Alleged N150m Fraud: Court Dismisses Defendant’s Application

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, July 15, 2021, dismissed an application filed by Nelson Emuobosa Omo-Ode seeking to re-open his defence afresh.

Omo-Ode, a 34-year-old Business Administration graduate of the Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan College, Malaysia, was arrested on July 18, 2019 at his residence at The Address Homes, Onikani Foreshore Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, following a petition received by the Commission about his suspicious lifestyle.

Investigations showed that over N150, 000,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) had passed through his account in recent time, which he could not account for.

He was subsequently arraigned by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Office, on a three-count charge bordering retention of proceeds of criminal conduct to the tune of N150m.He pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him, thereby leading to his trial.

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, S.O. Daji, presented four witnesses before closing his case against the defendant.

In the course of the trial, the defendant’s application for bail was refused by the court. The case was subsequently foreclosed by the court owing to the fact that the defendant was wasting the time of the court.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the court, the defendant, through his counsel, Kolawole Salami, appealed against the ruling of the court denying him bail.

In the judgment delivered via zoom on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, dismissed the defendant’s appeal and also affirmed the ruling of the lower court refusing his application for bail.

At today’s proceedings, the defence counsel, Lawal Pedro, SAN, freshly applied to re-open his defence.

However, Justice Dada, observing that it was a delay tactic, dismissed the application, and ordered the defence to file its written address, as the prosecution had long filed its own written address.

The case has been adjourned till September 13, 2021 for adoption of written addresses.

Man Arraigned for Diverting N10m Company Funds …Another Over N10m Auto Scam in Kaduna

The Kaduna Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today, July 15, 2021 arraigned one Emmanuel Obinna Udensi before Justice M.T.M Aliyu of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna.

He was arraigned on a four count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust to the tune of over Two Million Naira (N10, 000,000.00).

Udensi, who was an employee of Top Galaxy Hotel Kaduna, was alleged to have diverted funds paid to him by customers of the Hotel to his personal use.

One of the charges reads: “That you Emmanuel Obinna Udensi (Male) on or about the 23th day of July, 2020 in Kaduna, Kaduna State with the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court being a servant in the employment of Top Galaxy Hotel, and in such capacity entrusted with the sum of N250, 000.00 committed criminal breach trust in respect of the said property and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 299 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017”.

The suspect pleaded not guilty.

Upon his plea, the prosecution counsel N.Salele asked the court to fix a date for trial. However, the defense counsel, Mark Nwakama applied for the bail of his client which the prosecution did not oppose.

Justice Aliyu granted the defendant bail in the sum of one million naira (N I, 000,000.00) and one surety in like sum, who must be a reputable citizen.

The case was adjourned till October 20, 2021 for trial.

In a related development, the Kaduna Zonal Office also arraigned one Ismali Sunusi before Justice Aliyu.

He was arraigned on a two count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust to the tune of over Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000.00) which he allegedly collected from one Sagir Zubairu via his UBA account No. 2118575009 for the purpose of purchasing a Sewage Truck and a Kia Rio Car.

Investigation revealed that the defendant diverted the funds to personal use.

One of the charges reads: “That you Ismail Sunusi (male) sometime in January and July, 2020 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court while being entrusted with the sum of Ten Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N10,350,000.00) only property of Hon. Sagir Zubairu for the purpose of purchasing a Sewage Truck dishonestly converted the said sum to your personal use in violation of the mode in which the trust was to be discharged and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 296 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017 and punishable under Section 297 of the same Law”.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

Upon his plea, the prosecution counsel P.C Onyeneho asked the court to fix a date for trial while praying that the defendant be remanded in prison custody. But the defense counsel, Solomon Utuagha, urged the court to grant his client bail.

Justice Aliyu granted the Sunusi bail in the sum of One Million Naira (N1, 000,000.00) with one surety who must be a man of peace.

Bawa Advocates Teaching of Corruption Courses in Schools

Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, July 15, 2021 called for a review of the existing university curriculum to accommodate anti-corruption components as a way of building a corruption-free nation.

Bawa made the call, while featuring as a guest discussant on a programme tagged “Financial Autonomy for the Judiciary: Issues on Ethics, Values and Corruption” organized by Law Students of Baze University, Abuja.

The EFCC boss, who was represented by Johnson Eze of the Commission’s Directorate of Planning Research and Statistics, commended students for the initiative, describing it as a welcome development, which has always been the Commission’s watchword.

He urged the students to see themselves as “the gate keepers whom the public entrust their trust”, while stressing the need for them to act as change agents by telling their clients the truth.

“Unless we understand that as long as we keep contributing dark spots, the white board will surely become dark. You must see yourselves as change agents by telling your clients the truth”.

While not opposed to judicial independence, the EFCC Chair said situation in the country or lack of funding of the Judiciary should not be an excuse for judicial officers to engage in corruption.

“The situation in the country or lack of funding of the Judiciary should not be an excuse for corruption”, he warned.

He decried the extent at which the ills of corruption had affected the fortunes and developmental growth of the country and called for common consensus by stakeholders to defeating the menace.

Also speaking, another discussant on the programme who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jubrin S Okutekpa, lamented the impact of corruption in the profession. While urging members of the bar and bench to be of noble character and moral standard, the learned silk called on lawyers to rise up and fight against all forms of abnormality in the system.

The guest speaker at the event, Pro.f YemI Akinseye George, SAN, gave historic account of the stages and transformation of the Nigeria constitution and rule of law, and expressed concern over the rot in the profession.

The Dean, Faculty of law, Baze University, Dr. Ahmed Ali, thanked participants, noting that, “corruption has been the bane holding back the development of the country.

Source: EFCC Media & Publicity Department, 15 July, 2021.