EFCC Press Release: Finance Controller Arraigned For $300,000 Fraud

 
John Adet Esiegbuya By Wilson Uwujaren The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Thursday, June 6, 2014 arraigned the Finance Controller of Lonestar Drilling Nigeria Limited, John Adet Esiegbuya, before Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on an 8-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, forgery and obtaining money under false pretense.  The accused, sometime in July, 2010, allegedly forged documents and signature of the Managing Director, Lonestar Drilling Nigeria Limited and defrauded the company of Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($300,000.00); which he allegedly transferred to the account of another company, Combo Limited, purportedly promoted to conceal the fraud.  The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him.  One of the counts reads, “that you John Adet Esiegbuya, on or about the 27th day of July, 2010 at Port Harcourt, within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court did steal the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300, 000) property of Lonestar Drilling Nigeria Limited contrary to section 383(2) (a) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under section 390 (9) of the same Act.  Another count reads,  “that you John Adet Esiegbuya on or about the 28th day of July, 2010 at Port Harcourt, within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court did forge a Compro Limited letter addressed to Diamond Bank  Plc with invoice dated 19th July,2010 in respect of ‘Consultancy Services rendered IRO LSO rigs 203 and 204’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Revised Edition(Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under section 1(2) of the same Act”.  In view of his plea, prosecuting counsel, A. Olatunji prayed the court for a date for commencement of trial. The defence counsel, Kola Olapoju however urged the court to grant the accused bail.  Justice Akanbi granted the accused bail in the sum of Two Million (N2, 000,000.00) Naira with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a GL. 14 Officer in either the Federal or the State Civil Service while his counsel stands as the second surety.  The matter was adjourned till October 8, 2014 for trial.

Man posing as spirit docked for fraud

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on May 8, 2013 arraigned Mohammed Yusuf Dabo before Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Gusau, Zamfara State on eleven count charge of obtaining under false pretence and forgery to the tune of N20million.

The accused, between November 2012 and January 2013 defrauded one Ya’u Mohammed to the tune of N20m in a classic advance fee fraud scheme.

The fraudster, posing as a spirit named ‘Asmau’, based in Niger Republic, convinced his victim into believing that the mystery female voice had powers to establish schools and mosques to propagate Islam but needed a human vessel through which this could be achieved.

He left the victim with no choice but to accept the offer of becoming the human vessel after threatening him that he either obeys the voice of the spirit or die.

The accused person began to extort his victim and used the money to buy exotic cars and acquire a mansion in red bricks area of Kano state.

One of the charges against accused reads, “that you Mohammed Yusuf also known as Musbahu Yusuf Dabo, sometimes in November 2012, at Gusau, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court Gusau, under false pretence with intent to defraud, induced one Alhaji Ya’u Mohammed and obtain the sum N680, 000 (Six Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira Only) and thereby committed an offence under section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006”.

The accused pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him.

The prosecution counsel, B.M Buhari asked the court for permission to proceed with the trial but the defence counsel, B.M Muqaddam urged the court to admit his client to bail on the grounds of ill health.

However, Buhari opposed the application on the grounds that the medical reports attached to the bail application were not certified.

The presiding judge agreed with the prosecution and refused the bail application.

He ordered the prosecution to call his first witness.

The case was adjourned to 12th and 13th June, 2013 for continuation of trial, while the accused is remanded in prison custody.

EFCC Arrests former Bayelsa Governor, Timipre Sylva

 

Former Governor Timipre Sylva

Premium Times Reports:
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today (May 8, 2013) arrested the former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva.
He was picked up at his No. 3, Niger Street, Maitama, Abuja home.
The EFCC says in a statement Wednesday that on arrival at the facility at about 10.00 am, its operatives were told Mr. Sylva was not in town but that they insisted on conducting a search on the house having obtained a warrant from the court.

“During the search, vital documents were obtained. Ironically, the ex-governor who was said to be out of town was later found hiding in a dingy corner in the upper chamber of his expansive mansion,” the statement by the commission’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren said.
Mr. Uwujaren continues, “He was immediately whisked away and is currently being interrogated at the Abuja headquarters of the anti- graft agency. He is being grilled in connection with fresh evidence linking him with a bouquet of fraudulent transactions that borders on money laundering. Part of the new evidence includes a number of eye-popping real estate acquisitions in Abuja.
“The arrest of the former governor is sequel to his refusal to honour invitations by the Commission. Rather than appear before the EFCC, he got his lawyers to inform the Commission that he was unable to appear because he was sick, and hospitalised in Lagos. The lawyer had promised to appear with his client on May 7, 2013 but failed to do so.”
The Commission, the statement adds, will not longer tolerate the antics of suspects who treat its invitation with levity.

Man Shot Dead, LAGBUS Vehicle Set Ablaze As Pipeline Vandals, NSCDC Clash

Tragedy struck yesterday in Majidun-Ilaje area of Ikorodu, Lagos, after a 35-year-old man was shot dead during a violent clash between pipeline vandals and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

About eight officials of the Corps escaped death by whiskers the previous day, following attempt by some pipeline vandals to set them ablaze, in a bid to avoid being arrested.

However, at the end of a renewed raid at the vandals’ hide-out, yesterday, 60 of them were arrested,with the recovery of arms and ammunition from them.

But their arrest was not easy as the suspected vandals reportedly attacked the officials, injuring some of them and destroying their vehicle in the process.

The suspected vandals said to have taken over the area, also smashed windscreens of unsuspecting motorists plying the route.

Among the vehicles destroyed was a LAGBUS which ran into the rampaging vandals. Several persons were said to have been also injured in the process, while others lost their valuables while running for safety.

Report said NSCDC officials stormed the area to effect the arrest of the vandals who were engaged in scooping petroleum product from broken pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Sunday night. Residents said they usually came in trucks and big cans to scoop fuel.

But on sighting the officials at about 10p.m. Sunday night, some of the vandals reportedly laid ambush while others remained at the spot, with their hands raised up, pretending to own up to the offence.

But as the officials were about to apprehend them, their members reportedly came out of hiding and immediately struck a stick of matches on some product suspected to be petrol which was in front of the officials.

Spokesman for Lagos State Command of the NSCDC, Kehinde Bada, when contacted, explained: ‘’Around 10p.m. of yesterday, (Sunday) some pipeline vandals were operating around Majidun area of Ikorodu, moving petroleum products and when our men got there, the vandals went on rampage and attacked them to the extent that they almost set them ablaze.

Today (yesterday), we got intelligence report that the vandals were back to the spot. We reinforced and went back to make arrest. But on getting there, they launched an attack at our men but our men were able to apply caution.

Confirming the arrest, Commandant of the state command of the NSCDC, Shem Obafaiye, said, “The suspects were arrested at Majidun area in Ikorodu around 12noon .

It was battle for battle during the arrest, but at the end, we arrested 60 people. Some of my injured men are receiving treatment in the hospital. The suspects will soon be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC.

The incident reportedly caused a hitch in the free flow of traffic as motorists who apparently thought it was a robbery operation, abandoned their vehicles and fled for safety.

But the arrested suspects denied having anything to do with the attack on the officials.

Meanwhile, the deceased’s sister, who simply identified herself as Iya Wariz, said she gave her late brother, Sule, N1000 note to buy food . “I gave him money to buy food for me at Majidun Bus-stop. I waited for several hours without seeing him. Later, one of his friends rushed to tell me that he was shot by Civil Defence people,” she said and burst into tears.

A man who claimed to be an apprentice to the late Sule, Josuah, told Vanguard that his boss was not a vandal.

According to him, “my boss was on his way to buy food when the Civil Defence man sighted him and shot him in the head twice.