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Tag: EFCC

  • Grass-Cutting Scandal: Court rejects EFCC uncertified documents

    An FCT High Court, in Maitama, on Monday, rejected uncertified documents sought to be tendered by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in the trial of ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal.

    The EFCC arraigned Lawal, along side his brother Hamidu, a director of Rholavision Engineering Limited; an employee of the company, Sulaiman Abubakar and the Managing Director of Josmon Technologies Limited, Apeh Monday.

    They are charged with 10 count bordering on conspiracy and fraud.

    Also joined are two companies, Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited.

    Justice Jude Okeke ruling on the admissibilty of the documents held that the essence of certification was to ensure accuracy of documents tendered in evidence.

    He said that although the prosecutor attached the uncertified documents into the bundle of original documents ” It is the duty of the court to examine them to know whether there are admissible. ”

    ” I have examined the bundle of the documents and it consisted of original documents with attachments of uncertified ones, a total of 17 documents.

    ” The documents are bearing different dates besides this it’s also numbered as different exhibits, the mere act that there are stapled together does not make them one document ” he held.

    He said for a public document to be admissible it must accord with the provision of section 104 of Evidence Act, 2011.

    He then admitted seven original documents and rejected 10 uncertified ones.

    Okeke adjourned until June 18 for contuination of trial.

    On May 23, Mr O.Uzor councel for fifth defendant objected when the prosecuting counsel, Mr Ufom Uket, sought to tender the documents.

    There are payment vouchers raised by PINE for payments to both Josmon Technologies Limited and Rholavision Engineering Limited respectively, through the first prosecution witness (PW1), Hamza Adamu.

    Uzor stated that while the vouchers were in the original copies, the other documents attached to them were photocopies, which were not certified.

    According to him, the documents were public documents and that there were procedures for tendering such, as contained in Section 104 of the Evidence Act.

    Responding to this, Uket informed the court that the vouchers were in the original form, adding that memos raised on the vouchers, were attached with the vouchers.

    He prayed the court to admit them, saying that each of the vouchers and the attachments were to be seen one document.

    The EFCC accused the former SGF of benefiting illegally from the approval of N544,119,925.36, for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation.

    They alleged that Lawal being the SGF and Hamidu Lawal, director of Rholavision Engineering Limited and Abubakar, staff, about March 7, 2016 at Abuja, conspired to commit the offence.

    Read Also; Whistle-blowers to be under oath to file petition, says EFCC

    The EFCC further alleged that the defendants fraudulently acquired a property, contrary to Section 26 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

    The anti-graft agency also alleged that the former SGF knowingly held indirectly a private interest in the consultancy contract awarded to Rholavision Engineering Limited, for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N7 million and N6.4 million.

    EFCC claimed that it was done through the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE).

    It further alleged that on March 4 and Aug. 22, 2016, contract for removing evasive grass worth N272.5 million and N258.1 million respectively were awarded to Josmon Technologies Limited, but was executed by Rholavision.

    The offence, according to the EFCC, were contrary to Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

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

  • Ex-NAMA chief: I wrote my statement at EFCC on ‘auto-pilot’

    former Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Managing Director Ibrahim Abdulsalam has told the Federal High Court in Lagos that an extra-judicial statement he wrote at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office was not was voluntary.

    He said an EFCC operative dictated what to write to him.

    Abdulsalam said the commission’s armed operatives harassed his family while he was in custody.

    He claimed that he was so traumatised by the experience that he wrote the statement on “auto-pilot” in the circumstance “so they can leave my family alone”.

    But, the prosecution denied the allegations, insisting that Abdulsalam made his statement without any form of coercion.

    The former NAMA chief was testifying in a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of one of his statements.

    The anti-graft agency arraigned him on April 7, 2016, along with former NAMA acting General Manager, ICT, Bola Akinribido; former General Manager of Procurement, Adegorite Olumuyiwa; former General Manager, Finance, Agbolade Segun as well as Sesebor Abiodun, Clara Aliche, Joy Adegorite and two companies, Randville investment Limited and Multeng Travels and Tours Limited.

    They were charged with stealing and conversion of NAMA’s funds amounting to N2.8 billion.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Read also: Whistle-blowers to be under oath to file petition, says EFCC

    Testifying in the trial-within-trial on Friday, Abdulsalam said: “I am a safety electronics engineer. I was the MD/CEO of NAMA. I was arrested on February 12, 2016. I was in EFCC custody for about 55 days.

    “On March 6, 2016, my family had to move from where I worked to my sister-in-law’s house in Abesan, Lagos. My house was raided that day and my family was threatened. That became very troubling for me.

    “While in detention, an operative called Nuradeen Jamiu took me to a mosque at the detention centre on Okotie-Eboh Street and told me to write whatever I was required to write.

    “Nuradeen later took me to one of the offices and started telling me what to write. He told me they had evidence and that I should be acknowledging what they were telling me. I wrote as he was asking me to write.

    “They were harassing my family. The only thing I could do was to do what they wanted so they could leave my family alone. I was so traumatised the day I wrote the statement. I was on auto-pilot.”

    Under cross-examination by prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, the accused said he did not sue EFCC for any rights violation nor file a formal complaint to the EFCC acting Chairman.

    The former NAMA chief said he did not have any documentary evidence that it was EFCC operatives who went to his in-law’s home to harass his family.

    He admitted that he was granted administrative bail the day he arrived the commission.

    Abdulsalam insisted that his family told him that the operatives who went to his in-law’s house “went with guns and they (family members) were not given an opportunity to ask questions”.

    Jamiu, who earlier testified for the prosecution, said Abdulsalam was not forced to write the statement.

    “We did not intimidate, cajole or force him to write the statement,” he said.

    The operative added that the defendant was also not forced to answer questions he did not wish to answer.

    “In some instances, the defendants even refused to answer some questions,” Jamiu said.

    EFCC said on August 19, 2013, the defendants, with intent to defraud, conspired amongst themselves to induce NAMA to deliver N2,847,523,975.00 to Delosa Limited, Air Sea Delivery Limited and Sea Schedules Systems Limited under the pretence that the money represented the cost of clearing NAMA’s consignments.

    Also, the court heard that one of the defendants was holding plea bargain talks with the prosecution.

    Justice Kuewumi adjourned till October 3 for adoption of written addresses in the trial-within-trial.

  • EFCC arrests Akwa Ibom AIDS director over N30m ‘fraud’

    PERATIVES of the Uyo zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested the Director and Project Manager of Akwa Ibom State Agency for Centre of AIDS, Dr Nkereuwem Akpan, for allegedly embezzling N30 million meant for HIV/AIDS programmes in the state.

    The AIDS programmes include outreach sensitisation, HIV testing and counselling, the purchase of screening and confirmatory test tiebreaker.

    Akpan was reportedly arrested last Thursday following allegation that he allegedly misappropriated the fund, which was paid to the agency last November by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Akwa Ibom State.

    A statement by the anti-graft agency said investigation into the matter revealed that within the same month the money was released to the agency, Akpan single-handedly instructed that N24,600,000 be moved into the account of a company called Effective Medical Lab belonging to his suspected accomplice, Peter Uduak.

    The statement said Uduak admitted that he received the money on Akpan’s instruction and withdrew same and handed it over to him in cash.

    According to the EFCC, Uduak confessed that he got N100,000 only from the transaction.

    Read Also: We didn’t arrest Okorocha, says EFCC

    The statement added: “It was also discovered that immediately the money hit Uduak’s account, he withdrew the money between November 26 and November 28, 2018, and handed it over to Akpan in cash, and Akpan in turn deposited N22 million into his private account (Life Link Specialist Laboratory) domiciled in Access Bank.

    “Further investigation showed that less than N6 million was used by the suspect for the purposes for which the N30 million was released.

    “During interrogation, the suspect confessed that the essence of instructing the N24,600,000 to be paid into his friend’s company account and later to his company’s account was to conceal the source of the money, having originated from the SSG.

    “The suspect also confessed to using N7,120,000 to buy Christmas rice for people who helped in contacting the authority for the release of the said money.”

    The EFCC said Akpan had made a useful confessional statement, adding that he would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

    The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, who confirmed Akpan’s arrest, said he did not have details of what led to his arrest.

    “Yes, he was arrested, but I have not been able to get in touch with him since then. I don’t have more details on the matter. I am trying to investigate the claims,” he said.

  • Court Convicts Makurdi ATM Fraudster

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal Office has secured the conviction of one Ikechukwu Sunday Onovo, an ATM fraudster.

    The Commission had arrested, investigated and taken Onovo before Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon sitting at the Federal High Court Makurdi, Benue State.

    Following a plea bargain arrangement between him and the Commission, he was re-arraigned on a one-count amended charge that replaced the initial charge against him.

    The count reads: “That you, Ikechukwu Sunday Onovo, on or about the 19th day of April, 2019 at Makurdi, in the Makurdi judicial Division of the Federal High Court did steal an electronic card to wit: A Union Bank Debit Card issued in the name of Mukhtar Ali and withdrew the sum of N390,000.00 from the said account and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 33(3) of the Cybercrime (prohibition prevention Etc.) Act, 2015.”

    He pleaded “guilty” to the charge.

    Read Also: We didn’t arrest Okorocha, says EFCC

    In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Mary Onoja, urged the Court to accept the plea bargain and convict him accordingly.

    Justice Olajuwon pronounced him guilty on May 24, 2019 and subsequently convicted him, ordering him to pay a fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    The convict also returned the cumulative sum of N390,000 (Three Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira) as restitution to the victim.

    The Court also ordered that he forfeits his Peugeot 406 with registration Number Kano AR 163 FGE, and Chassis Number 845780 to the Federal Government as proceeds of crime. He was also remanded in prison pending the payment of his fine.

    Operatives of the EFCC had arrested him on May 2, 2019 at First Bank Plc premises Otukpo, Benue State following investigations into his involvement in ATM fraud.

     

  • Alleged fraud: Court remands 3 JAMB officials in EFCC’s custody

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has ordered that three officials of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged complicity in the theft of their employer’s funds estimated at N47.18million.

    The officials are the State Coordinator, JAMB Zonal Office, Plateau State, Yakubu Jekada; the State Coordinator of JAMB office, Benue State, Samuel Sale Umoru and a Clerical Officer in the Benue State office in Makurdi, Mrs. Philomina Chieshe.

    Justice Peter Afen gave the order for the defendants’ remand shortly after they were arraigned on two separate charges of eight and four counts, filed by the EFCC.

    They pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

    Jekada was arraigned on a four-count charge in which he as accused of misappropriating N11, 189,000.00, while Umoru and Chieshe were arraigned on an eight-count charge, in which they were accused of misappropriating N36million, which Mrs. Chieshe was said to have claimed to have been swallowed by a snake.

    Justice Afen adjourned to Monday for argument of the defendants’ bail application and the hearing of another charge also filed by the EFCC.

    The charge against Yakubu, marked: CR/339/19, reads:

    *That you Yakubu Jekada between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) zonal office, Plateau State and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit; 11,189 units of e- facility cards of JAMB committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said properties when you disposed of the cards without duly rendering accounts of the disposals to JAMB and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 315 of the Panel Code Law.

    *That you Yakubu Jekada between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja and Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)zonal Office, Plateau State dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N11, 189,000.00 belonging to JAMB, an agency of the federal government of Nigeria and you hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Panel Code and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.

    *That you, Yakubu Jekada between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja and Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)zonal Office, Lokoja in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit; N11,189,000 million being proceeds realized from the sales of e- facility cards belonging to JAMB committed criminal breach of trust by dishonestly using the said funds and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law.

    Read Also: NECO scraps use of scratch cards

    *That you Yakubu Jekada, between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja and Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)zonal Office, Plateau State used your position to confer unfair advantage to yourself by converting to your own use the sum of N11,189,000.00 being proceeds from the sale of e- facility cards of JAMB and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other related offences Act.2000.
    In the charge against Umoru and Mrs. Chieshe, the lady was said to have, under further interrogations in June 2016, claimed that a total sum of N36.5m, being value of the shortfall of unremitted e-JAMB cards, “disappeared as a result of manipulation from the Kingdom of Darkness”.

    The EFCC said Mrs. Chieshe “offered such unbelievable explanation, knowing same to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under section 139(a) of the Penal Code Law.”

    The two defendants were said to have in 2015, offered N48, 500. 00 bribe to an auditor, Mr. Ibrahim Oba, who was sent to Benue from Abuja office of the organisation to vet the accounts.

    They were said to have committed criminal breach of trust with respect to 410 units of Change if Course Cards of JAMB, as well as failed to remit proceeds from the sales of e-facility cards belonging to the examination body.

    The defendants allegedly committed the fraud that was blamed on ‘the mysterious snake’, between August 2014 and July 2016. The prosecution maintained that their action was contrary to sections 97(2), 308, 315 and 139 of the Penal Code Law, likewise section 17(1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000.

  • 14 facts about Naira Marley’s trial

    By Praise Olowe

    Nigerian musician, Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley, was arrested on May 10, 2019 alongside rapper, Zlatan Ibile, Rahman Jago, Guccy Branch and one other.

    · He was arrested for alleged money laundering.

    · Marley, known for his single “Issa Goal”, was slammed with 11- count charges.

    · Marley stands risk of spending 7 years in jail if found guilty in accordance with Section 33 (2) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.

    Read Also:Court grants Naira Marley N2m bail

    · Naira Marley who claimed to have been arrested 124 times in the UK appeared before a Lagos high court, May 20, 2019.

    · Some of the counts in the charges filed against Naira Marley includes, “That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 11th day of December 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, conspired amongst yourselves to use Access card 42658840359191132 issued to persons other than you in a bid to obtain gain and you thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 33(2) of the Same Act.

    · “That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 10th day of May 2019, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to defraud possessed, counterfeit card 4921819410257431 issued to Timea Fedorne Tatar and you thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 33(9) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015.”

    · Naira Marley pleaded not guilty before Justice Nicolas Oweibo.

    · The judge adjourned until May 30 for hearing of his bail application.

    · Justice Oweibo ordered that the musician be remanded in prison custody until his bail application is determined.

    .  Naira Marley appeared before High Court in Lagos on Thursday, May 30

    . He was granted bail for N2millon with two sureties in like sum.

    . Justice Nicholas Oweibo ruled that one of the sureties must be on Grade Level 10 in the Federal or state employment.

    . The other surety must have a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

    . The judge adjourned until October 22 for trial.

  • EFCC probes MTN’s listing on stock exchange

    MTN Nigeria yesterday said that it was being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the listing of its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

    In a statement posted on the exchange web site by MTN Nigeria Communications, Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah, confirmed the investigation.

    The statement said the company received a letter on May 23 from EFCC requesting information and documentation related to the listing of its shares on the NSE.

    “MTN Nigeria has not been accused of any wrongdoing by the EFCC. We wish to reiterate that we received all regulatory approvals required to list our shares on the NSE, as publicly confirmed by NSE and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    Read also: MTN Nigeria Communications hits N1.12tr gain

    “As a law-abiding and responsible corporate citizen, we are cooperating fully with the authorities. We are committed to good governance and to abiding by the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” said the statement.

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), there have been reports of scarcity of MTN’s shares after its listing, amid allegations of price manipulation.

    Some minority shareholders had decried the inability of retail investors to have access to the shares since May 16 after the listing.

    They accused capital market regulators of conniving with MTN Nigeria Communications to allegedly manipulate the performance of the share price at the exchange.

    They said that the MTN Nigeria did not meet the free float of 20 per cent before listing.

     

     

     

  • Is EFCC hot on your trail? Here’s the Fainting Formula to your rescue!

    A lot of people believe that the escape route for a case of corruption is for the accused to simply decamp to the ruling party of the day to be exonerated. But this line of action is quite dicey indeed. In addition, timing is of the essence.

    A completely fool-proof method to get out of any and all corruption charges is not to try anything funny like offering bribes (which is adding to crime). The sure way out is – first to wait for your day in court.

    That day, as soon as your name is called, as you rise to answer your name; YOU FAINT! However, this is for the really dramatic in our midst, if you are less so, then the ‘main fainting’ must come IMMEDIATELY AFTER HEARING CHARGES read against you.

    Read also: EFCC seeks final forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $5.7m, N2.4bn

    SLUMP AND FAINT, whenever the (list of) corruption charges are reeled out, and then have people sympathetic to your course revive you. Once revived, your plea would be taken – NOT GUILTY, you say. (If you really want to perfect your quick absolution, and if bail is DENIED – you FAINT IN COURT AGAIN).

    At this point, every judge will call for your quick movement to a hospital. You then check into your regular hospital; the most cushy around, and get prescribed some ‘bed-rest’, or observation. In the course of days, you fly abroad for proper medical examination and observation.

    Upon your return, I guarantee that a most favourable plea bargain would be arranged for you, and with a gentle slap on the wrist, you would be a free man or woman, once again.

    This Fainting Formula of mine is absolutely fool-proof. To assure you further, the list of those it has worked for is too long to be mentioned here. And the list of those it has failed? No list. It works every time.

    Here is the last incident that occurred just 4 days ago in Lagos at an Ikeja Special Offences Court:­- According to the charge, a former Chairman of the Ikeja NBA, Adesina Ogunlana and 2 others, including one woman (3rd defendant) allegedly stole over N20m, belonging to the Bar Association.

    When the EFCC prosecutor Samuel Daji requested the trial judge to remand Ogunlana in prison custody after he had pleaded not guilty, Ogunlana promptly collapsed!

    The prosecuting counsel merely wanted them all in prison pending the courts’ ruling on their bail application. Reports say his (prosecutor’s) plea was on the grounds that Ogunlana and the third defendant had previously jumped administrative bail. The 3rd defendant reportedly even gave an address of a house that she had left two years ago!

    Once again – the timely application of the Fainting Formula did the magic! With Ogunlana fainting, the trial judge, Justice Mojisola Dada in her ruling declared “…the court will be granting them temporary bail”. The Fainting Formula works ever time!

  • EFCC seeks final forfeiture of Patience Jonathan’s $5.7m, N2.4bn

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the final forfeiture of $5.7million and N2.4billion belonging to former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    It said the money is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

    Moving an application for the final forfeiture, the EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, said Mrs Jonathan did not earn the money legitimately.

    But, Mrs Jonathan, through her lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), said the money was not stolen.

    He said it was part of gifts from friends, adding that nobody complained that their money was stolen.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on April 26, 2017 ordered the money’s temporary forfeiture based on an ex-parte application by the EFCC.

    Mrs Jonathan appealed, but the Court of Appeal last January 12 upheld the temporary forfeiture.

    The Supreme Court on March 15 affirmed the Court of Appeal judgment.

    It directed the appellant to return to before Justice Olatoregun to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

    In an affidavit in support of the ex-parte originating summons, an EFCC operative, Musbahu Yahaha Abubakar, said Mrs Jonathan opened a Skye Bank account on February 7, 2013.

    “One Dudafa Waripamo Owei, who was the Senior Special Assistant to the former President, was one of the frequent depositors in the account.

    “Another frequent cash depositor of funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities into the account is one Festus Iyoha, a steward at the State House, Abuja,” the deponent said.

    The EFCC investigator said Iyoha made deposits with fictitious names.

    Abubakar said between February 8, 2013 and January 30, 2015, $6,791,599.64 suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities was deposited into the account in cash.

    He said Mrs Jonathan dissipated part of the funds, leaving a balance of $5,731,173.55.

    Read also: Patience Jonathan’s N200m suit against EFCC for hearing Oct. 16

    “If this funds are not forfeited in the interim, the operator of the account, Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, will fully dissipate it,” the investigator said.

    The commission said the N2.4billion was found in an Ecobank Nigeria Ltd account numbered 2022000760 in the name of La Wari Furniture and Baths Ltd.

    The EFCC said the “purported” signatory to the account was one Ada Ifegbu, with a telephone number belonging to one Esther Oba.

    The EFCC operative said the N2.4billion “was substantially the naira equivalent of the United States dollars given to one Chima Nwafor John of Ecobank Nigeria Ltd by one Esther Oba at the Aso Rock Villa.”

    He said it was John who contracted bureau de change operators to convert the money to naira and deposit it to La Wari Furniture and Baths’s account.

    The company is the second respondent.

    Urging the court to order the final forfeiture, Oyedepo said: “The $5million was not the first respondent’s legitimate earning.

    “She was a public servant and a salary earner. The sums cannot be her legitimate income. We urge the court to agree with us and forfeit the sum to the Federal Government.”

    On the N2.4billion, Oyedepo said the opening of the account where the money is domiciled is “shrouded in mystery and fraud”.

    He added that a director of La Wari Furniture and Baths, Mrs Oyewole Yemisi, when questioned by EFCC, claimed not to know anything about the company and that her signature was forged.

    “She denied being part of the resolution that authorised the opening of the account in which the funds were warehoused. She said she was not part of the company,” Oyedepo said.

    Besides, he said those who paid money into the accounts did not buy any goods from the firm.

    “The money was not the proceeds of sale of any goods. We urge my Lord to hold that the money is proceeds of crime,” Oyedepo said.

    But, Chief Adedipe said there was no evidence that the money sought to be forfeited is proceeds of crime.

    He said Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud, which EFCC relied on, is targeted at fraudsters and anticipates “unlawful conduct”.

    “It is not the law that if the EFCC finds money in an account and it doesn’t like the owner’s face, it comes to court and says ‘forfeit it’.

    “The government is at liberty to apply for forfeiture, but the offence must be stated.

    “The first respondent is the wife of a former deputy governor, governor, vice president and president. Even the current occupier of the office of the First Lady wants to build a university.

    “In this country, First Ladies enjoy a lot of goodwill. She (Mrs Jonathan) stated that governors gave her money. Nobody wrote that she stole their money,” the SAN said.

    Besides, Adedipe added that the anti-graft agency did not provide any evidence that her client stole money from government or any individual.

    “All EFCC said is that they saw money in her account and assumed it was stolen. They didn’t say from whom. You don’t pick on your political opponents.

    “We urge your Lordship to hold that the money is not proceeds of unlawful act. It’s not a crime to be given money,” Adedipe said.

    La Wari Furniture and Baths’ counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said the company is an ongoing business concern involved in the import and export of furniture and antiques.

    “It is settled law that suspicion no matter how grave can never amount to legal evidence to prove the guilt or culpability of anyone either in criminal or civil proceedings.

    “They have not brought anybody to complain that money is missing. It is not a crime that La Wari Furniture and Baths had made money.

    “EFCC has not shown any predicate offence committed by La Wari Furniture and Baths. They threw a wide net into the sea looking to catch a fish.

    “We urge your Lordship to refuse this application,” Ozekhome prayed.

    Justice Olatoregun adjourned until June 24 for judgment.

  • Naira Marley: EFCC seeks partnership with artistes against internet fraud

    Mr Ibrahim Magu, acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, sought partnership with Nigerian artistes and comedians in the fight against corruption particularly internet fraud.

    EFCC acting spokesman, Mr Tony Orilade quoted the chairman to have made the call during an interactive session with artistes, comedians and On-Air-Personalities (OAP) in Abuja.

    He said, “you have a very wide reach, so lend us your voices, please let your works propagate and promote integrity and the right values.

    “I urge you to raise a collective slogan against all forms of criminality among our youths, condemn in strong terms, ostentatious living without credible sources of income, particularly the get-rich-at-all-cost syndrome among the youths.

    “We need you to join hands with the EFCC in this fight against corruption, because we need you more than ever before to change the negative narratives about our country being havens of internet fraudsters.

    “I have always stressed that we cannot claim to have the monopoly of knowledge of how to fight corruption at the EFCC.

    “We are, however, driven by the passion to explore all frontiers that will enable us achieve a better society for our children yet unborn – an egalitarian society and one which we all can be proud of.”

    Read Also: Nine facts about Naira Marley’s arrest

    He noted that the engagement with the members of the creative and entertainment industry, was out of great concern about the increasing cases of “yahoo-yahoo” among Nigerian youths.

    According to him, it is also our belief that Nigeria’s creative minds was critical to curbing the ugly trend, which has given Nigeria a bad image.

    While making reference to the recent prosecution of popular musician, Afeez Fashola, a.k.a Naira Marley, for charges bordering on internet fraud, Magu said that the commission was not “chasing” musicians.

    The EFCC boss used the opportunity to emphasize that the commission has no issues with any member of the sector of the country.

    “I have said it in the past and I will also like to restate, that the EFCC does not go after any innocent person.

    “Our mandate is to rid Nigeria of any form of economic and financial crimes, and internet fraud is not excluded,” he said.