The Nation Newspaper

Tag: fraud

  • ASUU protests chair’s suspension over fraud

    ASUU protests chair’s suspension over fraud

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities [ASUU] Owerri zone has protested the suspension order given to Dr Uzochukwu Onyebinama, chairman of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike [MOUAU] chapter of the union over alleged fraud and examination malpractices.

    The union called on the university authority to immediately revoke the suspension, which it described as callous.

    However, the MOUAU Vice Chancellor, Prof Hilary Edeoga, said that Onyebinama’s suspension was prescribed by the rules of service of the university concerning fraud and misconduct, and not because of his role as ASUU Chairman.

    But the union resolved after its congress at the university last week to commence action against the management until it reversed the suspension.

    The resolution which was announced by the Owerri zonal coordinator of ASUU, Prof Ike Odumegwu, said that the measure to suspend the chairperson, place him on half salary and ban him from entering the campus because he sought redress in the court against the university over cases of injustice, were unacceptable.

    Defending the management’s decision, Edeoga explained that Onyebinama did not wait for the outcome of the investigation before running to the court which he said was against the university’s rule.

    The VC said: “The rules of the university are very clear on certain matters: you don’t take the university to court.  The rule says that if you are suspended you go on half salary”.

    Edeoga said that Onyebinama was also guilty of examination fraud by awarding suspicious marks to students, which the Senate found abnormal – in addition to allegations of incompetence and mismanagement against him as the Director of Continuing Education Center [CEC].

    He disclosed that the problem started after Onyebinama was removed as the Director of CEC.

    “They started writing all sorts of petitions even against the new Director but I stood my ground that the right thing must be done,” he said.

    Edeoga said that the panel of investigation into a case of misconduct against Onyebinama and that of the staff disciplinary committee found him guilty of the allegations of dereliction of duty, abuse of office and deliberate breach of senate guidelines.

    He said that the committee also found him “guilty of insubordination, total disregard for constituted authority, inefficiency, negligence and dishonesty in the discharge of his official functions,” and recommended his suspension.

    The report of the six-member staff disciplinary committee recommended his dismissal from service after its investigation, but the management decided to suspend him instead.

  • Oil swap deal: ‘AITEO not involved in $150m fraud’

    Oil swap deal: ‘AITEO not involved in $150m fraud’

    The management of AITEO Group has denied involvement in any $150 million shady deal in crude oil-for-refined-products-exchange programme.

    The firm’s clarification came as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ) intensified investigation into the alleged oil-swap scandal in the petroleum sector.

    AITEO said it has submitted relevant documents to the EFCC and the Department of State Security Service (DSS) to prove that its crude oil-for-refined-products-exchange programme had been transparent

    The EFCC recently started investigation into how the Federal Government was allegedly short-changed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in swapping crude for refined products.

    The company, in a statement in Abuja by its spokesperson, Miss Aiki Odiawa, said it had never acted as a front for former President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    It said its transactions with NNPC required quarterly reconciliation to determine all crude oil loaded and refined products delivered.

    The statement read in part: “Executive Management of AITEO makes reference to three publications of April 28, 2014, June 10, 2015; and June 7, 2015 (Oil Traders, NNPC Officials Interrogated, watch-listed in Major Investigations) in which spurious allegations were made about the company and one of our founders, Mr. Benedict Peters.

    “Without prejudice to any legitimate fact-find process lawfully authorised by Nigerian authorities, as a corporate entity whose success has been as a result of dynamism, foresightedness and fortitude, it is pertinent that clarification is made to the general public on the position of AITEO.

    “AITEO in collaboration with Duke Oil participated in both the SWAP crude oil-for-refined-products-exchange programme and Offshore Processing (OPA) Agreement, which are both governed by robust legally binding agreements with provisions for strict commercial considerations backed by the necessary financial instruments to mitigate and manage potential risks of transactions of this nature.

    “AITEO’s participation in the programmes was premised upon AITEO having fulfilled all requirements precedent to being nominated and gaining the objective confidence of the Management of NNPC on its strong competence and ability to deliver on the said contracts as and when due.

    “Never at any point has AITEO unfairly exploited its commercial relationship with NNPC under the SWAP or OPA contracts.

    “Further allegations that AITEO was more than 20 cargoes in arrears on the new deal are completely false.

    “In fulfillment of our outstanding obligation on the Duke Oil SWAP and contracts, we have decided to nominate two cargo deliveries to fully liquidate any outstanding deliveries due to PPMC.

    “However, should there still exist a deficit after reconciling positions, where there is an over delivery, PPMC will issue a credit note in favour of AITEO and if AITEO should have any outstanding, this will either be deducted from on-going cash calls due AITEO from AITEO/NNPC Joint Venture or an outright remittance as the case may be.

    “The Board of AITEO has taken the decision to wind down this Duke Oil SWAP and OPA contract promptly and bring its business relationship with Duke Oil to a closure.

    “It should be noted that AITEO’s OPA with NNPC requires a reconciliation meeting to take place between the parties on a quarterly basis for all crude oil loaded and refined products delivered.”

    The statement added that a reconciliation meeting has been scheduled to ascertain what each party has delivered so far.

    “In light of this development, the fully reconciled position should be determined soon.

    “Therefore allegations that AITEO ‘apparently gulped down $150 million’ are not only baseless but aimed to slur the name of the company,” the statement added.

  • Jigawa Education ministry denies N2.5b fraud

    The Permanent Secretary, Jigawa State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Alhaji Abdullahi Hudu, at the weekend debunked that a fraud of N2.5billion occurred in the ministry.

    Hudu, who spoke in Dutse, the state capital, when fielding questions from reporters, said the allegation of the loot of N2.5billion through three non- existing senior secondary schools was not true, adding that it was a mischief to dent the ministry’s image and that of the ex-government.

    His words: “This is a lie. It is baseless and an attempt by the mischief makers to mislead the present administration and the people. They will not succeed.

    “A Ministry of Education official under my humble self saw the governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar. We briefed him on the ministry. The governor asked us to forward the ministry’s problems to him.”

    The permanent secretary said at present, there are over 90,000 pupils in public schools “and out of this number, over 50,000 are males.”

  • Alleged $8.8m fraud: Legal firm criticises report on DPP’s request for Briton’s extradition

    A firm of legal practitioners and arbitrators, Chris O. Okunowo & Co, has criticised a report with the headline: “$8.8m fraud: Lagos DPP to request Briton extradition”, published in the online version of The Nation of May 26 and the print edition of May 27.

    The lawyers, in a statement, said the report made criminal imputations against their clients, Mr. Deepak Khilnani and Dr. Sushil Chandra.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has just been drawn to a report with the above referenced headline published in the online version of The Nation Newspaper of the 26th May 2015 and the print edition of the 27th May 2015 making criminal imputations to our clients, Mr. Deepak Khilnani and Dr. Sushil Chandra.

    “The report has among several other unverified claims alleged that the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) may soon be filing a request for the extradition of Mr. Deepak Khilnani to face criminal charges in Nigeria on account of a transaction in 2008 alleged to be in the tune of $8.8m and the basis of which a four count charge bordering on conspiracy, cheating, stealing and false representation have been pressed against our clients.

    “While we may have ordinarily waived off the entire report as yet another mischievous contraption schemed up to distract and malign our clients as viciously pursued by some of their business partners in Nigeria, we consider it quite apt to upstage this virulent dimension in a long line of campaigns of calumny and to which the Lagos State DPP have lent itself as another pawn in the chess of anomie propped up to mislead the general public.

    “For the avoidance of any doubt and regardless of any charge that may have been filed against our clients, we wish to state that our clients, Deepak Khilnani and Sushil Chandra, are no criminals but legitimate businessmen with substantial business interests and investments in Nigeria and which their uncompromising resolve to protect is the root of the onslaught against them by rapacious elements resorting to all sorts of intimidating measures.

    “Deepak Khilnani does not own any shares in Green Fuels Limited but is on the board of the company as the representative of Industrial Energy Africa Limited (IEAL), a company with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland which holds 75% shares in Green Fuels Limited. Ola Rosiji who holds the remaining 25% shares, and his partner, Anil Ahluwalia are purportedly laying claims to fund running into about N800 million invested in the company by Nigerian Distilleries Limited (NDL) as the basis of their shareholding in the company. Sushil Chandra has never been involved with Green Fuel Limited in any capacity.

    “Deepak Khilnani had insisted on behalf of IEAL on a formal confirmation that NDL’s fund was to be utilised in purchasing shares for both Anil Ahluwalia and Ola Rosiji in GFL. This was the beginning of his travail as Rosiji and Ahluwalia had severally persecuted him on many fronts, including using the police and courts.

    “Anil Ahluwalia and Rosiji had initiated Suit Nos. FHC/IKJ/CS/269/13 and FHC/L/CS/1648/14 at the Federal High Court, Lagos bordering mainly on the subject matter of these instant criminal allegations. Ola Rosiji also lodged a complaint against Deepak Khilnani and Sushil Chandra with the X’ Squad, Zone 2, of the Nigeria Police, Onikan, Lagos in respect of which an Audit Report settled by KPMG in flagrant disrespect of the ongoing suit on the matter was purportedly used as a basis for conjuring hideous allegations against our clients and a Charge No. F/21/14 was preferred against them at the Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

    “Deepak Khilnani was subsequently granted a leave to enforce his right against the Police in Suit No. LD/480MFHR/14 before the High Court of Lagos State and an order prohibiting the Police from restricting his movement was also granted by the same court. He has never jumped any administrative bail as maliciously reported in The Nation Newspaper, as he has always been in and out of Nigeria attending to his numerous business interests. He was last in Nigeria in March 2015.

    “Our firm had sometime in September 2014 written a petition to the Inspector General of Police protesting against the high-handedness of the ‘X’ Squad, Zone 2, of the Nigeria Police in respect of the investigation of the complaint of Ola Rosiji, which had assumed somewhat of an expropriation against our clients.

    “The ‘X’ Squad, Zone 2 was solely interested in and pursued an ignoble agenda of muscling Deepak Khilnani into making an undertaking on behalf of IEAL not only to relinquish the entirety of its shareholding in GFL to Rosiji but also to agree not ever to do any business in Nigeria. All these proceedings were being conducted under a manipulative genre of ADR.

    “The IGP mandated the DIG in charge of Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department to look into our complaint and by two separate letters Ref. Nos:CR:3000/X/FHQ/ABJ/PSFU/VOL.8/34 and Ref. Nos:CR:3000/X/FHQ/ABJ/PSFU/VOL.8/35 directed all the parties involved to pursue the civil matter that was already in the Federal High Court, Lagos since the issues involved are strictly civil in nature.

    “It is in view of the foregoing, that we are persuaded that the purported charge initiated by the DPP against our clients presumptuously based on an investigation of ‘X’ Squad, Zone 2, adopting a grossly incompetent and one-sided KPMG report and which investigation has been properly annulled by the Police highest authority as an act beyond its authority, is no more than another attempt to browbeat our clients into surrendering their lawful business interests in Nigeria.

    “The report above referenced as sponsored does not only depict an act of blackmail by some faceless cowards who have resorted to try their case in the press rather than fully reposing confidence in the several judicial processes initiated by them, but it is also an indication that these desperate individuals would stop at nothing to actualize their inordinate objectives adopting all sorts of predatory methods.

    “We are poised to challenge this act and indeed any other acts bordering on authoritarianism against our clients and shall do all within the precinct of law to ensure that interests of our clients as lawful investors contributing their quotas to our dear country’s economic development are not unduly eroded using the subterfuge of governmental protectionism as a decoy to hoodwink the members of the public.”

  • Mechanic charged with N500, 000 fraud

    An auto mechanic, Sunday Ade, was yesterday charged before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly obtaining N500, 000 under false pretences.

    Ade pleaded not guilty.

    But the prosecutor, Etim Nkankuk, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) told the court that the accused committed the offences on February 9 at Aguda in Surulere area of Lagos with his brother still at large.

    He said Ade obtained N500, 000 from one Elochukwu Peters under the pretext that he would cure his wife’s ailment.

    Nkankuk said: “The complainant was referred to Ade’s brother, who is still at large by the accused himself to cure the ailment. Peters was made to believe that the duo could help find a cure to his wife’s ailment.

    “He was asked to bring N500, 000 as payment for the cure only for him to find out that he had been duped.”

    Nkankuk noted that the offences contravened Sections 285, 312 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

    Chief Magistrate A.O. Isaac granted the accused N200, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    The case has been adjourned till July.

     

  • Six CBN officials, 16 others to face trial for N8b ‘fraud’

    Six CBN officials, 16 others to face trial for N8b ‘fraud’

    Case begins tomorrow in Ibadan

    Six centralBank of Nigeria (CBN) officials and 16 others from some commercial banks are to face trial for alleged N8 billion fraud, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said yesterday.

    The suspects, the agency alleged, stole and recirculated defaced and mutilated currencies.

    A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “The suspects drawn from various business units of the apex bank are to be arraigned by the anti-graft agency before a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, from Tuesday June 2, 2015 to Thursday June 4, 2015.

    “They include Patience Okoro Eye (Abuja), Afolabi Olufemi (Lagos), Kolawole Babalola (Ibadan), Olaniran Muniru Adeola (Ibadan), Fatai Yusuf, Adekunle (Head, Security, CBN, (Ibadan) and Ilori Adekunle Sunday (Akure).

    “The remaining 16 suspects are drawn from various commercial banks who were found to have conspired with the CBN executives to swing the heist.

    “All the suspects who are currently in the custody of the EFCC are now ruing the day they literally allowed greed and craze for materialism to becloud their sense of judgment and responsibility, when they elected to help themselves to tons of defaced Naira notes.

    “ Instead of carrying out the statutory instruction to destroy the currency, they substituted it with newspapers neatly cut to Naira sizes and proceeded to recycle the defaced and mutilated currency.

    “The fraud is partly to blame for the failure of government monetary policy over the years as currency mop-up exercises by the apex bank failed to check the inflationary pressure on the economy.”

    The commission gave further details on how the fraud was perpetrated by the suspects.

    The statement added: “The lid on the scam, which is widely suspected to have gone on unchecked for years, was blown on November 3, 2014 via a petition to the EFCC alleging that over N6, 575, 549, 370.00 was cornered and discreetly recycled by light fingered top executives of the CBN at the Ibadan branch.

    “The suspects, who were members of the Briquetting Panel, plotted their way to infamy on September 8, 2014 while carrying out a Briquetting exercise at the CBN Branch, Ibadan.

    “In banking parlance, Briquetting is disintegration and destruction of counted and audited dirty notes. By this practice, depositor banks usually take mutilated notes to the CBN in exchange for fresh notes equivalent of the amount deposited.

    “The depositor banks, in this instance, are Zenith Bank, FCMB, Wema Bank, Access Bank, First Bank, Skye Bank, Ecobank and Sterling Bank

    “But while carrying out the assignment, the team was alleged to have found one of the currency boxes filled only with old newspapers rather than 20 bundles of N1000 notes.

    A similar case, according to investigation, had been discovered on September 22, 2014 when a box that was supposed to contain N500 notes to the tune of N5billion was filled with old newspapers.

    “Unlike in the past, this fraud could not be swept under the carpet, as a member of the Briquetting Panel from the Osogbo branch blew the lid on the illicit deal.

    “In a statement, the informant stated that the exercise was designed to last between August 4 and 8, 2014. The 35-year-old, however, stated that she discovered a strange ‘sight’ while opening the third box on the second day of the exercise.   It was a discovery that beat her ken.

    “She added that she confronted the other members of the panel, including Eye, Head, Briquetting Panel; Treasury Assistant; Coordinator and Head, Security, CBN, Ibadan, who all assured her that they would look into it.

    “ But she later found out that it was all a ruse. She said she later found out that Eye not only maintained sealed lips over the matter but omitted it from her report.

    “A five-count charge awaits the suspects.”

  • Lagos businessman arraigned for N2.7m fraud

    A businessman, David Badmus, on Wednesday appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly obtaining N2.7million under false pretences.

    The accused, 56, is facing a three-count charge bordering on fraud and obtaining money under false pretences.

    According to the prosecutor, Insp. Richard Odigie, the accused committed the offences on June 16 at No. 14, Nosa Close, off Sand- Fill, Ajangbadi, a Lagos suburb.

    Odigie said the accused collected N2.7million worth of iron rods from the complainant, Mr Anthony Udochukwu, on the pretext that he needed them for a project at Ojo Local Government Council.

    “Badmus approached Udochukwu that he needed N2.7million worth of iron rods to execute a project and issued a cheque for the amount.

    “When the cheque was presented at the bank, it was, however, dishonoured,’’ he told the court.

    “Badmus gave Udechukwu two Sterling Bank cheques with nos. 06664125 and 06664126 which were dishonoured on presentation.”

    The offences, he noted, contravened Sections 284 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    Badmus, however pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate O.I. Adelaja granted the accused bail in the sum of N300, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    The case has been adjourned till July 1 for mention.

  • Alleged fraud: CCB won’t join issues with any aggrieved person

    The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) said yesterday it won’t take up issues with aggrieved persons over an alleged fraud.

    In a statement by its Head of Press and Protocol Unit, Iyabo Akinwale, the Bureau said:  “The Board and Management wish to state categorically that the Bureau does not wish to be involved in the matter of any aggrieved person.

    “Anyone who is aggrieved should use the appropriate channel to express his or her grievances rather than engage in hate publication aimed at tarnishing the image of the Bureau.

    “The Bureau refuses to be distracted at this point and solicit the support of all patriotic Nigerians and the Media in the fight against corruption as we are ready to work with the incoming administration in this regard”.

     

  • Contractor charged with N6.1 m fraud

    A 35-year-old aluminium sheet contractor, Babatunji Ogunjimi, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly swindling a marketing agency of N6.1 million.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Eranus Nnamonu, said the accused deliberately supplied ‘05mm -sized aluminium sheets to his client for a project rather than the agreed ‘055mm’ type.

    Nnamonu said the defendant committed the offence on April 30 at Oracle Experience Company at Jolly Street, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos.

    He said: “Ogunjimi, with intent to cheat his client, Oracle Experience Company, purchased 05mm-sized aluminum sheets from Tower Aluminum Company, rather than the agreed 055mm type, being fully aware that the `05mm-sized was not the standard specification that his client requested for.

    “He fraudulently made away with N6.1 million for purchasing lower quality aluminum roofing sheets.”

    Nnamonu said the offence violated Sections 363(1) and 364 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe granted Ogunjimi N500, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum and adjourned the case to June 11.

     

  • Doctor remanded for alleged N13.5m fraud

    An Ikeja High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered that Dr Obinna Monagor be remanded in prison for alleged fraudulent conversion of N13.5 million.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye ordered the remand of the defendant following his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a one-count charge of stealing by fraudulent conversion.

    Monago, 62, who lives on Alhaji Masha Road, Surulere, Lagos, will remain in prison pending the perfection of the N5 million bail conditions.

    Monagor, according to the EFCC counsel, Mr Ademola Omeiza, sometime in 2010, approached the complainant, Mr Godwin Achi, that he had a three-storey building for sale.

    Omeiza said the property, on Tade Aromolate Close in William Estate, Surulere, Lagos, was offered to the complainant for N150 million.

    He said the complainant paid the first instalment, but could not pay the balance following his inability to obtain bank loan.

    The EFCC counsel said Achi finally got the loan in 2012, but discovered that the said property had been sold to another party, Edscob Suites.

    The prosecutor said following the development, the complainant demanded the refund of his deposit but the company declined to pay him.

    He said Achi was compelled to petition EFCC following the defendant’s refusal to pay back the money one year after the deal.

    The commission, the prosecution said investigated the transaction, adding that the outcome informed Monagor’s arrest and trial.

    He said the defendant’s action contravened under Sections 390 (8) (b) and (9) of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

    Monagor pleaded not guilty.

    Defence counsel Dr Muiz Banire applied for his client’s bail.

    The prosecution did not oppose the application.

    Justice Ipaye granted the defendant N5 million bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    The judge directed that one of the sureties must be the defendant’s relation, adding that they should produce evidence of three years tax payment.

    She adjourned the matter to June 24.