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EFCC arraigns two for alleged $268,000.00 fraud

Published

1 year ago

July 7, 2023

Joseph Uduaghan and Precious Ojo

EFCC arraigns two for alleged $268,000.00 fraud

The Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday July 5, 2023 arraigned Precious Ojo and Joseph Uduaghan before Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State. Ojo and Uduaghan were arraigned on 10 and three count charges respectively for offences bordering on fraudulent impersonation, obtaining by false pretence and money laundering. Ojo, aka obago, allegedly impersonated one Peter Gabriel, an American medical doctor purportedly working in Syria to defraud his unsuspecting victim, Agata Harasimowicz, an American lady, of the aggregate sum $268,0000 (Two Hundred and Sixty-eight Thousand America Dollars. Uduaghan on his part is alleged to have received the aggregate sum of N170 million from Ojo which he used in the construction of a hotel. One of the charges reads:

“That you, Precious Ojo (m) sometime between July 2021 and April, 2022 in Delta State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did with intent to defraud sent electronic messages which materially misrepresent your identity to Agata Harasimowicz, an American lady upon which she relied and suffered financial loss in the aggregate sum of $268,000.00 (Two Hundred and Sixty-eight Thousand United States Dollars) worth of Bitcoin and Gift Cards and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition prevention etc) Act 2015”.

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One of the charges against Uduaghan reads: “that you, Joseph Uduaghan (m) sometime between March and December, 2022 in Delta State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did directly use the aggregate sum of N170,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Seventy Million Naira) to build a hotel known as Obago Continental Hotel and Suites, lying and situate at Western Delta Road, Ogharefe Area of Delta State which funds you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act of Precious Ojo to wit: Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15(3)of the same Act”.

Upon arraignment the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, Francis Jirbo to pray the court to fix a date for trial. However the defence counsel, Pascal Ugbome informed the court that he has filed a bail application for his clients and pleaded with the court to grant them bail. He argued that the alleged offences were bailabĺe and that the defendants will be available to face their trial. The prosecution counsel opposed the application on the ground that the defendants are flight risk and could jump bail..

However, the defence counsel pleaded with the court to release the defendants to him pending the ruling on the bail. application The judge ordered that the defendants be released to the defence counsel who is expected to produce a letter from his NBA branch chairman attesting to the fact that he is a known member of the branch and that he has paid his practicing fee to date. He is to also undertake in writing that he will produce the defendants anytime they are needed in court and shall be liable to the consequence of a surety in the circumstance of a breach.

metro

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

Published

11 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

metro

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

Published

11 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

metro

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

Published

11 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.