N69bn alleged fraud: Chief Judge transfers Fayose’s trial to another judge

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N69bn alleged fraud: Chief Judge transfers Fayose’s trial to another judge

 

The Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court on Friday transferred the trial of the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, charged with alleged N6.9 billion fraud, to a new judge.

The CJ, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati, transferred the case from the former judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, to Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.

The action, followed a petition by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking a transfer of the case.

Fayose was arraigned on Oct. 22, 2018, by the EFCC, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd, on 11 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering offence.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail on Oct. 24, 2018, in the sum of N50 million with sureties in like sum, while the prosecution opened trial on Nov. 19, and had so far called 13 witnesses out of 15 listed.

On March 20, a drama ensued in court midway into the trial, between the trial judge, and EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, SAN.

The judge raised concerns on the manner of prosecution by counsel, and had noted that the prosecutor was not doing a good job, adding that he was not competent to evaluate the court’s ruling.

On his part, the prosecutor expressed his displeasure on the grounds that he had always dispensed his duties diligently and had never been derogated by any court.

Meanwhile, at the last proceedings on May 10, the 13th prosecution witness, Mr Adewale Aladegbola, a former driver of a bullion van, had given evidences which the prosecutor described as being contrary to his extrajudicial statement to the commission.

On this premise, the prosecutor informed the court that his witness appeared “hostile” and urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him make necessary application on the situation.

Continuation of trial was billed to resume on June 10.

However, the CJ conveyed the transfer of the case from Justice Olatoregun to Justice Aneke, by a letter dated May 23, a copy of which was obtained by newsmen,NAN reports.

The CJ said: “I refer to the petition of EFCC on this case and your Lordship’s comments thereto.

“It is apparent that the prosecution has lost confidence in the judge trying this case and justice must not only be done but must be seen to have been done, I hereby transfer this case to Hon. Justice C. J. Aneke for hearing.”

A new date for the case before Aneke has however not been confirmed.

The matter will consequently begin afresh before the new judge, as the defendant will take his plea again.

During the trial before Olatoregun, the prosecution had called witnesses, from Zenith Bank, Diamond Bank, as well as a former Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro.

According to the charge, on June 17, 2014, Fayose and Agbele were said to have taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion, for purposes of funding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti State, which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

Fayose was alleged to have received a cash payment of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from the then Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount allowed by law.

He was also alleged to have retained the sum of N300 million in his Zenith Bank account and took control of the aggregate sums of about N622 million which sum he ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

Fayose was alleged to have procured De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd, to retain in their Zenith and FCMB accounts, the aggregate sums of N851 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

Besides, the accused was alleged to have used about N1.6 billion to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja, which he reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

The accused was also alleged to have used the sum of N200 million, to acquire a property in Abuja, in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji, which sum he ought to know also forms crime proceeds.

The offence contravened the provisions of sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

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EFCC Charges Heritage Bank MD Sekibo, Others To Court For N1bn Fraud

​CRIME NEWS

EFCC Charges Heritage Bank MD Sekibo, Others To Court For N1bn Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday charged the Managing Director of Heritage Bank Plc, Ifiesimama Sekibo, and five others before the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for an alleged fraud of N1bn.

Sekibo was charged along with Dimire Dike, Wumi Adeniyi, Kolapo Daisi, Funmilayo Taiwo and Akeem Durotoye.

The charges border, among others, on conspiracy, stealing, obtaining money under false pretences and forgery, Punch reports.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants obtained the sum of N1bn from Heritage Bank Plc “by falsely representing the sum as proceeds of Vlamings Professional Limited’s investment in Heritage Bank Plc.”

It accused them of dishonestly converting the N1bn, being Heritage Bank’s property, to their own.

They were accused of forging a document titled ‘RE: Expression of Interest in Agric Fund Management Scheme.”

According to the anti-graft agency, the defendants allegedly forged the document dated April 2, 2015, “purporting it to be a loan scheme executed in favour of Vlamings Professionals Limited.”

The EFCC claimed that the defendants sent the document to it (EFCC), hoping it would be mistaken as genuine.

They also allegedly forged another document titled, “Agric Management Scheme” purporting that it was approved by Heritage Bank Plc.

In the 10th count bordering on accessory to an act or offence contrary to sections 8(b) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act, 2006, the EFCC accused Dike, Adeniyi and Akee

Counsel for the EFCC, Ekene Iheanacho, said the defendants committed the offence between February 2015 and February 2017.

The court has yet to fix a date for the arraignment of the defendants.

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$40m Contract Scam: Court Strikes Out Seven Charges By EFCC Against Jonathan's Cousin, Azibaola

​BREAKING NEWS

$40m Contract Scam: Court Strikes Out Seven Charges By EFCC Against Jonathan's Cousin, Azibaola 

 

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, trashed seven of the nine-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Mr. Robert Azibaola.

The court, in a ruling by the trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, also discharged and acquitted Aziboala’s wife, Stella, of all allegations EFCC leveled against her in the charge.

According to Justice Dimgba, he was satisfied that going by the proof of evidence EFCC adduced before the court, the 1st defendant, Aziboala, and his firm, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, had no case to answer with respect to the seven-count charge that was struck out.

However, the court ordered Jonathan’s cousin and his firm to open their defence to counts two and three of the charge, which borders on allegation that they received $40 million contract from the detained former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

EFCC had claimed that Aziboala had while being the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and a signatory to the Zenith Bank account of One Plus Holdings Nig Ltd, on or about September 8, 2014, taken possession and converted the $39, 999, 958 out of the $40million, and transferred same to the domiciliary account of One Plus Holdings Nig Ltd with Zenith Bank Plc Account No. 5070365750.

In his ruling, Justice Dimgba said: “I, therefore, do not see any evidence of conspiracy to launder any sum of $40 million with Amobi Ovum, who is not a defendant in the charge. If at all any conspiracy to launder funds existed, such a conspiracy would have been between the former NSA, Sambo Dasuki, who in any event is not charged as a defendant in the charge.”

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Heritage Bank MD, Sekibo Charged To Court For N605m Fraud By EFCC

​BREAKING NEWS

Heritage Bank MD, Sekibo Charged To Court For N605m Fraud By EFCC

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has charged the Managing Director of Heritage Bank, Ifiesimama Sekibo, before a Federal High Court in Lagos for an alleged fraud of N605,321,051.05.

Also joined with Sekibo in the charge sheet marked FHC/C/95C/18 is one Kolapo Kola Daisi and a company, Greame Properties Limited.

The EFCC, in the first count, alleged that Sekibo, on July 29, 2016, “while being a bank employee, to wit: Managing Director of Heritage Bank, acquired the sum of N180m beyond your legitimate income through Greame Properties Limited, a company owned by you.”

According to the anti-graft prosecutor, Ekene Iheanacho, who signed the charge sheet, the bank chief violated Section 7(1) of the Bank Employees, etc (Declaration of Assets) Act, Cap B1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and he is liable to be punished under Section 7(2) of the same Act.

In the second count, the anti-graft agency alleged that Sekibo and Greame Properties Limited “did retain in the Diamond Bank Plc account number 0006129214 operated by Greame Properties Limited the sum of N180m received from the account of Vlamings Professionals Limited when you reasonably ought to know that the said money was direct proceeds of your unlawful activity, to wit: conspiracy and fraud.”

According to the EFCC, Sekibo and Greame Properties Limited acted contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Act 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and are liable to punishment under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

In the third count, the EFCC alleged that Sekibo “acquired N125, 321, 051.05 beyond your legitimate income through the Diamond Bank Plc account of FIFC Development and Management Limited operated by you.”

In count four, the EFCC alleged that Sekibo conspired with Daisi “to transfer the sum of N300m proceeds of an unlawful activity,” into the account of Hiltrans Global Investment Limited “when you reasonably ought to know that the said fund was fraudulently withdrawn from the account of Heritage Bank Company Limited in Access Bank Plc.”

The court has yet to fix a date for their arraignment.

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NIGERIAN SINGER AND SONG WRITER ONCE PREDICTED NIGERIA SITUATION IN A POEM HE WROTE IN 2015 AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

NIGERIAN SINGER AND SONG WRITER ONCE PREDICTED NIGERIA SITUATION IN A POEM HE WROTE IN 2015 AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Nigerian Music Artist, Actor and a writer Ugwunze Edozie Emmanuel also known as Twinchild Edozie who is currently working on his debut album in South Africa had predicted the situation of Nigeria in a poem he posted on his facebook page in 2015 after the presidential election. 

The Poem which he titled "Let The Long Awaited Change Begin" and subtitled "Oh Change! Dare Not Please Leave Our Land!" is a 52 line poem that talked about change and how he hoped it will not just be a mere saying but will be accompanied with action. He is of the opinion that the current president was massively voted into power because of his past clean diary and so hoped he will use his well equipped artillery to ensure a practical change in the Nigeria system of things as well as to buttress the much acclaimed change. To achieve this he also believe that all the corrupt allies must resign and the just and firm be brought into power to help in achieving the dream of a better Nigeria where justice and equity will be extolled, where love, selfless, diligent and fairness is enshrined. A country we will be proud to call our own.

According to his poem, if those errors as he mentioned were not corrected, the change will be another "paradox in origin" and i guess his prophesy is true.

He called on Nigerians at home and in diaspora to join in the pursuit of change for our dear country if we truly love this country and want her to be better, perhaps we will witness such change in our lives time but it will not come without a sacrifice from each and everyone of us.

He ended it by calling himself a change agent and asked the readers if they were.

Read the poem below and tell us what you think about his prophesy

LET THE LONG AWAITED CHANGE BEGIN!

OH CHANGE! DARE NOT PLEASE LEAVE OUR LAND

Let the long awaited change begin

Let it not be another paradox in origin

Sure we are in another prospective regime

Lighted up hopes, let it not dim

All eyes is at the much professed change

Though the scene isn't strange

Hopefully Naija had decided

But its like destiny conceded

And now patient is like exceeded

Voices echoed sai Buhari

Leaning on his past clean diary

Hoping for the good use of his new artillery

So we could have a new and a darling Nigeria

From where corruption is more a killer than malaria

To where corruption is dreaded more than Ebola

From where Pen thieves honoured but pick pocket paraded in black maria

To where both thieves would get there rightful place behind the bar 

So for change to take its reign

We all have to be change Enzyme

And all corrupt ally sure have to resign

And the just, firm and the upright, let's not sublime

Oh change, we glare at it on sight

Dear change, it's rightfully at hand

Dear change, please don't take a sudden flight

Oh change, dare not please leave our land

The true change time have to tell

If it just have to be another fairy tale

The posterity is awaiting another fairy sail

And sorry, its another era in jail

Hope Niaja is in a better hand

Land of many blessings just looking like a cursed land

Come on all of us if the need be

Just more often go on our knees

Its just more needless to say

Niaja needs more prayer than pay

Take a time out to clean everyone his closet

And guard this land of ours like our golden bracelet

And make this place a home

Where one is and never alone

Without the fear of unknown

See one another like kings and queens

Live like we are of same kin

Be of the side of truth all time

Thought is right to walk within the line

Follow your faith and not create a fate

If you love life don't make one late

Cherish love and don't hate

Love happiness and don't create agony

Pursue peace with all, hate war, its end is agony

Above all be patriotic

Its benefit is iconic

EDOZIE IS A CHANGE AGENT

Are you?

If you are an agent of change and so wish that Nigeria becomes a better place for all of us Send this message to as many as possible, so we all can join in this CHANGE CRUSADE and who knows Niaja will become a better place in our live time

Governors' Forum Chairmanship Election, Presidency in a Messy Venture

Governors' Forum Chairmanship Election, Presidency in a Messy Venture

Several governors from two of Nigeria’s geo-political zones have told SaharaReporters how Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State reemerged as the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum in a highly dramatic and widely watched election.

Mr. Amaechi’s reelection has rattled President Goodluck Jonathan who, one Presidency source disclosed, called Governors Godswill Akpabio, Peter Obi, Segun Mimiko and Jonah Jang from Ethiopia and charged them to do everything within their power to ensnare the outcome in controversy in order to delegitimize the results.
The four pro-Jonathan governors subsequently released a document claiming that 19 governors voted for Mr. Jang.
The document did not state when the so-called voting was conducted. At a press conference called by Mr. Akpabio and attended by Governor Jang, the latter did not utter a word about his purported victory. Instead, Mr. Jang was glum and had a blank, vacant look.
The news of Governor Amaechi's victory was announced earlier.
A Presidency source told SaharaReporters that, before traveling to Ethiopia, President Jonathan had collected the signatures of 19 governors, including the governor of Yobe, with the aim of wresting the Governors’ Forum post from Mr. Amaechi. But at today's meeting where the election took place, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe was conspicuously absent. One of the governors told SaharaReporters that the Yobe governor decided not to attend the meeting because he detests Mr. Jang's sectarian fanaticism.
Our sources, who detailed the coalition that handed Mr. Amaechi a victory, told Saharareporters that 19 governors voted for the Rivers governor who has been locked in a major political dispute with Mr. Jonathan. The pro-Amaechi governors were those of Imo, Ekiti, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Adamawa, Borno, Osun, Jigawa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Kwara   Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara and Sokoto. Mr. Amaechi also voted for himself, securing reelection.
Our sources disclosed that the governors of Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, Taraba, Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, Kebbi, Katsina, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Kaduna and four others voted for Mr. Jang, the president’s candidate.
Our sources painted a portrait of some dramatic developments ahead of today’s voting. SaharaReporters learned that the pro-Jonathan group adopted Governor Jang as their consensus candidate following a decision by a few Northern governors and some members of the PDP’s Governors Forum to pick a flag bearer outside of Governors Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Isah Yuguda of Bauchi. The Jonathan group believed that Mr. Jang would seem less contentious. They also tipped Governor Mimiko of Ondo as Mr. Jang’s side kick in the hope of swaying some governors from the South-West.
Two governors disclosed that the anti-Amaechi group also suggested using “consensus” rather than an election to determine the leader of the forum. “They hoped the ‘consensus’ method would make it possible for them to swing the votes in their favor,” said one governor, adding that most governors insisted on voting.
One of the governors disclosed that Mr. Jonathan’s camp came to today’s meeting confident that they would prevail, since the president had obtained signatures from several governors in advance. But the president’s gubernatorial opponents said they knew Mr. Jang would be vanquished as the election, which was conducted by the secretariat of the Governors’ Forum, began. The forum’s director-general, Ashishana Okauru, was the presiding officer at the election with Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State serving as the returning officer. Pro-Amaechi governors said they were certain of their candidate’s victory since the election was conducted via a secret ballot. “It was free and fair, so we knew that Chibuike [Amaechi] would win,” said one of the governors from the south-west.
After the voting, Governor Uduaghan announced the results, declaring Mr. Amaechi victorious. “All 35 governors present cast their vote and the tally was 19-16 in favor of Governor Amaechi,” one of the governors said. He dismissed Mr. Akpabio’s list of 19 governors for Mr. Jang, laughing that the Akpabio group even included the name of the Yobe governor who was not present at today’s vote.
It remained unclear whether the Presidency would succeed in pressuring Mr. Uduaghan to back away from the results he collated and announced at the governors’ parley.
One of the pro-Amaechi governors told SaharaReporters that Mr. Jang’s candidacy was “technically flawed, but we allowed him to run for the sake of peace.” According to him, observance of the forum’s constitution would mean that the picking of nomination forms ought to have ended by midnight on May 23, 2013. He claimed that Governor Jang only sent in a letter indicating his interest in the race around 3 p.m. on May 24, 2013. “It was a breach of our constitution, but Governor Amaechi and some of us decided not to push for Jang’s disqualification,” said the governor.
Another governor told Saharareporters that he suspects Mr. Jonathan would now be hell bent on destroying or dividing the Governors Forum. “He will see the result of today’s election as a vote of no confidence on his leadership,” said the governor, from one of the Northern states. He added: “All I know is [the] majority of governors don’t want the Presidency to be telling us what to do. We were elected just as Mr. President was elected. Let him lead the nation with good leadership effort and allow do the same in our state.”
The source added that Mr. Jonathan and his political associates would likely interpret the loss by Mr. Jang to Governor Amaechi as an indication that the president may lose the PDP’s primary elections to be the party’s flag bearer. “But it is his good governance that will make the party pick him again, not whether he forces Governor Jang to be our chairman,” said the source.
Several governors who spoke to us today said Governors Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Segun Mimiko of Ondo, Peter Obi of Anambra and Jonah Jang of Plateau of were out to do the president’s bidding at all cost. They accused the governors of seeking to polarize the Governors’ Forum in order to advance President Jonathan’s agenda of neutralizing Governor Amaechi.
“These colleagues are key to President Goodluck Jonathan’s plan to turn Nigeria into Ivory Coast if he does not win in 2015,” said one source.