EFCC Docks Man for Alleged Investment Fraud in Calabar

The Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday December 2, 2020, arraigned one Joseph Stanley Okputu before Justice Imelda Etape of the State High Court, Calabar, Cross River State for ponzi scheme.

He was arraigned on a two-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence and stealing to the tune of N600,000.00 (Six Hundred Thousand Naira) only.

One of the charges read, "That you, Okputu Joseph Stanley ("M") on or about 6th of August 2018 in Calabar within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N600,000.00 (Six hundred thousand naira), belonging to Anietie Ekong...

...meant to be invested in bitcoin/forex trading package and to be returned to him with 80% interest on the fortieth (40th) day of the investment,"...

Again, Fani-Kayode’s Absence Stalls His Trial

The trial of former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, could not hold on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, and for the third consecutive time due to his absence in court.

Fani-Kayode is facing a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26million, preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

At today’s trial, prosecution counsel, M. S. Abubakar, expressed displeasure at the defendant’s recurring absence in court, noting that the unnecessary delays which such has caused in the trial defeat the spirit of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2016 (ACJ)...

...which is for speedy administration of justice in the country. He therefore applied for a bench warrant against Fani-Kayode.

“My lord, on January 22, 2019, the defendant was neither in court, nor was he represented. But the court gave him a benefit of the doubt, which he abused. Again, on October 21, 2020, the defendant was also not in court.

Alleged N260 Fraud: EFCC Presents First Witness Against Cast Oil and Gas MD, Amusan

The trial of Olatunji Amusan, Managing Director, Cast Oil and Gas, for an alleged N260 million fraud, continued on Wednesday, December 2, 2020...

...before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, presenting its first witness, Hycenth Obinna, an investigator with the Commission.

Amusan, who was first arraigned alongside his company in November 2019, is standing trial for allegedly defrauding Nkasi Onyung, Managing Director, Energy Limited.

During today’s proceedings, the witness narrated how Onyung had approached the Commission after she was defrauded by Amusan.

The petitioner alleged that her company had issued the sum of N260 million to Amusan's company for the purchase of 3, 250litres of diesel (AGO), which was never delivered.

N24bn Police Pension Fraud: Court Fixes Jan 19, 2020 for Ruling on Admissibility of Evidence

The trial of Atiku Abubakar Kigo for police pension fraud, before Justice Hussien Baba of the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja, continued on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 with the testimony of the fourth prosecution witness (PW4), Mustapha Sani Gadanya.

Kigo, a former director in the Police Pension Office, is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside five others on amended eight-count charges, bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N24 billion.

At today’s sitting, Gadanya, who is a staff of Eco Bank in his testimony against the third defendant, Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula, presented bank account opening documents, account statements and Certificate of Identification on the documents from Eco bank,...

...which were tendered in evidence by prosecuting counsel, O. A Atulagbe.

Maina Files No Case Submission as EFCC Closes Case

As the ninth prosecution witness, Rouqayya Ibrahim rounded off her evidence-in-chief in the ongoing corruption trial of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team,...

...the defendant informed the court, through his counsel, of his intention to file a no case submission; that he has no case to answer in the charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,...

...at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Consequently. Justice Okong Abang adjourned trial to December 10 to enable the defence counsel to address the court orally and for the prosecution to respond.

“The prosecution have closed their case today, it is for the defendant to open his defence, though the court ordered the case to be heard in his absence, but he is here, he is entitled to be heard.

The defendant has elected to argue or present a no case submission. It is the defendant’s decision and a choice made by him.