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Tag: businessman

  • Businessman gets N10m bail for N141m export ‘fraud’

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court yesterday granted a businessman, Chekwube Okafor, N10 million bail following his arraignment for allegedly obtaining N141.6 million from his partner under the pretext of exporting wood to China.

    Chief Magistrate O. A. Botoku’s ruling followed Okafor’s arraignment by the police on a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and fraud.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Botoku also ordered Okafor to produce two sureties in the like sum, who must also be gainfully employed and show evidence of tax payment.

    She adjourned till May 15.

    Earlier, prosecuting Inspector Steven Molo alleged that Okafor committed the offences between October 2016 and February 2017, at Alaba, in Ojo Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos State.

    He said the defendant fraudulently obtained N141.6 million from his business associate, Ifeanyi Okoli, under the guise of exporting 44 20-foot containers of wood to China.

    “The complainant did not receive the containers of wood which the defendant obtained money for; he did not even pay back the said money to the complainant.

    “The defendant knew that the representation he made was false,” Molo told Chief Magistrate Botoku.

    According to him, the offences contravened Sections 287, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

  • Businessman in court

    A 54-year-old businessman, Henry Ogbado, was yesterday arraigned at a Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, for allegedly paving the way for an unknown person to kidnap a child.

    Ogbado, who lives at Dape village, Abuja, was arraigned on a one-count charge of negligent conduct.

    The judge, Mr. Abubakar Sadiq, however, granted him bail at N100,000 with one surety.

    He said the surety must be a level 9 officer and must live in the court’s jurisdiction.

    Sadiq said the surety must present a current utility bill in his name to the registrar, and adjourned the matter till May 14 for hearing.

    Prosecutor Dalhatu Zannah told the court that Matthew Andrew, the defendant’s neighbour, reported the matter at Life Camp Police Station.

    He said the complainant left his four-year-old son, David Matthew, in the custody of the defendant and went to work.

    Zannah said the defendant neglected the boy, thereby allowing an unknown person to abduct him.

    He added that the defendant could not give a satisfactory account of the missing boy during investigation.

    The prosecutor told the court that efforts to find the boy proved abortive.

    He said the offence contravened Section 196 of the Penal Code Law.

  • Businessman docked for parading as king-elect

    A 42-year-old businessman, Malumi Ademibo, on Wednesday appeared before an Okitipupa Magistrate’s Court in Ondo State for allegedly misrepresenting himself as king-elect

    Ademibo, whose address was not mentioned, appeared before Magistrate Banji Ayeomoni.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Zedekiah Orogbemi, said that the accused falsely paraded himself as the Amapetu-elect of Mahin Kingdom on Jan. 13 at 12:30p.m at Ode Mahin Kingdom in Ondo State.

    Orogbemi said that the accused falsely paraded himself following the death of Oba Lawrence Omowole, the Amapetu of Mahin Kingdom.
    He submitted that Ademibo’s action was an embarrassment to the Mahin Kingdom because its council of chiefs had yet to decide on who should be the next king.

    Orogbemi said that the offences were punishable under Sections 516 and 108(2) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty, and was granted bail by Ayeomoni in the sum of N100,000 and a surety in like sum.

    Ayeomoni ordered that the surety must produce evidence of a year tax payment.

    He adjourned the case until April 30 for substantive hearing.

  • N11.5b ‘fraud’: Akala, senator, businessman take EFCC to Supreme Court

    A former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ayoola Agboola and a businessman, Mr. Femi Babalola, have taken the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the Supreme Court over allegation of N11.5 billion fraud.

    The move by the trio stalled the commencement of trial in the case that was scheduled to start on Monday before Justice Muniru Owolabi of an Oyo State High Court, holden at Iyaganku, Ibadan.

    According to the EFCC, the alleged fraud was committed when the first defendant, Alao-Akala, was governor of the state between 2007 and 2011.

    Agboola, the second defendant, at the time served as commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, while Babalola owns an engineering firm, Pentagon Engineering Services that executed some contracts during the administration.

    At the court yesterday, counsel to Alao-Akala and Babalola, Mr. Hakeem Afolabi (SAN), moved two applications before Justice Owolabi, informing the court that his clients have filed an interlocutory appeal on the matter before the Supreme Court, seeking an adjournment of the case in order to await the decision of the apex court.

    He said the applications dated April 7 and filed on April 9, were filed on 10 grounds, praying the court to allow the defendants to go, and “should be told not to return to sin, though they are not sinners.”

    He relied on some earlier pronouncements of the Supreme Court, including Amaechi versus Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Pastor Richard Ogunwole (SAN), who is the counsel to the second defendant, Ayoola Agboola, aligned himself with the two applications moved in the court, saying the interlocutory appeal in the Supreme Court would terminate the proceedings at the high court entirely, if it succeeds.

    He urged the court to “tarry a little, not resting it,” in continuing with the case so that it would not run on collision course against the apex court.

    But the EFCC’S counsel, Dr. Benedict Ubi, opposed the adjournment, arguing that granting the application would amount to “a violent violation of the Constitution of Nigeria, ” relying on the pronouncement of the Supreme Court in the case of Olisa Metuh versus Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    He urged the court to disregard the applications and go on with the case.

    Justice Owolabi, however, adjourned the case till June 4 for ruling on the applications, whether the court would await the decision of the Supreme Court or it would continue with the trial while the interlocutory appeal is still pending in the apex court.

    The EFCC on October 11, 2011 filed the matter before Justice Moshood Abass of the court and the defendants were admitted to bail, which they perfected.

    Justices Akintunde Boade and Bayo Taiwo, had also sat on the case before the former retired and the latter transferred out of Ibadan Division.

    Alao-Akala was admitted to bail at N5 million with two sureties, while the second and third defendants were also granted bail at N3 million each with two sureties.

    But the three defendants were re-arraigned before Justice Owolabi on March 5, 2018, over the same matter by the EFCC.

    The trio pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

    Counsel to the defendants urged the court to allow their clients to enjoy the previous bail condition granted to them, which was granted by the court.

    The defendants are facing an 11-count charge of conspiracy, awarding contract without budgetary provision, obtaining by false pretence, acquiring property with money derived from illegal act and concealing the ownership of such property, among others.

    The EFCC’s counsel, Dr Benedict Ubi, had told the court that when Alao-Akala was the governor of Oyo State, he awarded a road contract worth N8.5billion between 2007 and 2009 to Pentagon Engineering Services, alleging further that the firm handled the contract on behalf of the 33 local governments  without budgetary provision.

    Alao-Akala, he contended, ordered the supply of drilling machines on behalf of the 33 local governments worth N3.5billion, saying Alao-Akala purportedly conspired with Ayoola to withdraw N2.9 billion from Oyo State Local Government Joint Account.

  • Court strikes out charge against businessman

    AN Igbosere  Magistrates’ Court has struck out a N7million conversion charge preferred against a businessman, Mr Uzoukwu George.

    Chief Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe ended the proceedings following a letter from the complainant, Mr Joachim Ezirim, stating that the financial dispute between him and George had been resolved.

    On August 23, 2016, the police filed the three-count charge marked C/49/2016, following a complaint by Ezirim, George’s business partner.

    Prosecuting Inspector Abass Abayomi told the court that the charge arose following a failed joint venture business between the duo.

    But George denied the offences.

    His counsel, Chief M. C. Ikwunoh, told the court that a day earlier, George honoured an invitation by the police for talks with the complainant after which both parties went home.

    Ikwunoh said: “The defendant was granted administrative bail by the police. He came to court this morning voluntarily.”

    Two months later on October 4, 2016, Ezirim notified the court through a letter that the parties had resolved their differences.

    His said: “With humility and respect, I wish to state that I am the complainant in the above- stated matter and I want to inform the honourable court that I am not interested in the case any longer.

    “The rationale behind the withdrawal is that the matter has been resolved amicably by the family members.

    “While I agree that if this matter is withdrawn from the court, it can never be refiled or relisted and there is no duress from any angle.

    “I shall be grateful, if this application for withdrawal is given a favourable consideration.”

  • Businessman remanded for allegedly defrauding corps member

    A Karmo Grade I Area Court in Abuja has ordered that a 39-year-old businessman, Chidiebere Nwagwu, who allegedly defrauded a youth corps member of N600,000, be remanded in prison custody.

    The judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, gave the order after Nwagwu, of no fixed address, was arraigned on a four-count charge of joint act, criminal breach of trust and cheating.

    He fixed April 24 for hearing of the case.

    Nwagwu pleaded not guilty.

    The prosecutor, Zannah Dalhatu, told the court that Ijeoma Angu, a youth corps member, who lives in Kubwa, Abuja, reported the matter at Life Camp Police Station, Abuja on March 14.

    He said the complainant alleged that on March 2, the defendant and three others at large approached her while waiting for a cab in Wuse Zone III, Abuja.

    Dalhatu said they persuaded her to enter their vehicle and while on the way, they diverted to Jabi village, Abuja, where they claimed to be businessmen from Senegal.

    He said the accused told Angu that he had goods in a warehouse for sale.

    The prosecutor alleged that Angu gave the accused N600,000, to supply her with the goods, but he disappeared after collecting the money.

    He said the police discovered after preliminary investigation that the accused was a member of a gang of fraudsters, who had defrauded others.

    Dalhatu said the offences contravened sections 79, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

     

  • Businessman in $30,840 forex ‘scam’

    A businessman, Anthony Okonji, was yesterday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court  for allegedly fraudulently obtaining $30, 840.00 (about N11.1 million) from Yusuf Zakanji.

    Okonji, 31, was said to have collected the cash from  Zakanji under the guise of supplying him the naira equivalent.

    The defendant is standing trial before Magistrate W. B. Balogun.

    Prosecuting Superintendent Susan Ezema alleged that the defendant committed the offence between last May 23 and 25 in Lagos and Kano.

    She said after obtaining the $30,840 the defendant failed to supply the naira equivalent to Zakanji.

    Okonji pleaded not guilty.

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

    The case continues on May 17.

  • Praise for businessman for giving 50 scholarships

    Praise for businessman for giving 50 scholarships

    A businessman, Prince Chamberline Adiaso, has given scholarships worth millions of naira to 50 students in Abia State.

    The scholarships will cover the cost of the students’ education in some higher institutions in the country.

    The donor made this known on the sidelines of the funeral of a former top official of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Kingsley Ayim, in Agburike, Isigwu in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

    At the ceremony, the Mma Abia Women Movement (MAWM) and the youth wing of Abia State All Progressives Congress (APC) urged Adiaso to contest next year’s governorship election on the party’s platform.

    The Abia Central Women Leader, Lolo Josephine Chukwu, described Adiaso as the change agent the state needed now, noting that he was wearing the cap of a technocrat, philanthropist and  politician.

    Adiaso, she said, had impacted the society through his foundations, describing him as one of the best engineering designers recognised by the Federal Government and the international community.

    Isialangwa South Local Government Area Chairman Ezekiel Nwaogwugu hailed Adiaso “for touching the people’s lives especially those in the rural areas.”

    The youth wing president, Mr Chijioke Nwamkpa, praised Adiaso for helping the less privileged, adding that he has what it takes to govern Abia.

     

  • Businessman, two clerics held for attempted kidnapping

    Businessman, two clerics held for attempted kidnapping

    THE police have arrested two Islamic clerics popularly known as alfa and a businessman for alleged attempted kidnap of a girl in Ipaja, Lagos.

    Alfa Isah Idris and the businessman,  Abubakar Abdullahi, were paraded  yesterday by Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal at the Lagos Command Headquarters at GRA Ikeja.  The other cleric, Alfa Bagudu Bello, from Kaduna, was not paraded along with them. Another suspect, Alfa Abubakar Ibrahim,  was said to be at large.

    According to the police, the suspects were arrested after Bello, who was contracted for the job, leaked it to the girl’s girl, Alhaji Salisu Idris, a businessman.

    Edgal said Bello told Idris about the  the plot when he realised that they were from the same town.

    But Bello told reporters he  did not know Idris, adding that he was never told it was a kidnapping job.

    He said he was contacted by Idris, his fellow alfa,  to come to Lagos for a business, adding that he was first taken to Ibrahim’s house at Ikorodu to keep his luggage before he was taken to a hotel in Ipaja.

    Bello said it was while he was at the hotel that Alfa Idris told him about the plot to kidnap the businessman’s daughter. He said he was told the businessman  refused to pay them after a deal.

    Bello said: “When he told me, he said we should go and spy on the man’s house. He said as an alfa, I will have unhindered access into the man’s compound and I should use that opportunity to kidnap his young daughter.

    “I felt bad when he said it. I knew I was not going to do something like that and so, I played along with him. After we left the house, we went to the hotel and he said he was going to look for money for my feeding.

    “That was when I left the hotel and went to tell the man that some people are planning to kidnap his daughter. That they brought me from Kaduna for that purpose and that I was not ready to do something like that.

    “He did not believe me and so, I told him to send two people behind me to call Alfa Idris. He sent the people and when I called him, they heard it all. I did not know those he sent were policemen. That was how Alfa Idris was arrested and the police also caught the other man.”

    Asked why he plotted to kidnap Idris’ daughter, Alfa Idris said he was coerced by Abdullahi and Ibrahim to do it or lose the N6.3 million loan he gave them.

    He said he usually prayed for them, adding that Ibrahim brought Abdullahi to him for success prayers.

    Alfa Idris said: “I used to pray for them. Abdullahi said he did a business with Alhaji Idris and that he has not paid him. He told me because I asked for the N6.3 million I loaned him for the business but he said the man has not paid him.

    “I told him the Mobile Policeman Commander I borrowed N2.5 million from was disturbing me and that he has even arrested me for his money.

    “I also used his house documents to borrow another N2.5 million through the commander’s brother. Then, I borrowed N1.3m from our neighbourhood. The N5 million I borrowed was money they gave me to do storage business for them.

    “But after giving them the money, they did not bring it back and when I was disturbing them, they said I should help them kidnap the man’s daughter or they will not pay me.

    “Since I could not do it, I contacted Bello and brought him from Kaduna. I told him when he was in Lagos that the business I want him to do was kidnapping and that was how he told the police and I was arrested.

    “Abdullahi and Ibrahim paid me N100,000 to kidnap the girl. They were supposed to pay me N500,000 for the job. They still owe me N6.3million.”

    Edgal said: “Undercover operatives of the command who were out on intelligence gathering, met one Alhaji Salisu Idris of 7b, Ipaja Road, who narrated how some people had planned to kidnap his daughter for mundane reasons.

    “Based on his complaint, Bello was arrested. He revealed during interrogation that he lives in Kaduna, that Isah Idris contracted him to kidnap the daughter of Salisu Idris. When he arrived in Lagos, Isah Idris introduced him to one Abubakar Abdullahi and Ibrahim Abubakar. His job was to kidnap the girl and hand her over to the Abubakars.

    “The reason he was hired was because he is an Islamic scholar just like Idris, who contracted him. By this reason he would have unfettered access to the house of Alhaji Salisu Idris, who built a private mosque in his compound situated at Ipaja.

    “All Isah Idris needed to do was to take him into Alhaji Salisu’s compound to worship at the mosque so as to point the girl out to him. However when Bello was eventually introduced to Alhaji Salisu Idris, he revealed the plan to kidnap his daughter, consequent upon which the latter alerted the police who subsequently effected his arrest.

    “Asked why he had a change of plan, Bello revealed that on arriving at the mosque, he discovered that Alhaji Idris was his town’s man who had been good to him and many  of their people in the past, even though the said Alhaji Salisu Idris doesn’t know him.”

  • Immigration officers tortured me at border, alleges businessman

    Immigration officers tortured me at border, alleges businessman

    •NIS spokesman: I’ve important things to do

     

    A businessman, Chidi Nzelu, yesterday accused officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Oron border, in Cross River State, of torturing and extorting money from him.

    Nzelu, an indigene of Ojoto, in Anambra State, alleged that he was stripped, beaten up and made to call his relatives to send N100,000 or be killed.

    He alleged that he was tortured on February 20 and accused of defrauding Deyong Bruno, who he claimed to have assisted on February 12 while returning to Nigeria from Cameroon.

    Nzelu said he innocently assisted Bruno, who claimed to be a Cameroonian and was in Nigeria for the first time, not knowing the man was a mole in a gang of fraudulent officers, who specialised in extorting money from people.

    The victim said: “I sell pharmaceutical products and usually travel to neighbouring countries. I cannot walk. I am in pains following the torture Immigration officers at Oron in Cross River State meted out to me.

    “On February 12, I was returning to Nigeria after a business trip to Cameroon. I boarded a boat from Edinau in Cameroon to Oron and in the boat; I met a man who showed courtesies.

    “He introduced himself as Deyong Bruno and we chatted. He told me he was coming to Nigeria for the first time and that he wanted to do a survey on a bakery he planned to establish in the country. I told him I knew nothing about bakery.

    “After about two hours, we arrived Oron. I stepped out of the boat and went for my clearance. When I finished and was about to leave the office, Bruno approached me and pleaded that I should help him beg the Immigration officers to consider him because he didn’t have the required documents.

    “I joined him and begged the NIS officers and they gave him discounts on the amount he was to pay. They collected N3,000 from him.

    “As I was about to leave, Bruno approached me and asked my next destination. I told him I was to go to Onitsha, but since it was late, I would sleep at Uyo and continue my trip the next day. It was about 7 pm.

    “This man said he wanted to visit Uyo. I innocently allowed him to follow me. I did not know he had evil intention. I was just being nice to a foreigner.”

    Nzelu said he boarded the same taxi with Bruno to Uyo and they lodged at the same hotel.

    He went on: “We stayed in different rooms. While I was checking out the next morning, the man came to me again and said he would be returning to Cameroon to go and prepare and then come back with the machines for the bakery.

    “Then, he begged me for fare, saying he didn’t have money. I gave him N5,000 and left him. I was returning to Cameroon on February 20 through the same route when a group of persons, including Bruno, accosted me after I had undergone immigration procedures and boarded a boat.

    “The man, who claimed to be a Cameroonian a few days ago, pointed at me and I was asked to disembark. They took me to their office, asked if I knew the man and I said yes. I narrated how I knew him.

    “They said the man told them he gave me CFA420,000 (N276,000) to buy goods for him and that he had not seen me since then.

    “Before I could utter a word, the officers started beating me. I had a terrible experience. I told them I was innocent, but they refused to listen.

    “They tortured me to admit that I collected CFA420,000 from the man. They used tear-gas on me and said if I didn’t comply, they would kill me and throw my body into the river. I begged them to hand me over to the police, whose office was next to theirs, but they refused.

    “They asked how much I had and I told them it was only N31,000. They kept beating me. I bled, but they did not stop. They asked me how much was in my account; I told them there was no money in it. When the torture became unbearable, I agreed to give them N100,000.

    “They gave me my phone, which they had earlier seized and said I should call my family to pay the money into my account. I called my wife and told her it was an emergency and that she should look for the money and send it. I told her I was in danger.

    “She called friends and relatives and finally raised the money, which she sent to my account. Immediately I received alert, the Immigration officers took my ATM card and went to the bank. They withdrew the money, returned to their office and forced me to sign a document that Bruno gave me N100,000, not CFA420,000 and that I had repaid the money.

    “After signing, they asked me to go. I could not walk or sit down. I am taking this opportunity to appeal to human rights defenders and others to intervene in this matter. I want justice.”

    Contacted, NIS spokesman Sunday James told The Nation that he had important things to do.

    James, who was sent a copy of the victim’s petition and pictures on Monday night, kept mute on the allegations until he was reminded on Tuesday afternoon.