Court Registrar Bags 7years Jail Term over N9.2m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, May 18, 2018, secured the conviction  of a former Deputy Chief Registrar of the Oyo State High Court, Mutiat Omobola Adio.

Justice O. M. Olagunju of the Oyo State High Court sitting in  Ibadan found the convict guilty on  one of a two count charge brought against her.

The count which earns the convict a jail term borders on the allegation of obtaining the sum of N9.2 million by false pretence from one Abiodun Rasheed Olonade, Nigerian reident in Ireland.‎

Adio was ‎sentenced to 7years Imprisonment without an option of fine. The court also ordered that the convict restitute the sum of N9.2m to the victim.

The charge  reads: “That you, Mutiat Omobola Adio on or about the 19th of  December, 2016, at Ibadan within the Ibadan judicial Division of  this Honourable  court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of  Nine million and Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N9,200,000,00) only from one Alhaji Yekini Olonade through Kunle Abimbola by falsely pretending that it was part payment of the cost price of a building and land situate, lying and being at plot 10, Block XXLV, Bashorun Estate,  Lagelu Local Government Area, Ibadan  which you purported to have sold to him”.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media and Publicity

Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa on Friday, May 18, 2018 rounded off its 8th Regional Conference with the appointment of Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as its new chairman, with a resolve to strengthen cooperation and collaboration among member countries for the purpose of facilitating assets recovery and return.

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its 5-day conference held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The conference, with the theme, “Partnering Towards Assets Recovery and Return” among other things, expressed concern “about the heavy losses that Africa suffers as a result of illegal transfers of proceeds of corruption and crime out of Africa” and stressed the need for synergy among member countries to combat illicit financial flows.

It called on “African countries to strengthen cooperation and partnership in the tracing, recovery and return of assets in accordance with Article 54 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and Article 16 of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption”.

While recognizing the importance of whistleblowing in the fight against corruption, asset recovery and return; the meeting urged African countries to enact strong whistleblowing legislation and provide protection to whistleblowers.

The meeting also appealed to judicial and prosecuting authorities to cooperate, support and fast track prosecution of corruption cases in their jurisdictions.

It encouraged Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa to explore innovative ways of delivering public education, awareness and sensitization messages to the general public about tracing and recovering of assets.

The conference appreciated “the invaluable support and warm hospitality” provided by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the EFCC, ICPC and the people of Nigeria, the honour of the presence of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the opening of the Conference.

While expressing appreciation to the Commonwealth Secretariat for co-sponsoring the Conference, it acknowledged the participation and commitment of the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Baroness Patricia Scotland; former Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar; Thambo Mbeki, former President of South Africa and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, at the Conference.

Nineteen countries including Nigeria participated in the conference.

The next Regional Conference of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa will be hosted in 2019 by Uganda in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media and Publicity

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on May 16, 2018 presented its eighth witness in the trial of Abba Moro, former interior minister, over his role in the ill-fated recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, which claimed the lives of over 20 applicants in various centres across the country.

Moro, alongside one time permanent secretary in the ministry, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia; a deputy director in the ministry, F. O Alayebami; one Mahmood Ahmadu (at large), and Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited are being prosecuted on an 11-count charge bordering on procurement fraud and money laundering.

They were alleged to have defrauded a total of 675,675 Nigerian job applicants to the tune of N675,675,000 representing N1000 per applicant through e-payment for the online recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, an exercise which was carried out in a negligent manner leading to the death of about 20 applicants in 2013, when Moro was interior minister.

The witness, while testifying before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja identified himself as “Aliyu Sufian, a Bureau de Change operator”.

Led in evidence by Aliyu Yusuf, counsel to the EFCC, Sufian, who spoke through an interpreter, narrated the transaction between his company, Morrison International Bureau de Change, and Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, a company engaged by the Ministry of Interior for provision of online enlistment and e-recruitment service for the ill-fated recruitment exercise.

He stated that sometime in 2014, his account officer, gave him a letter of invitation from EFCC, which he honoured and volunteered his statement.

According to the witness, a staff of Keystone Bank, who he simply identified as “Biodun”, called to ask him on 11th November, 2013 if he had dollars and requested him to come to the Bank with it.

“I was in my office on the 11th of November 2013, when I got a call from an officer of Keystone Bank (Biodun) who asked if I had dollars. I told him ‘I do’ and he said I should bring it to the bank”, Sufian said.

Speaking further, he told the court that he provided his Keystone Bank account details and a sum of N33.7million was credited into the account twice same day”.

When asked to tell the court the account from which the said money was paid and amount he gave in exchange for the money, the PW8 said, “The money came from Dextel Tech Nigeria Ltd and I gave Biodun, the bank official, $641,000 in exchange”.

Under cross-examination by Moro’s counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, Sufian said he did not know the defendants.

The case has been adjourned to July 4, 2018 for continuation of trial.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media and Publicity