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Tag: Rotimi Jacobs

  • FG investigating Dokpesi over fresh allegation – Jacobs

    FG investigating Dokpesi over fresh allegation – Jacobs

    The Federal Government is investigating businessman, Raymond Dokpesi in relation to allegation of his involvement in another fraud involving about N8billion, government’s lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) told a Federal High Court in Abuja Thursday.

    Jacobs said the Federal Government is about rounding off investigations into a fresh allegations of N8.4billion he collected from the Goodluck Jonathan administration for airing the FIFA  U17 championship which Nigeria hosted  in Jan 27, 2012.

    He stated that even though the airing right was granted DAAR communication by FIFA and without the Federal Government as a party to the contract, Dokpesi allegedly collected N8b from the Nigerian government for his execution of the contract.

    Jacobs made the disclosure while arguing the Fed Govt’s counter-affidavit against Dokpesi’s bail application.

    Dokpesi was arraigned with his company, Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited on Wednesday on a 6-count charge. He was accused of unlawfully receiving N2.1billion from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Sambo Dasuki.

    He pleaded not guilty and applied for bail. Parties argued the bail application and the prosecution’s counter affidavit yesterday.

    Jacobs, while urging the court to reject Dokpesi’s application, argued that a bail to Dokpesi will prejudice investigation into the N8b deal.

  • EFCC re-arraigns three oil marketers

    EFCC re-arraigns three oil marketers

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday re-arraigned three oil marketers over alleged N789.6 million subsidy fraud.

    Those re-arraigned are: Adamu Maula, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel Morah.

    The accused were arraigned alongside their companies – Downstream Energy Sources Limited and Rocky Energy Limited – before the court, presided over by Justice Lateefat Okunnu.

    They are facing a 26-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and uttering.

    The defendants were earlier arraigned on February 26, last year, on an eight-count charge.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail for N50 maillion each with two sureties in like sum.

    The EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), alleged that the defendants committed the offences between March 2011 and January 2012 in Lagos.

    He alleged that they fraudulently obtained N789.6 million from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 14.2 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit from Europe to Nigeria.

    They were also accused of forging documents, including bill of lading, certificate of quantity, certificate of origin and cargo manifest, which were allegedly used in committing the fraud.

    Jacobs said their offences contravened Section 1 (sub-sections 1, 2, 3) and Section 8 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2006.

    According to him, it also contravenes Sections 363 and 364 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2003.

    The defendants again pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.

    Justice Okunnu ordered that they continue to enjoy the bail conditions earlier granted them by the court.

    She adjourned the matter till June 10 for the beginning of the trial.

  • Sylva escapes fresh arraignment

    Sylva escapes fresh arraignment

    •Refuses to enter court

    •Lawyers ‘fight’ over ex-governor

    •Ex-Minister Lawal’s trial stalled

    Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva yesterday escaped re-arraignment on a fresh charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Sylva, who is being tried before Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja, was to be arraigned before a new judge, on a fresh 42-count charge.

    The ex-governor and six others are accused of laundering about N19.2 billion.

    Although he was within the premises, Sylva, who had attended the proceedings before Justice Bello, refused to enter Court 7 to be re-arraigned.

    Despite protests by prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) that Sylva was outside and should be invited to take his plea, his lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), insisted otherwise.

    Fagbemi told the court that his client was not issued with a hearing notice as was required, and that the new charge was only served on him (as against his client) the previous day.

    As Jacobs stood to counter him, Fagbemi shouted him down, insisting he was not through with his submission. He accused Jacobs of being rude.

    It soon degenerated into a shouting match. Everyone in court watched as both attorneys slugged it out.

    “Rotimi, you are rude. Do you know where you are? Must you now be rude because you handle EFCC cases? Rotimi, sit down, you are rude,” Fagbemi shouted.

    Jacobs, who was livid, shouted back, saying: “You cannot be rude at me. I won’t allow this.”

    Justice Ahmed Mohammed later intervened, describing the incident as “highly unfortunate.”

    Justice Mohammed said both lawyers’ conduct was capable of giving young lawyers and non-lawyers a bad impression.

    “I call on you senior members of the bar to keep your cool. Please, let us not desecrate this profession.

    “I see this as an affront on my authority in this court. Two senior lawyers, standing up to each other this way.”

    Both lawyers later apologised to the court and to each other, with Fagbemi calling Jacobs, “my junior brother.”

    Also charged with Sylva are Francis Okuburo, Gbenga S. Balogun, Samuel Ogbuku, Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited and Haloween Blue Construction and Logistics Limited.

    Two of the accused – Balogun (third accused) and Ogbudu (fourth accused) – were in court and mounted the dock.

    Sylva stood on the corridor leading to the court, while proceedings lasted.

    Efforts by Jacobs to ensure that the arraignment, having failed to take place yesterday, should be carried out before December 31 failed, as the defendants insisted that time should be devoted to the hearing of the preliminary objection by Ogbudu.

    Justice Mohammed fixed January 23 for the hearing of objections in the case.

    Earlier, before Justice Bello, Fagbemi argued an application in which Sylva sought the release of his passport to enable him travel.

    EFCC’s lawyer John Ainetor objected to the application, arguing that Sylva wanted to evade trial on the new charge.

    Ainetor told the court that this was the third time Sylva was filing a similar application, as others were rejected for lacking in merit. He urged the court to refuse it.

    The trial of former Labour Minister Hassan Lawal before Justice Bello was stalled yesterday.

    Prosecution lawyer Wahab Shittu told The Nation that the case could not go on because there were moves to transfer the case to another judge.

    He said the court would communicate to parties when the transfer was effected and the case ready for hearing before a new judge.

  • Court rejects preferential treatment for Babalakin

    Court rejects preferential treatment for Babalakin

    An Ikeja High Court, Lagos, on Monday rejected the request by the embattled Bi- Courtney Chairman, Dr. Wale Babalakin to be allowed to sit in the bar or adjacent the dock as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on January 17 arraigned Babalakin and four others, before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, for allegedly conspiring and laundering N4.7 billion for the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori.

    Standing trial on a 27 count charge with Babalakin are one Alex Okoh; construction giants, Stabilini Visioni Limited, Bi-Courtney Limited, and Renix Nigeria Limited.

    Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had told the court that the defendants between May and December 2006 conspired to commit felony to wit: corruptly confering benefit on account of public action contrary to Section 98A (1) (a) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C17, Laws of Lagos State 2003.

    At the resumed hearing on Monday, Babalakin, who was granted bail on self recognition, prayed the court to allow him sit outside the dock since he is an inner member of the bar.

    Lead counsel to the defendants, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who sought the relief prior to the commencement of the case, cited Section 210 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    He argued that Babalakin, as a SAN, “a lawyer of repute”, and under the law, as an accused may be allowed to “sit adjacent to the dock.”

    His submission was however countered by Jacobs, who insisted that the court must be careful, especially because the action will amount to an injustice against the second defendant, Okoh.

    Jacobs said, “We have to be careful, justice must be seen to have been done, not on the grounds of status of the defendant. If that application is granted, what about the other defendant, who is a banker.

    “The inner bar or the outer bar cannot be adjacent to the dock. That section only applies to when there is no dock. In construing the law, what is most important is justice.”

    In his ruling on the preferential treatment to Babalakin, Onigbanjo declined the request and insisted that he could only allow the defendant to be seated inside the dock.

    “Section 210 of the ACJ only applies to a witness on summons. It does not apply to this situation. The defendants have taken their plea. They are not here on summons,” said Onigbanjo.

    Monday’s proceedings were scheduled for hearing on three applications filed by the defendants, each of them represented by a team of defence lawyers.