Crime
EFCC arraign Ikuforiji, PA for money laundering
The former Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly alongside his personal Assistant charged to court again by the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in continuation of his trial.
Ikuforiji is charged alongside his former Personal Assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 54-count charge bordering on an alleged N338.8million money laundering charge.
They had each pleaded not guilty before Justice Mohammed Liman, and were allowed to continue on an earlier bail granted them in 2012 when they were first arraigned.
At the last adjourned date of March 15, the prosecutor, Mr Ekene Iheanacho complained of the slow pace of trial in the case, following a letter of adjournment by the defence.
Iheanacho argued that though there was a letter for adjournment by the defence counsel, the defendants ought to be present in court.
He made an oral application for the bail of the defendants to be revoked.
The court however in its wisdom, ordered the defendants to be present in court on the next adjourned date of May 3 and 4 which it now changed to May 4 and May 5.
On March 17, 2021, the EFCC closed its case after calling the second witness for the prosecution, Mr Adewale Olatunji, a former Clerk of the Lagos House of Assembly.
The prosecutor called two witnesses in support of its case which was then adjourned for the opening of case and beginning of defence.
In the process, Justice Liman was transferred out of the Lagos division, but now presiding over the case on a fiat.
It was learnt that the defendants were first arraigned on March 1, 2012 before Justice Okechukwu Okeke on a 20-count charge bordering on misappropriation and money laundering.
They had each pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail.
They were later re-arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba, following a re-assignment of the case.
Buba granted them bail in the sum of N500 million each with sureties in like sum.
On Sept. 26, 2014, Justice Buba discharged Ikuforiji and his aide of the charges, after upholding a no case submission of the defendants.
Buba held that the EFCC failed to establish a prima-facie case against them.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the EFCC through its counsel, Mr Godwin Obla (SAN), filed a Notice of Appeal dated Sept. 30, 2014 challenging the decision of the trial court.
Obla had argued that the trial court erred in law when it held that the counts were incompetent because they were filed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 which was repealed by an Act of 2011.
EFCC further argued that the lower court acted up in law when it held that the provisions of Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and 2011, only applied to natural persons and corporate bodies other than the government.
It was learnt that the commission also submitted that the trial judge played up in law when he held and concluded that the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses supported the innocence of the respondents.
In its judgement, the Lagos Division of the Appeal Court in November 2016, agreed with the prosecution and ordered a fresh trial of the defendants before another judge.
Following this decision, the defendants headed for the Supreme Court, seeking to upturn the ruling of the Appellate Court.
Again, the apex court in its verdict also upheld the decision of the appellate court and ordered that the case be sent back to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment to another judge.
The EFCC had alleged in the charge that the defendants accepted cash payments above the threshold set by the Money Laundering Act, without going through a financial institution.
It accused the defendants of conspiring to commit an illegal act of accepting cash payments in the aggregate sum of N338.8 million from the House of Assembly, without going through a financial institution.
Ikuforiji was also accused of using his position to misappropriate funds belonging to the Assembly.
The EFCC said that the defendants committed the offences between April 2010 and July 2011.
The offence, according to the EFCC, contravenes the provisions of Sections 15 (1d), 16(1d) and 18 of the Money Laundering Act, 2004 and 2011.
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Crime
Police admit officer shot man killed on Lagos fuel queue
The Lagos State Police Command has admitted that one of its officers is responsible for the death of a young man, Toheeb Eniafe.
Toheeb was shot on Wednesday at a petrol station belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited at Obalende in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
Eniafe was reported to have been shot dead while he and some others were resisting the move by some security agents to buy fuel without joining the queue.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin disclosed this on Thursday.
He said, “The person behind the shooting has been identified as a police officer serving at Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 17, Lion Building, Lagos.
“Investigation is still ongoing and further findings will be made available.
“Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command is working with the family of the deceased to ensure that there is no miscarriage of justice,” the PRO stated.
Crime
Internet fraudster bags seven years in Port Harcourt
Justice P.M Ayua of the Federal High Court sitting in PortHarcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced one Odinakachi Prince Onyeoziri to seven years imprisonment.
He was jailed after pleading guilty to three-count charges bordering on internet fraud contrary to Section 14 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.
One of the count charges reads: “That you, Odinakachi Prince Onyeoziri, and Solmyr (atlarge) between June, 2021 to November, 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly caused your victims loss by inputting or suppressing data in computers thereby benefiting the aggregate sum of $3000 (Three thousand United States Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.”
He pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
In view of his guilty pleas, prosecuting counsel, I. Agwu sought to review the facts of the case through the investigating officer, Abalaka Stephen, an operative of the Commission. While being led in evidence, he told the court that the defendant was arrested by operatives of the Commission following a written petition by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, against the defendant for alleged internet fraud activities. He was thereafter apprehended sometime in February, 2024 at Owerri, Imo State.
Testifying further, he told the court that the defendant in his voluntary statement to the EFCC, confessed to being into internet fraud, spreading of computer virus, spamming and also causing his victims losses by inputting data in computers. He confessed benefiting an aggregate sum of Three Thousand United States Dollars ($3,000) by representing himself to unsuspecting victims as different individuals
Agwu, thereafter, sought to tender in evidence, the statements, and all the items recovered from the defendant. The court thereafter admitted the evidence and were marked as exhibits.
Thereafter, the trial judge declared him guilty as charged.
Defence counsel, B. Onuoha, on the other hand prayed the court for leniency. He appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy, considering his status as a first-time offender, and remorse for his actions.
Justice Ayua sentenced him to seven years imprisonment cumulatively with Three Million Naira (3,000,000.00) as an option of fine payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In addition, the judge ordered that, items recovered from the convict, two laptops, a mobile device, Toyota Highlander with Registration: NKR 736 AA, two story buildings containing six units of two bedroom flats should be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Additionally, the convict shall depose an affidavit of good behaviour before the court.
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