Lagos court resumes trial of $950,000 forex fraud allegations Nov 12 – Newstrends
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Lagos court resumes trial of $950,000 forex fraud allegations Nov 12

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Lagos court resumes trial of $950,000 forex fraud allegations Nov 12

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos will, on November 12, resume the trial of five defendants for alleged conspiracy to defraud, and obtain $950,000 from a businessman, Nnamdi Ezenwa, under false pretence.

The businessman is the prosecution’s star witness, while first to fifth defendants are Chibueze Ojeh, Obinna Nwosu, Emeka Njoku, Castle Equipment & Logistic Ltd and the bank.

They are being prosecuted by Inspector-General of Police before Justice Deinde Dipeolu on a five-count amended charge in FHC/AWK/C/25/2020.

Ezenwa, managing director and chief executive officer of Vinna Investment Limited, alleged he was duped of the $950,000 in a fraudulent forex deal, a charge the defendants – three persons, a firm and a bank – denied during their arraignment earlier in the year.

At the resumed trial on July 23, prosecution counsel, Abdulmoruf Animashaun, who held the brief of Simon Lough (SAN) informed the court the defendants were being prosecuted on a third amended charge, adding the case ought to be expeditiously heard.

First prosecution witness Ezenwa said he was called sometime in 2014 by his account officer in the bank that a customer had $1.9 million to sell.

Led in evidence by the prosecutor, the witness said the account officer was aware Ezenwa needed dollars to send to Italy for importation of toothpaste.

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He testified that he called his company’s accountant to go to the bank’s Aba branch to confirm the situation. The latter did.

“I then went to meet the bank’s Branch manager, account officer and customer that wanted to sell the dollars, together with my company’s accountant.

“I bought the $1.9 million as recommended by UBA but $950,000 of it was fake.

“I demanded that my money be returned to me, but every effort proved abortive,” Ezenwa added.

When Dr. D.A. Awosika (SAN), counsel to first defendant, objected to the tendering of some documents, the prosecution counsel urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him regularise the position.

Justice Dipeolu adjourned till November 12 and 14.

Count two of the charge against the defendants read:

“That you, Chibueze Ojeh, ‘M’ 40 years, managing director and chief executive officer of Castle Equipment & Logistics Limited of Lekki County Homes, Westend Estate Road 4, House 4, Lekki Lagos State;

Obinna Nwosu ‘M’ 45 years of No. 1 Shofidiya Close, Adegoke Estate, Masha Roundabout, Surulere, Lagos, Emeka Njoku “M 41years, former Staff and marketer with United Bank for Africa Plc, of No. 3 Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt, Castle Equipment & Logistics Ltd and United Bank for Africa Pic;

Onyinyechi Oraegbunem ‘F’ former branch manager of UBA Aba branch, and Pamela Onaga, former staff of UBA Plc Aba branch/account officer to Nnamdi Ezenwa, now at large, between April 3, 2013 and June 31, 2013 in Lagos and Aba, with intent to defraud Chief Nnamdi Ezenwa, managing director and chief executive officer of Vinna Investment deceitfully induced Chief Nnamdi Ezenwa that you have dollars to sell to him at a lower rate of N159.00 per dollar and deceitfully collected N294,150,000,00 equivalent to $1,850,000 from him on the pretence that you will transfer the dollars equivalent to his customers in Italy.

But having collected N294,150,000,00, you transferred only $900,000 equivalent to N143.100,000.00 and converted $950,000 Dollars, equivalent to N151,000,000.00 to your use.

You thereby committed offence contrary to Section 1(1) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.

Lagos court resumes trial of $950,000 forex fraud allegations Nov 12

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200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS

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Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa

200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that about 200,000 repentant terrorists have so far dropped their arms and surrendered to troops in the North East, noting that the twin strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic operations was responsible for this achievement.

The CDS made this known at the Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the British High Commission, which began at the National Counterterrorism Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.

He disclosed that the theme of the symposium, ”Securing Peace, Ensuring Justice, Protection, Conduct, and Accountability,” speaks volumes about the deluge of security challenges the armed forces and security agencies are facing.

His words, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with fairness, equity, justice, and accountability.

“There will not be peace without justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. In our operations, we are conducting both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which have to a large extent yielded significant successes, and we want to particularly thank the National Security Adviser for his great support in this regard.

“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and we feel we’re able to address this, and everybody has a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, we are sure, will go down. I want to thank the National Security Advisor for all the support he’s given us, both the kinetic and the non-kinetic.

“We have said it; the kinetic aspect is just less than 30%. The non-kinetic has a lot to play. The non-kinetic, because when you have democracy, people must have the evidence of democracy. As long as it tells people to sleep well and be peaceful, and they are hungry, their children cannot eat, and all this creates more problems.

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“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.

200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS

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Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police

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Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police

The spokesperson for the police in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the death of two robbery suspects in the state.

Mr Edafe, who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said that the deceased were killed from the bullets shot by their gang members.

According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Edafe explained that the deceased were leading the police surveillance team attached to the Ekpan Division to their hideout when they were caught during a shoot-out.

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“The suspects were arrested at Effurun roundabout with a bag containing 57 live cartridges and other items. They were leading the surveillance team to their hideout at Warri/Sapele road when their gang members, on sighting the vehicle of the police team, engaged them in a shootout.During the gun duel, the arrested suspects that were leading the police team were fatally wounded by the gun shot of their colleagues. The two injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment,” he said.

Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the hoodlums hideout included: one English pump action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges.

Others were: six iPhones, Smart phones and a Rolex wrist watch.

He said that the command had intensified manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang.

 

Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police

(NAN)

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Akwa Ibom businessman abducted, driver killed, police orderly injured

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Dr. Samuel Ekerenam
Akwa Ibom businessman abducted, driver killed, police orderly injured
Gunmen kidnapped a prominent businessman, Dr. Samuel Ekerenam and k!lled his driver in Eket town, the headquarter of Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Ekerena, the owner of Hephzibah Mall, was abducted about 10:00pm on Saturday, 23 November, 2024.
It was gathered that the gunmen trailed the victim to the shopping complex, shooting sporadically to scare the passers-by away before whisking him away to an unknown destination.
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The body of Ekerenam’s driver was discovered in the pool of his blood, while his police orderly was severely wounded in the gun attack.
The spokesperson of the State Police Command, ASP Timfon John, who confirmed the incident on Monday, November 25, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Eribo has deployed tactical operatives to comb for the abducted businessman.
The PPRO added that the police were on top of the game and very soon the kidnap victim would be rescued and the perpetrators made to face the full weight of the law.

Akwa Ibom businessman abducted, driver killed, police orderly injured

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