Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has dismissed the no-case submission filed by Dr. John Abebe and his company, Inducon Nig. Ltd, regarding their ongoing trial for an alleged ₦120M fraud.
The defendants were arraigned on Sept. 19, 2022, on a 6-count charge bordering on conspiracy to steal, stealing, and obtaining money by false pretence.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired to obtain ₦120M from Arsenal Technologies Limited on June 4, 2013, by falsely pledging a property located at 9, Magbon Close, Ikoyi, as unencumbered security when it had already been pledged to a bank.
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, leading to a full trial that commenced in 2022. The prosecution concluded its case on May 15, 2025, after presenting four witnesses. Following this, the first and third defendants filed a no-case submission on Oct. 14, 2025, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against them.
In her ruling on Thursday, March 5, 2026, Justice Fadipe explained that at this stage of the proceedings, the court only determines whether the prosecution has produced legally admissible evidence linking the defendants to the charges, rather than assessing the sufficiency of the evidence for a final conviction.
The judge observed that the evidence presented by the prosecution suggested the defendants obtained ₦120M from the complainant under false pretences. Justice Fadipe held that the evidence presented requires a response from the defendants, subsequently dismissing the no-case submission and ordering them to enter their defence.
The trial has been adjourned to May 28, June 3, June 4, June 24, and June 25, 2026, for the defendants to open their defence.