The Nation Newspaper

Tag: EFCC

  • Alleged ‎Money laundering: Fani-Kayode’s surety withdraws

    Alleged ‎Money laundering: Fani-Kayode’s surety withdraws

    The Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who is under trial for money laundering, will have to find a surety or risk being re-arrested.

    One of his sureties has applied to the Federal High Court in Lagos to withdraw from guaranteeing the defendant’s temporary freedom.

    The surety, Wale Ajisebutu, told Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia that he urgently needed to make use of his Certificate of Occupancy (CofO).

    He deposited it as one of the conditions for granting Fani-Kayode bail.

    The judge was to consider the application Tuesday, but the defence, it was learnt, asked for another date.

    The matter has been fixed for March 26 for hearing of the surety’s application and continuation of trial.

    Fani-Kayode was accused of making a transaction exceeding N500, 000 on September 20, 2006, which was not done through a financial institution, by accepting N2.1 million in cash.

    The money, said the prosecution, was paid into his personal bank account by his aide, Supo Agbaje, while he served as Minister of Culture and Tourism. He pleaded not guilty.

    During last proceedings, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which charged Fani-Kayode, accused his witness of lying to the court.

    EFCC’s lawyer Mr. Festus Keyamo, while cross-examining the witness, Aderemi Ajidaun, accused him of being in court to “help” his friend and was not telling the truth.

    This is because his evidence ‎contradicted Agbaje’s earlier testimony that it was Fani-Kayode who personally gave him the cash to pay into his account.

    “Agbaje never had direct access to Fani-Kayode and could not have collected cash from him. Every staff had to pass through me to reach the honourable minister,” Ajidaun said.

    Keyamo asked the witness: “Will it surprise you that Mr Agbaje came to this court and never mentioned you?” Ajidaun replied: “I’ll be very surprised.”

    Keyamo said: “Agbaje said the accused person (Fani-Kayode) gave him the money. It means that between the two of you, someone is telling

    this court a lie.”

    The alleged offence contravenes the Money Laundering Act.

     

  • APC faults EFCC

    •Urges Nigerians to vote out PDP civilian dictatorship

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has carpeted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged directive to open fresh investigations against its leaders.

    The party described the alleged directive as one of the “many under-hand Getsapo tactics being deployed by the Jonathan presidency in its desperation for self-succession.”

    It urged Nigerians to vote out the civilian dictatorship being foisted on Nigerians by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    In a statement by its Director of Strategic Communication, Mr. Dele Alake, the APC said PDP’s dictatorship if allowed to blow full “will spell disaster for the country.”

    The party said: “First, EFCC has no authority to pronounce on the authenticity of the letterhead of Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.

    “It is the recipient and not the issuing authority. By weeping more than the bereaved, it has exposed its complicity in this intended national security breach of the fundamental human rights of the leaders of the APC.

    “Second, supporters of the PDP have been touting arrogantly, the democratic credentials of Mr. President.

    “This case finally nails the coffin of such blatant, falsehood and exposes the resort to gangsterism in his quest for self- preservation.

    “APC leaders are mature, toughened by experience and can stand up to the dictatorship. Nigerian people should support their leaders in this hour of travail. We shall triumph.”

  • Anti-graft: Blame EFCC not Jonathan for low record – Clark

    Anti-graft: Blame EFCC not Jonathan for low record – Clark

    Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark has blamed the anti-graft agencies for President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration lack of success in the corruption fight.

    Clark noted that the inept of the agencies to investigate and prosecute corrupt cases especially that of public office holders were responsible for the various corruption allegations against President.

    Stressing that rather than doing proper job, the agencies are only focusing on cyber crime and petty theft.

    Consequently, Chief Clark urged President Jonathan to re-organize the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.

    Clark who addressed journalists in Abuja Friday claimed that the agency has not done enough: stressing that the agency was due for reorganization and armed with teeth for effective discharge of its mandate.

    He also disagreed with the present orientation of the agency waiting to receive petitions first before investigating open cases against public office holders.

    Clark also faulted the report credited to ‎the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari that his fight against corruption will start on May 29, 2015 when he would have be sworn-in as the President, if he wins the March 28 Presidential elections.

    He noted that it would be wrong to just ask those who have looted the treasury to go and sin no more.

    Clark who noted that the implication of Buhari’s statement was that those who were facing corrupt charges or alleged of corruption before May 29, 2015 would be pardoned.

    According to him, “had the agencies charged with fighting corruption been up and doing, no one will accuse President Jonathan of not doing enough to fight corruption. Given that nothing substantial is being done, one is primed to advise Mr. President to immediately reorganize the EFCC for effective discharge of its mandate.

    “In all advanced democracies, anti-graft agencies would swing into action following the kind of revelations and allegations against most people walking free on our streets today. Unfortunately, our own anti graft agencies have simply adopted a ‘sidon look’ position”.

    Clark further stated that it was on that note that Buhari changed the tune of his music as to when he will begin his fight against corruption‎.

    He however stated that the APC is not qualified to fight corruption contrary to what Buhari had said during his campaign.

    He said; “General Muhammadu Buhari has always anchored his campaign promises on two planks: to wipe out insecurity and corruption. With the renewed offensive against the terrorists leading to the killing and dislodgement of the Boko Haran anarchists, the first campaign plank of Buhari has been given a technical knock-out by President Goodluck Jonathan and the whole world is witnessing the reclaiming of all territories hitherto held by Boko Haram.

    “This leaves him on a one-legged platform. Again on the remaining plank; corruption, General Buhari himself got jittery and gave himself another technical knock-out when he said that he will not probe past leaders. With this development, Buhari has conceded that he has nothing more to offer the good people of this country.

    “I am puzzled to hear Buhari say that ‘whoever has been indicted on corruption between 1999 to the time of his swearing-in would be pardoned. According to him, like a village sports man, he will draw a line, anybody who involves himself in corruption after he assumes office on May 29, 2015 will face the music, while no matter how corrupt a person has been before then, he/she would be asked to go and sin no more.

    “One wonders if the man, Buhari knows what the law says about corruption. Will General Muhammadu Buhari’s proclamation take the effect of law?

    “What is Buhari really afraid of? Why is he promising a blanket pardon to all corrupt office holders before the election? Is that his new selling point?”

     

     

  • EFCC arrests two for N495m forex deal

    EFCC arrests two for N495m forex deal

    THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said it has arrested two suspected fraudsters for allegedly stealing the sum of $2,250,000 (N495million) from two bankers.

    The suspects, Uwem Antia and Alhaji Yerima Suleman, were said to have allegedly approached the bankers (Gladys Aginwa and Ale Dennis) in February and offered to sell foreign exchange amounting to $10m US to them.

    A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspects will be arraigned in court soon.

    The statement said: “After agreeing on the exchange rate, a sum of N672, 750,000 was transferred from Blue Beam Capital Investment Limited and Capital Field Investment and Trust Limited into the account of one of the bankers: Smiles and Light Limited. It was from the banker’s account that the entire sum was moved into Antia’s account: Kafisto Oil and Gas Limited.

    “Findings showed that the entire sum of N672, 750,000 actually hit Antia’s account. A Bureau de Change operator who changed the money into its dollar equivalent, told EFCC’s investigators that he went with Antia to his bank along Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the transaction was confirmed.

    “The Bureau de Change operator further said that, Antia subsequently transferred the sum of N666, 250,000 into his own account. He said he worked out the dollar equivalent of the money, which was $3,127,000.

  • Ebonyi accuses EFCC of plot to cripple state

    Ebonyi accuses EFCC of plot to cripple state

    •Fidelity, UBA, Zenith, ICPC joined as defendants

    Ebonyi State government has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the management of Fidelity Bank Plc of working with the enemies of the government to cripple its activities.

    The government’s allegation is contained in a suit it filed against the EFCC and Fidelity Bank, before the Federal High Court, Abuja, challenging, among others, the decision by the bank to freeze its Joint Local Government account No: 5030027464 (held in the bank) allegedly on the directive of the EFCC.

    The bank had, via a letter dated January 21, stated that the EFCC had directed it (the bank) to place a “no debit order” on the account on the grounds that EFCC was investigating the account for fraud allegedly perpetrated by some state officials.

    Governor Martins Elechi is facing impeachment, as 15 members of the House of Assembly are moving against him.

    The suit was filed by the Attorney-General, Ben Igwenyi and the 13 local governments. It has as defendants, the EFCC and Fidelity Bank.

    Last Monday, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, upon hearing an application by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), joined the United Bank for Africa (UBA Plc), Zenith Bank Plc and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) as defendants.

    The plaintiffs are seeking an order of injunction directing the second defendant (Fidelity) to lift the ‘no debit order’ placed on the account or any accounts with other banks, and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further placing a ‘no debit order’ on their joint account with Fidelity Bank and tampering with any of their assets under any guise.

    They are also seeking an order that the plaintiffs are entitled to fair and adequate compensation as general damages of N500 million for the disruption of the state’s activities and the embarrassment caused it.

    The plaintiffs want the court to declare that the powers of the EFCC (exercised through Fidelity Bank) pursuant to sections 21, 24, 28, 29 of the EFCC Act on the plaintiffs’ account with Fidelity, is unlawful.

    They want the court to declare that the EFCC, in exercising its powers by directing Fidelity Bank to place a ‘no debit order’ on the plaintiffs’ joint account, without judicial intervention and recourse to the plaintiffs’ rights under Section 36(2) and (5) of the constitution is unconstitutional.

    The plaintiffs, in a supporting affidavit, said the basis of the attachment/freeze of the account is that an investigation is ongoing on the account, and that “the action of the defendants is politically-motivated by political differences.”

    They argued that EFCC’s power to attach assets or property could only be exercised against persons or body of persons corporate or incorporate, who are under investigation and that the government is neither body incorporate or unincorporated. They added that Ebonyi State government is an entity that cannot be arrested.

    “The act of the defendants in freezing the afore-described account has gravely and adversely paralysed the administrative activities of the state and its local government councils.

    “The administrative paralyses engendered by the defendants is dire, especially because civil servants can no longer be paid their salaries and therefore, there are not funds to run the day-to-day affairs of the 13 local governments in the state.”

  • EFCC arraigns 23 for alleged oil bunkering

    The Economic and Financial Crimes on Wednesday arraigned 23 men including a military personnel at the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged oil bunkering.

    They were charged before Justice Ibrahim Buba with three counts of dealing in petroleum products without lawful authority.

    The defendants are – Capt. Daniel Lebile, Ala Ibanibo, Wole Ajayi, Adesunloye Fani-Kayode, Michael Mgbanwa, Segun Ekundemi, Johnson Mashebinu, Ndidi Benjamin, Bright Nwaezuoke, Blessing Omoviye and Kayode Ireti.

    The rest are – Chuks Isiwepkweni, Friday Nchikpa, Peter Bayo, Ubom Amos, Zuopamo Embiowei, Olabamerun Owolemi, Adams Husseini, Ebisingha Timmy and Godwin Oputeh.

    The accused were arraigned along with their vessel, MV Long Island and their companies Afa Global Impex Services Limited and GFL Marine Service Limited.

    They allegedly committed the offence on December 2 last year by conspiring among themselves to deal in about 200 metric tons of petroleum products without licence, thereby contravening sections 17 and 19(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as well as Section 4 of the Petroleum Act, Cap P10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to remand them in prison pending when trial would begin.

    But defence counsel, Mr. L.M. Alozie, made an oral application for bail, since some of them were already on administrative bail by the commission.

    Justice Buba said since the accused persons were presumed innocent until proven guilty, he would grant them bail.

    He warned that failure by any of them to attend trial would result in the bail being revoked.

    He granted them bail in the sum of N50million each with one surety in like sum. He said the surety must live in Lagos and own a developed landed property.
    He adjourned the matter till March 23, 24 and April25.

  • EFCC gets suspected oil thieves

    Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base, Brass Navy Captain Noel Madugu has handed over 11 suspected oil thieves to the Economic and Financial Crime’s Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.

    Captain Madugu broke the news in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    He said the suspects were on board the vessel “MT Redemption”, which was arrested by Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) in Badagry.

    The commander added that the vessel was subsequently transferred to the Naval Base in Brass.

    The naval base is saddled with the responsibility of handling oil theft-related matters and the impounded vessel is being held there.

    Captain Madugu said the vessel was laden with 100,000 litres of stolen crude, weighing about 1,000 metric tons.

    He said the captain of the ship, on interrogation, claimed that the content of the tanks and drum was bitumen.

    The commanding officer stated: “The captain of the vessel said that the cargo in the drum was bitumen. But what we discovered was petroleum product suspected to be crude oil.

     

  • Alleged theft: Court rules on Atuche’s application April 13

    Alleged theft: Court rules on Atuche’s application April 13

    Justice Lateef Lawal- Akapo of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, has fixed April 13 for ruling on an application filed by a former managing director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche.

    Atuche is seeking leave of court to quash the N25.7 billion theft charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Lawal-Akapo fixed the date for ruling on his application after hearing arguments from defence and prosecution lawyers.

    The EFCC had arraigned Atuche and his wife, Elizabeth, in court for allegedly stealing the money from the bank.

    They are being prosecuted alongside a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu.

    Arguing the application, Atuche’s counsel, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), asked the court to quash the charge for want of jurisdiction.

    Oyetibo said the application was hinged on a judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal, Lagos on November 21, 2014 which struck out the theft charges preferred against a former managing director of Finbank Plc, Mr. Okey Nwosu and others.

    Oyetibo argued that both Nwosu and Atuche’s cases were similar, stressing that the lower court had a judicial duty to follow the decision of the appellate court.

    The Court of Appeal in Nwosu’s case held that “the Lagos State High Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the charge because it emanated from capital market transactions.

    “The appellate court held that such capital market-based matter was an exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court,” he added.

     

  • Council, EFCC partner to prosecute land racketeers, fraudsters

    Council, EFCC partner to prosecute land racketeers, fraudsters

    The Consumer Protection Council, CPC, in partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, are partnering to prevent economic crimes through investigation and prosecution.

    The Director General, CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, and the Chairman, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, in the area of investigation and prosecution, information sharing and public advocacy and enlightenment.

    Atoki said, “over the years , the council has received a large number of complaints from consumers bordering on fraudulent savings and loan schemes, deceptive and misleading mortgage schemes,  fraud scams emanating from online forex trading companies,  fraudulent education admission and scholarship opportunities.

    “Deceptive business practices, and pyramid sales, marketing schemes, aimed at defrauding unsusceptible and vulnerable consumers, with consumer losses valued at several millions of naira.”

    “While the EFCC law punishes the offender with jail terms or fines, and confiscate the ill gotten booty, it is a legal fact that prosecution does not translate to redress for victims of criminal breaches, therefore consumers who are usually the victims of most of these scams and fraudulent practices.”

    Speaking, the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, said they are looking at the areas of information and intelligence sharing, investigation and prosecution, stating that there has to be input from consumers while embarking on public education and enlightenment.

  • Supreme Court orders Dariye to submit self for trial

    Supreme Court orders Dariye to submit self for trial

    The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye, to submit himself for trial on corruption and money laundering charges before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    In a unanimous judgment by a five-man bench, the apex court dismissed the former governor’s appeal for lacking in merit.

    Two members of the panel, Justices Sylvester Ngwuta (who read the lead judgment) and Chima Nweze frowned at the delay tactics adopted by Dariye to prevent his trial.

    While Ngwuta described it as a sad commentary on the nation’s fight against corruption, Nweze said the action of some members of the elite class, who see themselves as being above the law, was worrisome.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in 2007 obtained the leave of an FCT High Court to prefer charges against Dariye.

    The commission subsequently filed a 23-count charge against him, and on which he was arraigned.

    He was also accused of diverting state’s funds estimated at several billions of naira, while in office.

    He pleaded not guilty to the charge, following which the trial judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, fixed November 13, 2007 for the commencement of trial.

    Before November 13, Dariye filed an application, challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the court. He argued that he ought to be tried at High Court of Plateau State and not FCT.

    On December 13, 2007, the trial judge heard and dismissed Dariye’s application for lacking in merit, a decision he appealed at the Court of Appeal, Abuja and subsequently the Supreme Court.