by Admin | Mar 11, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned three directors of an oil firm, Partsmaster Oil and Gas Limited, for allegedly diverting N100m meant for the payment of contractors who executed a job for the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission. The EFCC said in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, that the accused persons, Gregory Eriyanremu, Frank Ugen and Harriman Oyofo were arraigned before Justice T. O. Uloho of the Delta State High Court sitting in Warri on five charges bordering on stealing. The suspects were arraigned alongside their company, Partsmaster Oil and Gas Limited. The offence is contrary to Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Cap. C21, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria 2006. One of the counts reads, “That you, Partsmaster Oil and Gas Limited, Gregory Eriyamrernu, Frank Ugen and Harriman Isa Oyofo sometime between June and August 2010 at Warri in the Warri judicial division of the High Court of Delta State, stole the sum of N32,003,488.38 being money meant for payment to Ogbo Ode &Co. for contract job executed for DESOPADEC by fraudulently converting the said sum to your own use”. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge. In view of their plea, the counsel for the EFCC, Kayode Oni, asked the court to fix a date for commencement of trial. However, counsel for the accused persons pleaded with the court to allow them to continue on the bail conditions granted the accused persons when they were first arraigned. Justice Uloho adjourned till April 7, 2017 for trial and ordered the accused persons to continue on...
by Admin | Mar 11, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two top federal civil servants, Tomoloipre Tarigha and Ayooluwa Nuga, before Justice Goodluck of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on a 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and forgery. Tarigha, a staff in the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, and his co-accused allegedly conspired to defraud their victims to the tune of N20million under the pretext of securing employments for them in the federal civil service. The offence contravenes Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge. In view of their plea, counsel to EFCC, S. Ugwuegbulam asked the court for a date for the commencement of trial. Having not filed any application for bail, the defence counsel, K. Asunogie, prayed the court to remand the defendants in the EFCC custody to enable him have access to them this evening and “perfect what needed to be done on their behalf”. Ugwuegbulam objected saying, “the proper thing to do is to remand the suspects in prison custody, pending formal application for bail.” Justice O. Goodluck directed that the accused persons be remanded in Kuje prison and adjourned the matter to May 9th, 2017 for...
by Admin | Mar 11, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 40-year-old man, Oluwaseyi Owoeye who allegedly lodged in a hotel, accumulated bills to the tune of N1.7 million has been charged before an Igbosere Magistrate court in Lagos. The prosecutor, Inspector Ingobo Emby, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence between November 2013 and March 2014. He told the court: “the defendant unlawfully lodged in Dover Hotel, located in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area and accumulated bills to the tune of N1.7 million and refused to pay.” The magistrate, M. Owumi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N300,000, with two sureties in like sum. He said that the sureties must be gainfully employed, show evidence of three years tax payment, have their addresses verified and adjourned till March 27 for...
by Admin | Mar 10, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Wednesday arraigned one Clement Joseph, alias Dr. Omale, before Justice O. A. Otaluka of the FCT High Court sitting in Lugbe, Abuja on a 7-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N5.6million. Joseph and his accomplices who are currently on the run allegedly connived and fraudulently defrauded one Bola Akintola of the said sum under the pretext of having a mystical power to deliver her from untimely death. The offence is contrary to Section 8 (a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. Particulars of Count Seven of the charge read: “Clement Joseph (Alias Dr. Omale), Mr. Paul (at large), Mr. Papa (at large), Mr. Ifeanyi (at large) and Mrs. Ments (at large) on or about the 29th day of June 2016 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court with the intent to defraud obtained the sum of N1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira only) from Mrs. Bola Akintola under the false pretence that you are a native doctor/ herbalist and the money was required for the purchase of materials for the cleansing of blood money contained in a polythene (Ghana Must Go) bag to prevent the untimely death of Mrs. Bola Akintola which representation you knew to be false.” The accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge. In view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Elizabeth Alabi asked the court to fix a date for trial and urged the court to remand the defendant...
by Admin | Mar 10, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Police in Niger on Wednesday arrested a 45-year-old-man, over alleged rape of his three-year-old stepdaughter. The suspect was arrested in Kundu, a village in Rafi Local Government Area of the state. Police Inspector Abdullahi Mayaki, attached to the state Child Rights Protection Agency, said that the mother of the girl, Malama Fatima Bawa, reported the matter to the agency. He said that the suspect, however, denied the allegation during investigation, claiming that he only intervened whenever his wife beat the girl. But Bawa had told the agency that she caught her husband sexually abusing her daughter after he approached her for sex at night and she refused him. He said, “My husband likes sex too much, so I chased him out of the room in the night and locked the door. “It was after I chased him out that I heard my daughter, who was sleeping in the parlour, crying. “I quickly ran to her only to see my husband abusing my daughter sexually. “I am a breast feeding mother and I spend the whole of my day taking care of the children, yet my husband does not allow me to rest.” Bawa alleged that she saw blood stained and semen on the girl’s body and informed her brother in-laws wife about the incident who advised her to take the girl to the hospital. The Director-General of the agency, Hajiya Mariam Kolo, said that the victim would be treated in the hospital. Kolo also said that the suspect would be charge to court in accordance with Section 18 of the Child Rights Law. The Director-General described...
by Admin | Mar 10, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 200 level student of Lead City University, Ibadan, Moshood Owolabi, is to die by hanging for stabling his fellow student to death. Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Adegboye Gbolagunte of an Ibadan High Court sentenced Owolabi to death by hanging for causing the death of one Seun Kolawole, two years ago. Owolabi of the Physical and Health Education Department caused the death of Kolawole by stabbing him with a bottle. Gbolagunte said the counsel prosecuting the case, Mr A. Olawale, a Deputy Director in the Oyo State Ministry of Justice had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge said that the evidence before him showed that the accused committed the offence as charged. He ruled that the accused should be sentenced to death by hanging to serve as a deterrent to others. Gbolagunte advised parents to always monitor their children to prevent them from misbehaving. Olawale had earlier told the court that the convict stabbed Kolawole with a broken bottle in the neck, following a misunderstanding between him and the deceased. He said that the injury sustained as a result of the stabbing resulted to the death of Kolawole. Olawale said that the incident happened on Jan. 12, 2014 at toll-gate area of Ibadan. The offence is punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap. 38 Vol. II Law of Oyo State 2000....
by Admin | Mar 10, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A security guard, Muhammed Useni, 19, has been arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court for allegedly torturing a sex worker. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Useni was brought to court on a charge of assault, occasioning grievous harm. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty and was granted N20, 000 bail with one surety in the like sum. Magistrate Omolaja Kazeem said the surety must be a family member of the accused and must be gainfully employed. Prosecuting Inspector Philip Osijiale told court that the accused had on February 28 at about 4:20a.m., at Avalon in Lekki, Lagos, unlawfully assaulted one Miss Folashade Kolawole. He alleged that the accused flogged Kolawole with a horse whip, inflicting serious bruises on her. The prosecutor said Useni beat the complainant to pulp, claiming that she used his duty post to solicit customers after his warning failed to make her leave the spot. “Useni claimed that he caught her there again with one of her numerous customers, which led to the whipping.” Osijiale said that the offence contravened Section 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The section prescribes three years imprisonment for the offender, if found guilty. The case was adjourned till March...
by Admin | Mar 10, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today arraigned the trio of Giwa Useni John, Pius Iorye Uganden and Nancy Uganden before Justice O. A. Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in Lugbe, Abuja on a 5-count charge of bordering on issuance of dud cheque and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N30 million. John and his co-accused allegedly in 2013 paraded themselves as members of the Federal Government Ad-hoc committee on the sale of the Federal Government of Nigeria Houses in the FCT with the intention to defraud innocent people of their hard earned money. The offence is contrary to Section 8 (a) (b) (c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud related offences Act 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act. One of the counts read: “That you, Engr. Pius Ioryue Uganden ‘M’, Mrs Nancy Uganden ‘F’ on or about 31st December, 2103 at Wuse, Abuja which is within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly issued a cheque number 10547802 of Access Bank Plc in the sum of N30,000,000.00 to one Mr. Philip Chukwueke knowing that you had insufficient funds for your victim to withdraw, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(1) (a) (i) of the Dishonoured Cheques Offences Act, Cap D11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.” The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge. Upon his plea, counsel to EFCC, Rimansomte Ezekiel asked the court to fix a date for trail and remand the accused in prison custody pending trial. Justice Otaluka granted bail to the accused person...
by Admin | Mar 9, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A former Governor of Adamawa State, James Bala Ngillari, was yesterday sentenced to five years in prison by a Yola High Court for fraud he committed while in office. The presiding judge, Justice Nathan Musa, said he relied on section 58 sub-section (5) of the Adamawa Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) Law which provides that any state officer that contravenes the law is liable to a minimum of five years imprisonment without an option of fine. “The court’s hands are tied by this law, so I cannot do otherwise. The only thing is to give you the minimum sentence of five years, you will serve in Yola main prison,” the judge said. This conviction is a major boost to the anti-corruption campaign. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had suffered a credibility crisis for not being able to successfully prosecute former or serving top public officers for corruption and sending them to jail. They had either been set free because of poor prosecution or plea bargain that enabled them to go home to enjoy their loot. Ngillari was found guilty of 17 criminal charges relating to the award of contracts without due process levelled against him by the EFCC. He was sentenced to one year each on five out of the 17 charges brought against him, former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Andrew Welye, and erstwhile Commissioner for Finance, Jonathan Lamorde. The two were discharged on the grounds that they merely acted on instructions from the convict. The former governor awarded a N167.8 million contract for the supply of 25 units of Toyota Camry...
by Admin | Mar 9, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI “I am guilty as charged,” a rapist, 27-year-old Samuel Adedeji told a Lagos court on Tuesday. Adedeji, a factory worker, had entered a guilty plea when he was hauled up before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on a charge of rape. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Taiwo Akanni, remanded Adedeji, who resides at Nkem Igborosun, Mowo via Badagry at Kirikiri Prison pending sentence at the next date of adjournment. Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Clifford Ogu, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Feb. 8 at his apartment. According to him, the accused lured the 20-year-old woman into his apartment with a promise to assist in securing a job for her. “Immediately the girl entered the room, Adedeji shut the door and raped her.” The offence contravened Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that sexual assault by penetration carries life imprisonment. The case has been fixed for March...
by Admin | Mar 9, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 24-year-old man, Sodiq Salaudeen, was on Tuesday sentenced to eight years imprisonment for killing his friend during a fight over a girlfriend at Ijanikin area of Lagos. The convict was sentenced by Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, after changing the initial charge of murder to manslaughter. The judge observed that the three witnesses who testified before the court were not at the scene when the crime occurred. He said, “The court will be relying on the statement of the defendant which showed that he had no intention to kill the deceased. “The statement read and I quote, ‘I used the iron from the Hausa man’s shop to stab him on the left side of his chest. I only wanted to scare him because I was being overpowered by him and his friends; I did not intend to kill him. “The court is satisfied that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the defendant caused the death of the deceased.” Pronouncing the sentence, the judge, however, said that Salaudeen’s eight-year sentence will start from the day he was first detained for the crime. “The defendant is hereby sentenced to eight years in prison with effect from April 19, 2012.” Salaudeen, who was dressed in a white attire, had an expression of relief on his face after the sentence was pronounced. Prior to the sentence, counsel to the convict, Mr K.O. Adebayo, had in his plea for leniency told the court that the convict committed the offence out of youthful exuberance. “The defendant is a young man with an aged father...
by Admin | Mar 9, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Monday convicted and sentenced four suspected members of an oil syndicate Olusegun Gbenga, Yusuf Muhammed, Abass Auwal and Olanipekun Olagoke to 10 years imprisonment on each of the 12-count charge of oil theft preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. One of the counts reads: “That you, Olusegun Gbenga, Yusuf Muhammed, Abass Auwal and Olanipekun Olagoke on the 12th day of May, 2014 at Toto Military check point in Nasarawa State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, did without lawful authority or an appropriate licence, deal in crude oil and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (17) (a) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”. The convicts had pleaded not guilty on arraignment, but after diligent prosecution by the EFCC, they were found guilty and sentenced. The prosecution counsel, Salisu Majidadi, citing Section 1 (17) (a) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, drew the attention of the court to the fact that: “The vehicle that was used in conveying the crude oil should automatically be forfeited to the Federal Government.” In view of this argument, Justice Okeke, who had earlier wanted the EFCC to formally apply to the court for the forfeiture of the products, thereafter, ordered the EFCC to evacuate the crude oil and return same to the NNPC, while the truck be forfeited to the Federal Government. The sentences are to run...
by Admin | Mar 9, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 21-year-old man, Jeremiah Okpara, who allegedly assaulted his neighbour’s five-year-old daughter, was on Tuesday charged before an Ikeja High Court, Lagos. Okpara a resident of Imashai St., Agege, a Lagos suburb, is facing a charge of sexual assault. The Prosecutor, Mr Adebayo Haroun, told the court that the accused lured his victim into his apartment and used his fingers on her private part. “Okafor sexually assaulted the five-year-old girl by penetrating her private part with his fingers. “He was caught by some neighbours, who arrested and took him to the police station,’’ he said. Haroun urged the court to fix a date for trial saying he had four witnesses ready to testify during the trial. The offence contravened Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya remanded the accused in Kirikiri Prisons and adjourned the case to May 9 for...
by Admin | Mar 9, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today arraigned the trio of Giwa Useni John, Pius Iorye Uganden and Nancy Uganden before Justice O. A. Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in Lugbe, Abuja on a 5-count charge of bordering on issuance of dud cheque and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N30 million. John and his co-accused allegedly in 2013 paraded themselves as members of the Federal Government Ad-hoc committee on the sale of the Federal Government of Nigeria Houses in the FCT with the intention to defraud innocent people of their hard earned money. The offence is contrary to Section 8 (a) (b) (c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud related offences Act 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act. One of the counts read: “That you, Engr. Pius Ioryue Uganden ‘M’, Mrs Nancy Uganden ‘F’ on or about 31st December, 2103 at Wuse, Abuja which is within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly issued a cheque number 10547802 of Access Bank Plc in the sum of N30,000,000.00 to one Mr. Philip Chukwueke knowing that you had insufficient funds for your victim to withdraw, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(1) (a) (i) of the Dishonoured Cheques Offences Act, Cap D11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.” The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge. Upon his plea, counsel to EFCC, Rimansomte Ezekiel asked the court to fix a date for trail and remand the accused in prison custody pending trial. Justice Otaluka granted bail to the accused person...
by Admin | Mar 7, 2017 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Members of the EMPD Drug Enforcement Unit on Sunday, March 5th arrested a 29-year-old suspected Nigerian drug supplier in Germiston, South Africa. Officers swooped on the house, owned by the Nigerian national, in Bailleul Road, Delville, at 10am, and seized narcotics valued at approximately R1.2-million. The EMPD Drug Enforcement Unit members acted upon information received several weeks ago and closely monitored the movements of the man on a daily basis. “On Sunday morning, the metro police commenced at 4am with the close observation of the suspected drug supplier,” said Lieut-Col Wilfred Kgasago, spokesman for the EMPD. “An opportunity presented itself at around 10am. After searching the house, the officers discovered 17 packets of Kat in a baby’s cot, as well as a plate of cocaine rocks in a refrigerator.” The Nigerian suspect was immediately arrested and detained at the Germiston Police Station on charges of possession of illicit substances. He appeared in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on...
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