Anti-Fraud Day: Court Jails Fraudsters in Sokoto, Lagos, Ibadan, Maiduguri
Three Fraudsters Bag Jail Terms in Sokoto
Justice M. S. Sifawa of the Sokoto State High Court, Sokoto on Monday, September 28, 2020 convicted and sentenced the trio of Chima Nweke (a.k.a Dr. Idris Musa), Ubaka Kanayo David and Glory Arohia (a.k.a Ijeoma Ogbuagu) to prison for fraud.
The convicts were prosecuted by the Sokoto Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on one count separate charge of cheating and conspiracy to which they pleaded guilty.
Following their plea, prosecuting counsels, comprising S. H. Sa’ad, Musa Mela Gwani and Habila Jonathan asked the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while defence counsel, A. M. Lukman, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as his clients have become remorseful.
Justice Sifawa convicted and sentenced Nweke (a.k.a Dr. Idris Musa) to 10 years imprisonment with N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira)option of fine. He is also to restitute the sum of N3,500,000.00 (Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand) to his victim through the Asset Forfeiture Directorate of the EFCC and the FBI liaison at USA Consulate, Lagos. Nweke also forfeited his Hyundai SUV Xi 35 model to the federal government.
David was handed one year imprisonment with N25,000.00 option of fine and forfeited N350,000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand) to the Sokoto State government, while Arohia (a.k.a Ijeoma Ogbuagu) bagged 10 years imprisonment with N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) option of fine.
The convict is also to restitute the sum N626,031.00 to the victim.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
28 September, 2020
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Man Jailed Seven Years for N30m Fraud in Lagos
Justice Josephine Oyefeso of the Lagos State High Court Igbosere, Lagos has sentenced a fraudster, Tunde Martins, to seven years imprisonment for a N30million (Thirty Million Naira) fraud.
The convict had obtained the said sum as a loan from Diamond Bank Plc, with a forged Certificate of Occupancy, C of O, and refused to pay back.
His journey to prison subsequently began after he was arraigned alongside his company, Centre Global Limited, by the Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, sometime in 2018 on a three-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence, forgery and use of false documents, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution counsel, Anita Imo, in the course of his trial tendered several documents and exhibits and called five witnesses to prove the guilt of the convict.
On September 23, 2020, Justice Oyefeso found him guilty of the offence, but deferred ruling to Monday, September 28, 2020.
Delivering her judgment today, Justice Oyefeso sentenced him to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine.
She also ordered that the company, Centre Global Limited, be wound up and all the money accrued from it be remitted to Diamond Bank Plc.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
28 September, 2020
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Court Jails Man, Remands other in Custody over Internet Fraud
Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, on Monday, September 28, 2020, sentenced one Adeniran Rasheed Adesina (a.k.a. Bella Danner) to six months in prison after finding him guilty of obtaining money under false pretence in a one-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office.
The charge reads: “That Adeniran Rasheed Adesina (a.k.a. Bella Danner) sometimes in 2019, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained various gift cards worth of $250 (Two Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) from one Luis Barrera, a white male, when you falsely represented to him that you are a white female by name Bella Danner that is in love with him and other pretences, which representations you knew to be false”.
Adesina pleaded guilty to the charge when read to him prompting the EFCC’s counsel Lanre Abdulrasheed to pray the court to convict him according.
However, counsel to the defendant, Hammed Opasola prayed the court to consider a sentence of community service.
Justice Akintola sentenced the accused to six months in prison with effect from the date of his arrest, June 30, 2020.
The court also ordered him to restitute to his victims through the EFCC the sum of $250 (Two Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars).
He is to equally forfeit his Infinix Hot5 Mobile Phone to the Federal Government.
Similarly, Justice Akintola has ordered that one Damilare Tolu Ogunleke, a suspected internet fraudster, be remanded at the EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of his case.
Ogunleke had on Monday pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge of obtaining property under false pretence preferred against him by the Commission.
One of the counts reads: “That you Damilare Tolu Ogunleke ‘M’ sometimes in the year 2019, at Ogbomosho, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained Gift Cards worth of 45000 (Five Thousand United States of American Dollars) from one Porter Patten by falsely representing to him that you are a female and other pretences, which pretences you knew to be false.”
Counsel to the defendant, Tunde Olupona, informed the court that his client has already made all the necessary restitution and has also paid all the money involved and prayed for a plea bargain.
In order to give time for the two parties to reach a compromise, the presiding judge adjourned to October 6 for hearing and ordered that the accused be remanded in the EFCC’s custody pending the adjourned date.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
28 September, 2020
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N9m Fraud: Court to Sentence Businessman September 30 in Maiduguri
Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, on Monday, September 28, 2020 convicted Babagana Abatcha for fraud.
The convict was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Maiduguri Zonal office on a one-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust to the tune of N9, 000,000.00 (Nine Million Naira).
The count reads: “That you, Babagana Abatcha sometime between 2017 and 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being entrusted with care over certain properties to wit: N9,000,000.00 (Nine Million Naira) only, by one Umar Gujja Ali being payment for the execution of a purported contract awarded to you by a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) in Maiduguri, did dishonesty misappropriate the entire sum and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State Cap.102 Vol.3 of 1994 and punishable under Section 312 of the same Law.”
The convict pleaded not guilty, prompting his trial with the prosecution relying on the testimonies of six witnesses and several exhibits to prove its case.
In his judgment, Justice Faduwa held that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted the defendant accordingly.
Justice Fadawu thereafter adjourned to September 30, 2020 for sentencing and ordered the remand of the convict in Medium Custodial Centre, Maiduguri.
The convict’s journey to the Custodial Centre, Maiduguri stated when the EFCC received a petition from Gujja Ali, alleging that the convict obtained the sum of N9m from him on the pretext of executing a purported contract from a Non Governmental Organisation, for the supply of goods. He later informed the petitioner that the said goods were intercepted by Nigeria Customs Service.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
28 September, 2020
