The Nation Newspaper

Tag: EFCC

  • Court fails to give judgement in Fani-Kayode’s case

    Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Thursday failed to give judgment in the money laundering trial involving a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, due to the absence of the prosecution counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo.

    The judge chose not to deliver the verdict in Keyamo’s absence, although the lawyer was represented in court.

    Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), urged the judge to go on and deliver the judgment since it was ready.

    He said the law did not make it mandatory that a prosecuting counsel must be present before a judgment is delivered in a criminal case.

    The senior advocate said even if someone is holding a watching brief for the prosecuting counsel, the judgment could still be delivered.

    But Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia insisted that she was more comfortable reading the judgment in Keyamo’s presence.

    She stood the case down for 10 minutes to enable the lawyer from Keyamo’s chambers, Mr. Festus Afeiyodion, to confirm from his principal the day he would be available.

    About an hour later, Afeiyodion told the judge that Keyamo requested for a short stand-down‎ to enable him come, as he was handling another matter elsewhere.

    “Mr. Keyamo asked that the matter be stood down till 1.30pm. By then, he would be through and be here personally. In the alternative, he suggested that any other day could be chosen and he will be here,” Afeiyodion said.

    Adedipe, after briefly conferring with Fani-Kayode, said they would not mind waiting till 1.30pm.

    However, the judge said she would prefer not to deliver the judgment under pressure as the day would have been far gone by that time.

    Apparently to prove that the judgment was indeed ready, she displayed a typewritten material on her tablet, saying she prefers to read it out at a convenient time.

    Fani-Kayode was accused of making a transaction exceeding N500, 000 on September 20, 2006, which was not done through a financial institution.

    He was alleged to have accepted N2.1 million in cash, which was paid into his personal bank account by his aide, Supo Agbaje, while he served as Minister of Culture and Tourism.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty to the alleged offence which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said contravenes the Money Laundering Act.

     

  • Investigate Mimiko’s administration, APC urges EFCC

    Investigate Mimiko’s administration, APC urges EFCC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to access how resources accrued to the state under Governor Olusegun Mimiko are being managed.

    This followed the revelation by former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy Mrs. Ngozi Okojo-Iweala that Ondo received N81.7 billion from the excess crude account between 2011 and 2014.

    The party lamented that residents cannot establish a link between this huge amount and the level of development in the state.

    A statement by the APC’s Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government has no reason to drag the state into the present state of debt.

    The party said: “With no meaningful capital project in place, especially since his assumption of office for a second term, Mimiko  has  bankrupted the state and ground it to a halt.

    “It is regrettable that as an oil producing state, the Mimiko-led PDP government received such whooping amount with no meaningful justification.”

    The APC called on the EFCC to investigate how funds received and generated by the state are being spent by the government.

    The statement added: “While we acknowledge the challenges posed by the dwindling and bad economy situation in the nation, occasioned by economic mismanagement of PDP Federal Government.

    “We are also sad that unlike other states, Ondo cannot justify the huge amount borrowed and generated with any developmental project.

    “On several occasions, we have urged Mimiko to come up with the state’s financial statement.

    “We are determined, more than ever resolute, to know how tax payers’ money is being spent.

    “We are also poised to know if the PDP government is not feeding fat on public fund.

    “Even though some states owe salaries, some of them have impacted the lives of the people through developmental projects and other interventions.”

  • Fuel smuggling: Foreigners challenge court’s jurisdiction

    The 14 foreign nationals accused of illegal dealing in petroleum products have challenged the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction to try them.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on June 10 arraigned them on a four-count charge of conspiracy, dealing in and storage of petroleum products without lawful authority.

    The accused are three Russians, Arthur Pakhladzhian, Vasaliy Shkundich, Kretov Andrey, a Japanese, Sergio Abgarian and three Ukrainians,Vitalis Biluos, Laguta Olesksiy and Chepikov Oleksan.

    Others are seven Britons, Hilarion Teofilo Regipor Jr, Cadavis Gerardo, Baduria Benjamin, Naranjo Allian Antero Jr, Patro Christian, Alcayde Joel and Carantiquit Micheal Bryan.

    Three vessels namely  -MT Anukt Emerald, Monjasa DMCC, and Glencore Energy UK Limited were charged along with them.

    The commission said they committed the alleged offence on February 27 by storing 1,500 Metric Tons of Automated Gas Oil inside the MT Anuket Emerald’s Cargo tank.

    They had also stored 3,035 Metric Tons of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) in other tanks.

    The alleged offences contravene Sections 4, 17, 19(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act and the Petroleum Act, Laws of Federation.

    The lawyer, Mr. Babajide Koku (SAN), on Wednesday said the court lacked jurisdiction because the defendants were not carrying out any illegal activities within Nigeria’s territorial waters.

    He said the accused were carrying out their activities within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

    He contented they were charged under the Miscellaneous Offences Act, which has no effect within the EEZ where the accused were arrested.

    “The Miscellaneous Offences Act which the accused were charged under doesn’t cover the jurisdiction in which they were arrested.

    “These are foreign nationals, the Miscellaneous Offences Act cannot apply to them and does not apply within the EEZ because it is outside the sovereignty of Nigeria,” Koku said.

     

  • EFCC quizzes ex-Governor Elechi

    EFCC quizzes ex-Governor Elechi

    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigators yesterday interrogated  former Ebonyi State Governor Chief Martin Elechi for six and a half hours for alleged financial mismanagement while in office.

    The ex-governor is under probe along with his son, Nnanna, who allegedly benefited from some contracts.

    The EFCC is also looking into an allegation that a company belonging to Elechi’s family was allegedly used as front for contracts.

    Top on the allegations against the governor is the use of one third of the state’s revenue to fund the Labour Party (LP) in the state after he was ostracized from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    According sources, Elechi arrived at the EFCC in Abuja at 10am and was quickly ushered into the interrogation room where he was still being questioned as at 4.35pm.

    A top source in the anti-graft agency said:  “Some of the allegations against the former governor include the theft of millions of naira in the asphalt contract for the 13 local government secretariats and headquarters.

    “Till date only six out of the 13 LGs executed the contract, though monies were approved and paid for all the LGs. The contract was also allegedly awarded to Nnanna Elechi, the ex-governor’s son.

    “Also, the former governor was put to task on the expenditure of funds earmarked for the centenary celebration. Towards the celebration, a supervisory committee under the former Commissioner for Local Governments, Celestine Nwali, deducted N1 million from each of the 13 LG areas for the purchase and production of T-shirts for the celebration but there was no evidence of T-shirts produced for the celebration.”

     

     

     

  • EFCC’s unfinished task

    SIR: The EFCC and ICPC are both working round  the clock to nab offenders and corrupt officers. Kudos to both organizations for trying to curb corruption, but they have not done a honest job till they get former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and others to give detailed account of how the trillions of naira left in Nigeria’s account by the former Central Bank Governor, Professor Soludo  was spent. This is despite the nation’s daily income revenue from  crude oil and other natural resources that accrued to government purse on a daily basis. She needs to explain why Nigeria’s  account now is in the red. The same yardstick for every Nigerian please. No sacred cows. President Buhari , we are waiting and watching.

     

    • Mrs Irene Adeniyi,

    Ondo

     

  • Firm petitions EFCC, CBN over N750m deposit

    A consulting firm, OG Consulting has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N750 million unpaid deposit by a Lagos-based Mortgage Bank, Resort Savings and Loan Plc against one of its client.

    The firm alleged that one of its clients had invested about  N750 million in Resort Saving and Loans Plc on October 10, last year under the agreement that the investment will mature within one year at an interest rate agreed at 15 per cent interest.

    It claimed that since the maturity of the investment on January 8, this year, the mortgage institution, Resort Saving and Loan Plc has declined to pay back the initial investment and the accrued interest.

    Copies of the petition has also been forwarded by the firm to the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and  Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the matter.

    The firm further alleged that after several correspondents with the management of the mortgage  bank, the financial institution only managed to pay back about N200 million recently, leaving a balance of N550 million plus interest.

    According to the firm, the finance house has several times reneged on its promise to pay up the balance on different dates it promised to do so thereby lending credence to the possibility that  it may be facing liquidity crises.

    OG Consulting, therefore, urged the EFCC and other relevant authorities to compel Resort Savings to pay back its client’s outstanding balance, noting that other investors in the finance house might be facing similar challenges in getting back their investments.

    Reacting to the allegation, the management of Resort Saving and Loans Plc in a statement said its inability  to keep its side of the bargain on the deposit was not deliberate, explaining that the bank holds its customers in high esteem.

    The statement said the agreement reached between the client in question and the bank is sacrosanct, urging him to be patient.                                                                                                               The bank further explained that the delay in paying the balance of the deposit was due to slow disposal of properties in its portfolio, adding that arrangements were being made to fulfill the agreement reached with the customer.

    “As a bank, we are committed to best practices and we will like to appeal to our client to be patient as we are working at ensuring that we keep our own side of the deal.

    “ We have paid a reasonable part of the deposit in question while the outstanding will be paid as soon as possible in line with the agreement. All we want from our client is patience. We will surely keep our words,” the statement added.

    A Managing Partner in the consulting firm, Mr Oladimeji Abolaji, told reporters that they would explore other measures within the confines of the law to retrieve the investment made into Resort Savings and Loans Plc.

  • ‘EFCC’s fresh charge against Sylva abuse of court process’

    ‘EFCC’s fresh charge against Sylva abuse of court process’

    A group, the Open Democracy Network, Nigeria, has faulted the fresh criminal charges filed against a former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying it amounts to an abuse or court process.

    The commission, in a fresh 50-count charge accused Sylva, Francis Okukoro, Gbenga Balogun and Samuel Ogbuku, of using three companies – Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited, and Haloween-Blue Construction and Logistics Limited to move about N19.2 billion from Bayelsa State coffers between 2009-2012 on the pretext of using the money to supplement the salaries of the state government’s workers.

    The group said the new charge bordered on a 42-count criminal charge that Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, dismissed on June 10.

    The only difference, it said, is that the old charge contained 42 counts while the latest one is 50.

    It recalled that earlier on June 1, Justice Evoh Chukwu of the same court struck out another EFCC charge against Sylva involving a N2.5 billion based on the same set of transactions as the N19.2 billion.

    The group said: “This strange 50-count suit against Sylva constitutes an even greater abuse of court processes and, from every indication, it will suffer same fate as the other frivolous ones. Why?

    “Even a pupil lawyer knows that once a case has been dismissed, the only option open to the loser is to go on appeal. It cannot return to the same court or a court of coordinate jurisdiction.

    “Secondly, under the rules of the court, a prosecuting authority has to conclude its investigation before proceeding to court, satisfied that it has a case it can substantiate. Investigations and trials cannot be open-ended.

    “Sylva left office since January 2012. Why is it difficult for EFCC to prove anything against him in court? Their style has been to conduct a media trial in order to ridicule Sylva and try to ‘finish’ his political career. Unfortunately for them, Sylva is still rising!”

    The group said the charge was designed to discredit Sylva, who it said was victimised by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    “We at the Open Democracy Network, Nigeria, are of the view that this ‘new’ suit against Sylva constitutes a national embarrassment. It is an embarrassment to this government. It is an embarrassment even to the EFCC itself.

    “It is now time for President Buhari to rejig the anti-corruption war by sacking (EFCC chairman) Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde in order to pave the way for a total reform of that agency, which has been turned into an instrument of political witch-hunt and persecution,” the group said.

     

  • Court declines to restrain IGP, DSS, EFCC over Nyako’s arrest

    Former Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako yesterday failed in a bid to restrain the Inspector- General of Police (IGP), the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting him.

    Nyako had, by a motion ex-parte, sought an interim injunction restraining the three from arresting or detaining him in relation to a case of alleged financial malpractices pending, for which he suspected either the IGP, DSS or EFCC might arrest and prosecute him.

    His lawyer, O. E. Ogungbeje, moving the motion, urged the court to restrain the IGP, DSS and EFCC pending the determination of an origination motion he filed for the enforcement of his rights.

    Justice Ahmed Mohhammed refused the ex-governor’s prayer on the grounds that there was no sufficient reason for the court to restrain the IGP, DSS and EFCC, listed as respondents.

    “Having read through the supporting affidavit, particularly paragraphs 5 to 19, which contain facts relating to this case, this court is unable to accede to the request for the order of interim injunction sought,” the judge said.

    He ordered Nyako to put the respondents on notice about any application for injunction filed against them.

    Justice Mohammed also ordered Nyako to serve the originating motion he filed on May 28 on the respondents within seven days from yesterday and adjourned till July 1 for hearing.

    Nyako is, by the substantive suit, seeking to among others, restrain the respondents from arresting or detaining him in relation to the allegation of financial misconduct while in office as the governor.

     

  • 627 million scam: AIG Mbu lied, says businessman

    627 million scam: AIG Mbu lied, says businessman

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police in Charge of Zone Two, Joseph Mbu, has  been accused of telling lies over the alleged torture and illegal detention of the Managing Director of Kafisto Oil and Gas Ltd., Mr Uwem Antia and his business partner, Alhaji Suleiman Yerima by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and policemen under the zone two command led by DSP Ibrahim Dantoro.

    Yerima maintained that they were tortured, beaten and detained for 80 days illegally by EFCC and policemen under the command of AIG Mbu.

    He also insisted that the foreign exchange business deal for which they were being persecuted was legitimate and in order.

    Alhaji Yerima who spoke with The Nation in Abuja said he stands by his allegations against the EFCC and AIG Mbu as he released to the public the photograph of Antia who was also tortured, beaten and had his leg broken by police operatives.

    He said amputation of the leg of Antia is being contemplated by the Hospital for now.

    However, EFCC Spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren maintained the position of the anti-graft agency, insisting that it “amounted to tissue of lies from the pit of hell that EFCC tortured accuse persons”.

    Uwujaren said: “EFCC does not have any torture chamber anywhere in the country.

    “I have told you that EFCC has nothing to do with the alleged torture of Antia, or Suleiman Yerima, if you choose to believe what they are alleging, well, I don’t have any thing else to say.

    However, if their alleged torture was from somewhere else, I dont know, but certainly not from us. There is no iota of truth in it.”

    AIG Mbu had also at a news conference in Lagos denied that his men tortured any accused persons. He described the allegation as false and mischievously concocted by the suspects with a view to fraustrate the ongoing investigations into their serial crimes.

    AIG alleged that the officer in charge of the investigation, Ibrahim Dantoro was offered 50 million bribe to truncate the case, but he refused and informed the command about it.

    But Suleiman Yerima said AIG Mbu was being economical with the truth, saying that as a well trained police officer, if an accused person offered a bribe, the appropriate thing to do was for the police to set up the accuse, collect the bribe and use it as evidence against the accused person.

  • Bayelsa youths warn EFCC against persecuting Sylva

    Bayelsa youths warn EFCC against persecuting Sylva

    A section of youths from Bayelsa State on Monday asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stop further persecution of a former Governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva.

    The youths were reacting to a fresh 50-count charge slammed on Sylva by the commission after its initial suit against the former governor was struck out by a Federal High Court.

    The youths under the aegis of the Bayelsa Democratic Front (BDF), described the action of the EFCC as orchestrated political persecution against the former governor.

    The youths in a statement signed by their President-General, Chief Promise Okpoebi, said EFCC was being used by Sylva’s detractors to deny him his rightful place in the All Progressive Congress government.

    They said Sylva’s enemies were stunned to see the former governor’s political comeback at a time they thought he would never rise again.

    They, however, praised the judiciary for showing great courage to uphold justice and the integrity of the courts, “despite obvious pressure, when it recently dismissed the EFCC charges against Sylva.”

    They condemned EFCC’s strange decision to resume the case at the court that dismissed it, saying such action smacks of dangerous desperation.

    They said: “Many politicians in the country – both serving and former – have pending EFCC cases. Why is the case of Sylva being treated this way? This is a desperate attempt to scuttle his political career.

    “When the charges against Sylva were withdrawn by EFCC, they claimed it was President Muhammadu Buhari that ordered them to do so. And when the charges were finally dismissed, they said Buhari influenced it. Now that the charges have been brought up again, where is Buhari’s hand in all these?”

    The youths further described as abnormal the exclusion of Sylva’s former Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Silva Opuala-Charles, from the new suit by EFCC.

    They said it was a further confirmation that the whole scheme was targeted at deliberately hurting Sylva rather than uncover and redress corruption.

    “If EFCC was, indeed, intent on fighting corruption afresh, how on earth could it not include in the new charge the Commissioner for Finance, Silva Opuala-Charles, who ran the finances of the state and was a defendant in a previous case, before he was discharged?”

     

    “What has become clear in the case of Sylva is that EFCC is not fighting corruption, it is simply fighting the political career of the former governor.

    “We must separate the war against corruption from politics if we are to reap the legally desired benefits of the anti-corruption campaign and ensure the financial discipline that the country needs badly,” they said.