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Tag: fraud

  • Mechanic held for ‘stealing’ ex Lagos Health Commissioner’s N1m

     

     

    A 45-year-old auto mechanic was on Monday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly obtaining N1 million under false pretence from a former Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan.

    The mechanic, Gbenga Daramola, whose address was not given, is facing a three-count charge bordering on fraud, obtaining, conversion ‎and stealing levelled against him by the police.

    Prosecuting Corporal Cyriacus Osuji told the court that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N1million from Dr. Leke Pitan under the pretence of repairing his ‎Mercedes Benz S600 with registration number EPE 800 DU.

    He alleged that the defendant converted the said sum to his personal use.

    “The defendant also intentionally damaged the brain box of the Mercedes Benz S600 and the side mirrors valued at ‎N200,000” the prosecutor added.

    According to him, the offences are punishable under Sections 312 (2), 285 and 337(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The defendant denied the charges.

    Magistrate O. Kusanu (Mrs.) granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties each in the like sum, one of whom must be a blood relation.

    The case was adjourned till ‎April 28, for mention.

     

  • Septuagenarian held for N8m fraud

    Septuagenarian held for N8m fraud

    The police have arrested a 76-year-old land speculator, John Orimogunje, for allegedly collecting N8 million from two women under pretext that he would get them land in Lagos.

    Orimogunje, whose address was not given, was arraigned Tuesday before Mr. B. A. Sonuga of a Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Igbosere, on a six-count charge of conspiracy, false representation, obtaining, stealing and issuance of dud cheques.

    Prosecuting Inspector Haruna Ibrahim told the court that the septuagenarian and others, who are still at large, committed the alleged offences between January and August 2014.

    He alleged that the Orimogunje, sometime in January 2014, at Ikota Shopping Complex, Victoria Garden City, Lekki, obtained N8m from one Mrs. Ejiro Imafidon and Mrs. Emili Iwere, after falsely presenting himself as a land speculator to the complainants.

    The prosecutor also alleged that the defendant at the same place on June 30, 2014, “issued a Skye Bank Plc post-dated cheque in the sum of N3 million in the name of Emilia Iwere as payment for the said money he was owing her, but that when the cheque was presented for payment, it was rejected due to insufficient funds in his account.”

    It was further alleged that on July 21, 2014, at Police Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, the defendant issued a Zenith Bank Plc post-dated cheque in the sum of N2.5 million in the name of Mrs Ejiro Imafidon as payment of the money he owed her, but this was also dishonoured when it was presented for payment.

    “On August 5, 2014, he also issued a post-dated cheque in the sum of N2.5million, in favour of Ejiro Imafidon, which was also rejected due to ‎insufficient funds in his account,” Ibrahim alleged.

    According to the prosecutor, the offences are punishable under Sections 410, 312, 27 (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 and Section 1 (b) (i) of the dishonoured Cheque Offences Act Cap 102, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 1990.

    The defendant denied the charges.

    His counsel, Mr. Ademola Adewale, urged the court to grant him bail ‎ in liberal term, because of his age.

    He said: “The defendant t is very old. He is under medication and under observation from the hospital. He has even been asked to report at the hospital tomorrow.

    “I urge the court to release him to me and I will ensure he attends Court diligently. If he doesn’t sell land, he can’t pay them.”

    But the prosecutor opposed the bail application on the grounds that there was no evidence before the Court to show that the defendant was ill.

    However Magistrate ‎Mr. B. B. Sonuga granted the defendant bail, in the sum of N2million with two sureties in the like sum and adjourned till April 28, for mention.

     

  • How Wonder bank dupes businessman of N360m

    How Wonder bank dupes businessman of N360m

    A Port-Harcourt-based businessman, Emmanuel Ugoakaeze, Tuesday told a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, how a company, Nospecto Oil and Gas, allegedly stole his N360 million by deceiving him that the money had been invested in an industrial fuel business.

    In charge No: ID/212/2011, Nospecto and four others are facing a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and collecting deposits illegally from the public without a licence, preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    They were accused of fraudulently converting the sums of N360m, property of Gladys Cho and Associates, and N180, 750,000.00 belonging to Rivotel International Ltd.

    The other defendants are Alhaji Yusha’u Abdullahi Maiyaki; Alhaji Al-Sidiq Manga; Alhaji Monday Sumanu Philemon; and Alhaji Najeem Yusuf.

    The offences, the Commission said, were committed between August 2006 and May 2007 and are contrary to Sections 516, 383(1); (2)(f); 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap C17 Volume 2, Laws of Lagos 2003 (AS amended) and Sections 58(1) and 59(a)(b) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act LFN 2004.

    At the resumption of trial yesterday, Ugoakaeze, testifying before Justice Kudirat Jose for the prosecution during examination-in-chief, introduced himself as a director in a company, Rivotel International Ltd.

    Led on by EFCC counsel, Mr. A.M. Ocholi, he alleged that sometime in 2006, he was introduced to Alhaji Maiyaki, the chairman of Nospecto, by one Ambrose Okogie, a member of his church.

    “Ambrose had a business model that he said was generating N40, 000 from an investment of N330, 000 every month,” Ugoakaeze added.

    He explained that after the introduction to Maiyaki and Manga at a meeting, the defendants made a presentation and it was confirmed that the business “was real and authentic.”

    Ugoakaeze said: “I was encouraged to invest in it and I decided to give it a six-month trial. I later approached Alhaji Maiyaki, proposing that I wanted to buy land in Ikeja for a hotel. The cost of the land was N800 million.”

    He said he met the defendants and Maiyaki assured him they could manage his investments and urged him to invest his money in four companies appointed by them.

    “Their business, as per the MOU we signed, was transacting in fuel oil and after he confirmed that they had licence to carry out the business, I sent N360 million in total to his suggested companies and they issued me with receipts. Eventually, we started transacted business and statements were coming,” Ugoakaeze said.

    He added that it was after six months that he saw on TV that “Nospecto was a fraud,” and that the company had invested his money in another company dealing in shares.

    “They introduced me to their stockbroker and it later occurred to me that the money I paid was diverted to several places. We visited their office in Victoria Island but they were no longer there.”

    Upon an application by defence counsel, Mr. Abubakar Shamsudeen, Justice Jose adjourned till today for cross examination of the witness.

    In a 2010 publication titled ‘Stemming the tide of scourge of illegal fund managers/wonder banks, the Central Bank said 36 illegal fund managers accounted for N104 billion, or 97.3 per cent of the total collated claims of N106.9 billion and “Nospetco Oil and Gas Ltd, one of the illegal fund managers, accounted for 48 per cent of these claims.”

     

  • Two siblings arraigned for alleged fraud

    •Accused granted N20m bail each

    Two brothers, Chinedu Ugochukwu and Udechukwu Ugochukwu, have been arraigned at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for allegedly stealing N1 billion worth of shares of a company – Ugochukwu and Sons Limited – by posing as its directors.

    The two, accused of committing the offence in 2009, were arraigned before Justice Adebukola Banjoko on a nine-count of conspiracy, theft, retention of stolen shares, forgery, among others.

    They were, in count one of the charge signed by M. A. Igwe of the Legal/Prosecution Unit, Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja, accused of conspiring ‘’to commit felony, to wit: theft and you thereby committed an offence of criminal conspiracy punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law.”

    Udechukwu was accused, in count two, of falsely parading himself as the managing director of Ugochukwu and Sons Ltd when he was neither a director nor a shareholder in the company, and in such “false, fictitious character, you fraudulently caused the transfer of 1,635,805 shares worth N1billion, property of Ugochuku and Sons Ltd, from Biscuit Manufacturing Company Ltd to Chinedu Ugochukwu.”

    Chinedu was, in count four, accused of dishonestly receiving and retaining “stolen shares belonging to shareholders in Ugochukwu and Sons Ltd and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 317 of the Penal Code Law.

    Chinedu and Udechukwu pleaded not guilty. They applied for bail, which the judge granted at N20 million and one surety each in like sum.

    Justice Banjoko adjourned to May 4 for trial.

    In an affidavit supporting their bail application, the defendants denied the allegations against them, stating that the decision to arraign them was part of the plot by their other siblings to deny them their inheritance from their late father, Igwe M. Ugochukwu (OFR), the founder of the conglomerate, known as Ugochukwu and Sons Ltd.

    They stated that several cases in relation to the disputes among them and their siblings were pending before the Federal High Court, Lagos, while some have been concluded in their favour.

    Chinedu said, in the affidavit: “My late father wrote a will dated September 29, 1990, which upon his death, letters of probate was granted on the will. Every person took what was given to him in the will and the executors and trustees devised accordingly, with no complaint whatsoever.

    “I was given property at Plot 141 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos and factory at Niwal Close, Lagos – Biscuit Manufacturing Company Nigeria Limited. The second applicant (Udechukwu) was given Eagle Insurance Broker, a duplex at Plot 64b Anifowoshe Stree, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    “My other siblings were given factories at Umunze, Kaduna and Onitsha, including a house on Victoria Island, Lagos. I have been managing my factory and remodelled my property at Ahmadu Bello Way since with no harassment until 2013 when my elder brothers – Obiorah and Ihenacho – began subtle moves to annex the factory and businesses bequeathed to me, under the guise of liquidation of Ugochukwu and Sons Ltd,” Chinedu said.

  • Ex-Afromedia chief remanded for alleged fraud

    Ex-Afromedia chief remanded for alleged fraud

    • EFCC accuses Mohammed Gobir of $1m, N514m, N123m and £51,000 scam

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned Alhaji Mohammed Gobir before Justice Raliat Adebiyi of a Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, on multi-billion naira fraud charges.

    Gobir, a former non-executive director and chairman of Business Development Committee of Afromedia Plc, is accused of fraudulently obtaining $1 million (about N198,870,000.00); N514,457,151.87; $2,102,740 (about N418,171,903.80); N123 million and £51,000 (N14,667,898.25).

    He is facing a 17-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence, stealing, fraud, use of forged documents, and possession of forged documents.

    In a charge marked LS/2542C/16, EFCC prosecutor, Mr. A.B.C. Ozioko, told the court that between January 2009 and December 2011, with intent to defraud, Gobir obtained N514, 457, 151.87 from the firm by pretending that the amount represented the cost of facilitating and securing the sum of $70 million from his account with NATVEST Bank, London, United Kingdom, “as your investment fund in Afromedia Plc out of the sum of $250 million USD.”

  • Ondo uncovers fraud in payment of teachers’ salary

    Ondo uncovers fraud in payment of teachers’ salary

    The Ondo State government yesterday said it has uncovered fraud in the payment of teachers’ salary.

    The government said this has caused a delay in the payment of workers’ salary.

    At a briefing in Akure, the state capital, Commissioner for Finance Yele Ogundipe said the fraud was discovered during the verification for workers and in which the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) staff participated.

    Ogundipe, who was accompanied by the Head of Service, Toyin Akinkuotu and Commissioner for Education Jide Adejuyigbe said the government embarked on the verification for a reconciliation of the figures on the nominal roll with actual staff in schools.

    The commissioner said N12 million excess was discovered as error of summation in the nominal roll of Fiwasaye Girls Grammar School, Akure.

    Ogundipe added that the government observed that the nominal roll and payment for October did not tally in terms of staff strength for some schools.

    He noted some schools where the discrepancies occurred include Ekimogun Grammar school, Bolorunduro, which he said has staff strength of 40 but the nominal roll showed 54.

    The commissioner said there were also variations between the payment vouchers and the nominal roll in all the secondary schools.

    Ogundipe said it was observed that pay points of some teachers did not correspond with the present place of duty, thereby taking a lot of time to reconcile.

    According to him, “It was also discovered that the nominal roll and payroll for October last year did not tally in terms of staff strength for some schools

    “For example, payment vouchers of Ekimogun Grammar School, Bolorunduro was 40, while the nominal roll was 54, hence an excess of 14 workers.

    “Thus far, we have reconciled the figures for five local government areas; viz Irele, Owo, Ese Odo, Akure South and Akoko South West and payment are being made as we speak.”

    He said the remaining local governments are being processed currently and all payments will be concluded by Friday.

     

  • Ex-NHIS boss charged for $2.2m fraud

    Ex-NHIS boss charged for $2.2m fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Dr. Femi Thomas with $2.2 million (about N437,909,420.43) fraud.

    He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment before Justice Saliu Saidu of the Lagos Federal High Court in Lagos.

    He was arraigned along with a Bureau de Change operator, Kabiru Sidi.

    EFCC alleged that Thomas and his wife, believed to be at large, on or about last July 3, at House 20, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) compound, Idi-Araba, conspired to accept $2.2 million, which exceeded the N5 million permitted by law for public officers.

    They were accused of paying $2.2 million cash to Ibitoye Bamidele without using a financial institution.

    Sidi was accused of making a false statement to an EFCC investigator, Afeez Mustapha, last July 15 that he owned the $2.2 million.

    The alleged offences contravene sections 18 (2) (b), 1(a) and 39(2) (b) and punishable under sections 16(2) (b) and Section 39 (2) (c) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Defence counsel Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) said a bail application was filed. He urged the court to grant Thomas bail on self-recognition, and to grant Sidi bail on liberal terms.

    Justice Saidu granted Thomas bail for N25 million with two sureties and Sidi got N10 million bail with two sureties as well.

    The judge adjourned until May 12 for trial.

     

  • Oronsaye diverted N190m using secret account – Witness

    Oronsaye diverted N190m using secret account – Witness

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) heard Tuesday how former Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF), Steven Oronsaye allegedly diverted N190million belonging to the Federal Government.

    An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ngunnan Kakwagh told the court, while testifying as the first prosecution witness, that Oronsaye unilaterally operated an Access Bank account in the name of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force (PCFATF).

    Kakwagh testified shortly after Oronsaye was arraigned on a fresh two-count charge in which he is accused of committing the alleged fraud on June 12, 2013 and December 30, 2014 using his position as the then Chairman of the PCFATF.

    The witness said PCFATF existed between 2012 and 2014 and received payments from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the account without the knowledge of other members of the committee.

    Kakwagh said Oronsaye received about N240m from the CBN through the account. She added that the defendant, in September 2013, also made “five structured payments” of N9m each, totalling N45m, into the account in one day.

    The witness said Oronsaye invested N190m in fixed deposit and converted it along with the accrued interest into personal use.

    Kakwagh, who was led in evidence by prosecution lawyer, O Uket, told the court that Oronsaye, as the sole-signatory to the account, equally issued cheques, in his name, to various individuals, who made withdrawals from the account.

    The witness, who said she was part of the team that investigated the petition against Oronsaye, said:”The team analysed the documents provided by the bank. One of the accounts was named the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force (Current account) and the sole signatory is Mr. Stephen Oronsaye – the defendant.

    “The means of identification was the bio-data page of the international passport of the defendant. Further analysis of the statement of account (Access Bank), we found out that the account was opened in 2012 with the request from the defendant, to Access Bank, requesting that the account be opened, which he was the sole signatory as he chairman of presidential committee on FATF.

    “The (investigative) team found out that the account had been funded by three transfers from the Central Bank of Nigeria and N45m deposited by the defendant. The first transfer was for N50m in October 2012 from CBN. The second transfer was for N90m in May 2013. Then in September 2013, the defendant made five structured payments of N9m making N45m.

    “In 2014 however, the transfer of N100m was made into the account from CBN. The first N50m was withdrawn by a cheque. The defendant (Oronsaye) being sole signatory to the account, issued cheques, to various persons an in his name to make withdrawals from the account.

    “N100m transfer was also paid into fixed deposit account. The sums of N30m, N10m and three separate sums of N20m each was also paid into fixed deposit all on the same day,” she said.

    The witness told the court that PCFATF members and the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation denied knowledge of the Access Bank account and that the only account of the committee known to them was the one with the Zenith Bank Plc.

    “We invited Jalal Arabi (staff of the State House and Secretary to the PCFATF). When asked about the Access Bank account, he stated that the committee had an account with Zenith Bank of which he is a co-signatory with the defendant (Oronsaye) and as such he had no knowledge of the Access Bank account.

    “Mr. Francis Usani (as Head of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit,), also stated that as member of the committee, he was only aware of the committee’s account with Zenith Bank.

    “The team wrote a letter to the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. On inquiry, it was realised that the committee had approval from the office of the Accountant-General of Federation for Zenith Bank account and was known to the office of the AGF. The team also made inquiry whether government agencies were allowed to move funds allocated to them, and if so how and where?

    “Office of the AGF responded to our letter of inquiry, stating that the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation was unaware of Access Bank account of the committee and had not given any approval for the opening of the account. The reply also stated that government parastatals and agencies are only allowed to invest in treasury bills.”

    The witness also told the court that Oronsaye made other 26 investments with the money in the Access Bank account. She added that 22 of the investments were liquidated by the defendant.

    While being cross-examined by Oronsaye’s lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN) the witness said she did not inquire from the office of the AGF if it knew about the Zenith Bank account.

    Justice Olasumbo Goodluck adjourned to April 13.

    Justice Goodluck, before adjourning, rejected EFCC’s objection to Oronsaye’s bail application. She proceeded to grant Oronsaye bail at N10m with two sureties at N5m each.

    The judge directed that the sureties must be resident in Abuja and must be serving or retired civil servant not below the level of a director in the federal civil service o‎r its agencies.

    Justice Goodluck directed that Oronsaye’s passport tendered before a Federal High Court in Abuja, in relation to another case, should be submitted to her court in the event that the trial at the Federal High Court was concluded before the one before her court.

     

  • Udenwa, Fani-Kayode, Falae named in alleged N3.1b fraud

    Udenwa, Fani-Kayode, Falae named in alleged N3.1b fraud

    Fani-Kayode (N840m), Goodluck Group (N320m), Falae’s firm (100m), Udenwa and Onwuliri (N350m), Nenadi Usman (N36.9m), Okey Ezenwa(N100m)

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered how N3.145b was paid into the accounts of six chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and Goodluck Support Group (GSG) by the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election.

    The beneficiaries include a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and leader of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae; a former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman; a former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa; a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Viola Onwuliri and Mr. Okey Ezenwa.

    According to  a source in the anti-graft agency, the cash was paid by the CBN into the account of the Ministry of External Affairs Library, from where it was moved into the account of Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited.

    “It was from the Joint Dimension’s account with Zenith Bank that the money was shared to various individuals and organisations for purposes that are not stated,” the source said.

    The details of how the money was shared are: Fani-Kayode (N840million); Goodluck Support Group (N320million); Achike Udenwa and Viola Onwuliri (N350million); Nenadi Usman (N36.9million);and Okey Ezenwa(N100million).

    Giving an insight into how the funds were remitted into the recipients’ accounts, the source said: “Fani-Kayode allegedly received N840million, paid in three tranches into his Zenith Bank, Maitama branch account with No.1004735721.

    “The first tranche of N350million hit the account on February 19, 2015; N250milion was also paid into the account on February19, 2015 while N240million was paid on March 19, 2015.

    “The balance on this account as at 31st December, 2015 was N189, 402.72.

    “The Goodluck Support Group allegedly received N320million

    ” Chief Falae allegedly received N100m through Marreco Limited, a company where he is chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account No. 1000627022 on March 25, 2014.

    “Both Achike Udenwa and Viola Onwuliri got N350million in two tranches. The first tranche of N150million was paid into their joint account with Zenith Bank on January 13, 2015. The second tranche of N200miilion was credited into their account with Diamond Bank.

    “Nenadi Usman was paid N36.9billion through her Zenith Bank account no. 1000158311 on 7, Kachia Road, Kaduna. Ezenwa was paid N100million.”

    Investigators are probing why the PDP leaders got the cash.

    The source said: “Detectives are trying to decipher the motives for the payments.

    “But as things stand, the fact that most of the payments were made in the weeks preceding the last presidential election leaves very little to the imagination.”

    “One knotty question that confronts the investigators is the figure behind Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited, the account where the fund was warehoused before being wired to the beneficiaries.

    “The shadowy figure could help unravel the mystery surrounding the payments, once the veil is lifted.”

     

  • CBN officials suspended over multi-million dollar fraud

    CBN officials suspended over multi-million dollar fraud

    The Federal Government has placed some very senior officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on suspension for fraud running into hundreds of millions of dollars.

    The Nation gathered that President Muhammadu Buhari has authorised the suspension of the CBN workers,  including a deputy governor and three directors.

    A Presidency source said  the Deputy Governor was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan and “he was indicted in an ongoing fraud investigation amounting to about $400 million.”

    The Presidency official however refused to state the nature of the fraud for fear that further disclosure might reveal the identity of the affected Deputy Governor and directors of the CBN.

    However, a statement from the CBN last night confirmed that “a highly sophisticated plot to defraud the CBN by some criminally minded elements has been uncovered and aborted by the bank.”

    The statement signed by the bank’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, said the apex bank suspended the unnamed workers to enable the bank investigate their involvement in the fraud.

    “A highly sophisticated plot to defraud the CBN by some criminally minded elements has been uncovered and aborted by the bank. Although preliminary investigations so far have not revealed any accomplices within the CBN, management has decided to place all key personnel involved in the transaction on suspension. This is to ensure a full and unfettered investigation,” the statement explained. The statement added that the matter had been reported to relevant authorities while the apex bank assured the general public that the security of the bank remained intact.