook girlfriend’

    An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court yesterday remanded a businessman, Ebuka Eze, 27, in prison for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl he met on Facebook.

    Eze will remain in custody pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    The defendant was arraigned before Chief Magistrate, P. E. Nwaka on a one count charge of child defilement contrary to Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Prosecuting Inspector Christopher John told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 19 at his 25, Ayodele Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos home.

    The defendant, he said, had invited the victim, who he met on Facebook, to his house, where she was raped.

    The prosecutor alleged that during the visit, the defendant pushed the victim to the bed, covered her mouth with pillow and raped her. John claimed that the defendant wiped the bloodstain on his victim’s body with the bedspread

    He said when the victim got home, her parents saw the bloodstain on her dress and asked how she came by it and she narrated the incident to them.

    The prosecutor said the case was reported to the police and the accused was arrested.

    Chief Magistrate Nwaka adjourned till June 28.

  • Businessman in court over attempt to defile minor

    A 43-year-old businessman, Nwajide Ekenenna, was on Thursday arraigned by the police in an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for attempted sexual intercourse with a minor.

    Ekenenna, who resides at 3, Ogunwo St., off Oniwaya, Agege, Lagos, is alleged to have rubbed his manhood on the private part of a 13-year-old girl.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Christopher John, told the court that the accused committed the alleged offence on May 14, at his residence.

    John said that the mother of the minor sent her to inquire from the accused if he needed anything from the shop as he usually bought things from her.

    He added that when the minor got to the apartment of the accused, he grabbed her, took off her pants and started rubbing his manhood on her private part.

    Read Also: Man arraigned for alleged visa fraud

    The offence contravened Section 263 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr P. E. Nwaka, granted the accused bail in the sum of N300, 000, with two sureties in like sum.

    Nwaka adjourned the case until June 25.

  • Court remands businessman for alleged N26m fraud

    A businessman, Charles Ihenetu, was yesterday remanded in Kirikiri prison custody by an Ikeja Special Offences Court, for alleged N26 million fraud.

    He will stay in custody till June 20 when his trial begins.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Ihenetu for allegedly obtaining N26 million, under false pretence, from Mr. Osaduwa Amechi.

    Ihenetu was arraigned with his company, V-Choice International Co. Nigeria Ltd, before Justice Mojisola Dada.

    They are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence.

    Prosecuting counsel Zainab Ettu said the offence committed was contrary to Section 8 (a)and 1(1) (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No 14 of 2006.

    She said EFCC received a petition against the defendant from the complainant, Amechi, that he allegedly obtained money from him on the pretext that they had a vessel containing crude.

    Ettu said Ihenetu asked him if he could raise a draft of N20 million to invest in the vessel going to Ghana.

    The complainant paid him, but could not get any vessel, nor did they return his money.

    Justice Dada adjourned the matter till June 20 for trial.

  • Businessman gets 12 months for unlawful possession of pistol

    A Kasuwan Nama Upper Area Court, Jos, Plateau State, yesterday sentenced a 38-year-old businessman, Tunde Akande, to 12 months’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of a locally-made pistol.

    The judge, Mr. Yahaya Mohammed, convicted Akande, who pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of unlawful possession of a locally-made pistol.

    The judge, however, gave Akande an option of N10,000 fine since he was a first time offender.

    Prosecutor Mr. F.A. Gabriel told the court the case was reported on March 22, at Laranto Police Station, Jos.

    He said it was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department for further investigation.

    Gabriel said the convict, who does his business at Farin-Gada Market, fought with a man, simply called Babaginda, who is also a businessman.

    He said Babaginda told the traders’ union that the convict had a pistol, and during police investigation, the locally-made pistol was found in his possession.

    The prosecutor said during investigation, the police discovered the pistol was not licensed.

    He said the offence contravened Section 27, sub-section 1(A) (I) sub-section B (ii) of the Firearms Act. Cap F28, LFN 2004.

     

  • ‘How we ‘caught’ businessman with cloned SON logos’

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday heard how 147 cartons of NSNOWS gas refrigerants with cloned Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) logos were allegedly found with the Managing Director of Agastorm Ltd, Nonso Udoye.

    A prosecution witness, Aladesuyi Oluwadare, told Justice Saliu Saidu that a SON patrol team discovered the products at the warehouse of Agastrom Ltd in Ebute-Meta, Lagos.

    Udoye, of 36, Ayilara Street, Surulere, Lagos, is standing trial on a 15-count charge of forgery and counterfeiting.

    The defendant has been on remand following his inability to perfect his bail terms.

    At the beginning of proceedings yesterday, Oluwadare was led in examination-in-chief by SON’s counsel, Amaka Allen-Ngbale.

    The witness testified that he was part of a five-man team investigating the case following a petition by SON’s director-general to the inspector-general of Police (IGP).

    Oluwadare said: “It was stated in the petition that on December 7, 2017, during a patrol by a SON patrol unit, they intercepted a warehouse at 137, Borno Way, Ebute-Meta, belonging to the defendant. On inspection of the goods inside the warehouse, they discovered cartons of NSNOWS gas refrigerants and cylinders with unauthorised SON seal. So they locked up the warehouse.”

    He told the court that following Udoye’s arrest, the businessman took the police investigative team to another warehouse, “where another product, Chap gas refrigerant cylinder, was discovered.”

    The witness testified that SON told the police team that it did not authorise the use of its seal on the products.”

    Following a brief cross-examination by defence counsel, Emmanuel Okoroafor, Justice Saidu adjourned till May 18 for continuation of trial.

    According to the charge, Udoye allegedly “made an impression of a production registration counterfeit seal … on 147 cartons of NSNOWS gas refrigerants of 12 cylinders each stored at the warehouse.”

    The court also heard that he imported “1,441 cartons of refrigerant gas that did not comply with industrial standard, among others.”

    The alleged offences contravened sections 465, 467, 467(4)(v) and 468 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004 and sections 26(2) (b) and 26 (2) (b) (iii) of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria Act, 2015.

  • Businessman: policemen kidnapped my brother and me

    A Benin-based businessman, Uche Ezedike, yesterday  alleged that he and his younger brother were kidnapped by some policemen, who collected N130,000 from them before letting them off.

    Ezedike told The Nation yesterday that the accident happened in Onitsha, Anambra State on Sunday.

    He said the policemen, numbering about five, stopped his vehicle around 11:30am at Upper Iweka Bridge, while he and his brother were returning to Edo State from their home town in Imo.

    The policemen, he claimed,  flagged down their vehicle, asked where they were going and where they were from.

    “I told them we were returning to Benin City from Imo State. One of them demanded to search my boot, which he did and found just our clothes and shoes.

    “He then asked for my occupation and I told him that I am a businessman and that I sell tyres. He said I was lying that I looked like a fraudster and instantly pointed a gun at me and pushed me into my car.

    “He called one of his colleagues to point a gun too at my younger brother, who was on the steering and demanded the car key from my brother. They dragged my younger brother to the back seat, handcuffed us together and sped off into Onitsha town.

    “While one of them took over the steering, the other pointed a gun at my brother and. The man driving drove for almost 10 minutes. I asked where we were going but he shut me up that I will know when we got to the destination.

    “I became afraid and asked him why he was not taking us to the police station. I was begging them and my younger brother was crying. The driver later stopped on a very lonely road and demanded that I pay them N1,000,000. I told him that I do not have. I continued to beg them and told them that I was rushing to see my pregnant wife, who was to undergo surgery to remove fibroid that was growing alongside the baby in her womb.

    “They threatened to kill my younger brother at the spot if I did not give them the money they asked for. The threat was much that I had to beg them to allow me call my family or friends. They allowed me access to my phone and asked that I put it on speaker, which I did.

    “I called a friend for money, who asked me what was happening but I could not tell him because the one at the back was pointing his gun directly at me. My friend said he had only N30,000. I then called my wife and asked her for money but did not tell her what was happening. She said the only money with her was the money I gave her as deposit for the surgery.

    “The amount was N116,000 in her account, they demanded the money be transferred including the one from my friend. I asked how and one of them said he would call for account. He called and it was a woman’s voice. An account number was sent through his phone and I gave it to my wife through my brother’s Whatsapp. I also sent the account number to my friend.

    “My friend’s N30,000 transfer came in first and within five minutes my wife transferred N100,000 into the same account they gave. Within five minutes again, the woman called and told them she has received alerts

    “They told me that God has saved my brother and I. The one at the steering drove off again and after five minutes, I saw an expressway and they showed us how to go to Benin. They stopped, removed the handcuff and asked my brother to drive off immediately. It was like a dream to me and I imagined what other people might have passed through.”

    Contacted, Anambra State Police Command spokesperson, Nkiru Nwude appealed to the victim to report officially at the police division where the incident occurred.

    Nwude said: “I am not aware of this case. I do not think it was officially reported at a police station. It is an allegation and it would be wrong for me to say the culprits are policemen or not. But I can tell you that cases of indiscipline by our operatives have reduced since Commissioner of Police Garba Umar took over.

    “The best thing at the moment is for the victims to report officially so that investigation can commence. Since there was a bank transaction, tracking the culprits would be a lot easier.”