2 ex-MTN employees in EFCC net over N1bn housing scam

DigitalSENSE Business News:

Two former MTN employees alongside their accomplices are now cooling off in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged swindling of N1bn belonging to MTN Employees Multipurpose Cooperative Society (MEMCOS), reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

Also DigitalSENSE Business News gathered that these men, Messrs Victor Akintunde and  Gani O. Mustapha and their companies Primavera Engineering and Construction Limited, and Mabo Dredging Limited as well as a contractor, Mutairu Babatunde were on Wednesday, December 10, 2014 arraigned before justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja  on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretense, forgery, and issuance of dud cheque.

Sources at EFCC told DigitalSENSE Business News  that Akintunde and Mustapha, former executive members of MTN Employees Multipurpose Cooperative Society (MEMCOS), ran into trouble when they could not account for more than N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira), being money contributed by members of MEMCOS who purposed to own houses in the ambitious "Yellow Estate" proposed to them by the executive members.

MEMCOS  was allegedly set up in order to build housing estate for the contributors but unfortunately after over N1,000,000,000 was contributed, the contributors received neither houses nor refund of their money.  Akintunde and Mustapha allegedly connived with Babatunde, a purported contractor and converted the money into their personal use.

One of the charges read: "You Victor Akintunde, Gani O. Mustapha, Mutairu Babatunde, Primavera Engineering and Construction Limited and Mabo Dredging Limited on or about 8th April, 2008 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud, conspired to steal the sum of N77,000,000 (Seventy Seven Million Naira) property of MEMCOS being outstanding refund for 5 hectares out of 13 hectares of land you bought for the society from Mutairu Baba Egbe Family that you claimed had defective title and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap C17 Vol2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003".

Another count read: "Mutairu Babatunde and Primavera Engineering and Construction Limited on or about 8th April, 2008 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud, stole the sum of N516,697,340 (Five Hundred and Sixteen Million, Six Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand, Three hundred and Forty Naira Only) property of MTN Employees Multipurpose Cooperative Society (MEMCOS) being sum that you fraudulently claimed you used to compensate early settlers in 26 hectares of land amounting 321 plots of land you bought for the society from Jagun Opolu Family and  thereby committed an offence contrary to section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap C17 Vol2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003".

DigitalSENSE Business News  gathered that all the accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Counsel to the third accused person (Babatunde), moved a bail application for his client which was opposed by the prosecuting counsel,  Emmanuel Jackson. According to Jackson, it took over one year for the third accused person to appear before the court, even after he was ordered by the court  to make himself available.

Jackson requested the court to give him a short date in order to provide further and better counter affidavit with strong evidence for the court to deny the third accused person bail.

Justice Akapo upheld the prosecution’s argument and remanded the third accused person in Kirikiri maximum prison, Lagos, pending hearing of bail application.

DigitalSENSE Business News  further gathered that the case was adjourned to December 16th, 2014.

Chuks Egbuna/GEE
+Remmy Nweke +MTN NIGERIA +Efcc Ibrahim Lamorde  
ITREALMS ... delivering news for ICT4D

PATECH makes a debut

DigitalSENSE Business News:

The Pan-African Association of Online Technology Publishers (PATECH) has made its debut, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

Addressing media in Lagos, the Vice President of PATECH, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr, told DigitalSENSE Business News that this journey started less than a year ago after he attended a technology event in Lagos put together by three young Britons.

“I was amazed that a small business paid as much as N650,000 ($4,000) to exhibit and attend that event, which is likely a proof that yet another round of colonialism has already begun,” he said.

He also said that instead of complaining, he chose instead to be a change agent and the first step was to invite fellow tech bloggers to come together as an association, in effort at helping Africans to tell their own stories, which include creating home grown events.

He stressed that the need for PATECH became more evident when the Federal Government recent confiscation of some newspaper publications and the President of Newspapers Proprietors Association issued a statement in defense of her members, that publication was also instructive in going ahead with this vision.

Looking ahead, he told DigitalSENSE Business News that PATECH sincerely hopes to serve as a link across various organisations in Africa as a whole and believes its membership will spread fast across the length and breadth of the continent.

“Today, we have members in Europe, Middle East and of course Nigeria. We are currently reaching out to more Tech bloggers and community supporters which will help make this association truly Pan-African,” he said.

He expressed the hope that in the nearest future the association will become a reference point for local and international organisations seeking to make key business decisions in the technology eco-system such as when intending to invest in a startup or trying to understand what is happening in any of the local markets.

“PATECH will remain a welcoming, encouraging environment for technology related businesses and even ideas. We hope to achieve these and many more for the progress of ICT in Africa,” he told DigitalSENSE Business News, just as PATECH commended Communication Technology Minister, Dr. Mrs. Omobola Johnson, saying she deserves it for her laudable strides for the sector.

By Mueenah Abdulkareem/GEE

+Remmy Nweke +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr. CFA 

ITREALMS ... delivering news for ICT4D

Pix: L-R: Barr. Chinwike Ezebube, Head, Legal & Accounts, PATECH; Mrs. Idy Imiyoho, Lagos Zonal Officer, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP); Prof. Pat Utomi, Founder, Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL); and Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr., Vice President, PATECH, at the public presentation and media briefing of the Pan-African Association of Online Technology Publishers (PATECH) held recently in Lagos.

 

Yuletide gifts: Police warn Nigerians to be vigilant

 DigitalSENSE Business News:

*Cautions against fireworks

The Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Suleiman Abba, has warned Nigerians to be vigilant at this yuletide season to avoid receiving gifts from unknown persons that may pose as friends during the season, especially to avoid explosive-laden hampers as gifts, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

The Inspector-General of Police, a press statement made available to DigitalSENSE Business News by the Ag.CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, the Force Public Relations Officer also cautioned against the use of fireworks such as knockout, “bangers” and other explosives in the celebration as they could cause distraction that may further heighten fear of insecurity.

He enjoined citizens to shun all forms of violence and unlawful acts, eschew bitterness, hatred and rancor and go about their legitimate duties without fear of intimidation from any quarter during and after the season.

To ensure a peaceful and incident-free Yuletide, Ojukwu told DigitalSENSE Business News that the IGP has directed all Zonal AIGs and Command Commissioners of Police, to take all necessary measures in ensuring the provision of adequate security for worshippers, travellers, picnickers and all citizens across the country before, during, and after the season.

Command Commissioners of Police, he said, are to personally ensure that all key and vulnerable points within their jurisdictions, including places of worship, recreation centres, motor parks, highways, financial institutions and all places of public resort are adequately and effectively protected.

By: Nenye Dom
+Remmy Nweke +Nigerian Police  
ITREALMS ... delivering news for ICT4D

Pix: IGP Suleiman Abba

CWG, Openshopen host MSMEs to eCommerce in Lagos

ITRealms:

The Computer Warehouse Group plc (CWG) in collaboration with the Openshopen has hosted the some Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) owners to an electronic commerce (eCommerce) in Lagos, reports ITRealms.

Tagged “Learn How to Set-up, operate and advertise your own store online” ITRealms reports that the workshop was aimed at equipping business owners with the skills they require to take their business to the online community by operating an online store and selling to people other than those in their immediate physical community.

ITRealms also reports that while welcoming participants, the Head Marketing Communications, CWG, Success Nmerife, stated that the workshop was designed to introduce them to solutions and methods they could employ to maximize the benefits that the internet affords in growing their businesses.

She observed that the shift in the global focus from traditional business model to online commerce has made the utilization of the electronic media in business promotion and sales an indispensable tool for merchants.

In her remarks, Adriana De la Cruz Duffo, Business Manager, Openshopen told ITRealms that Openshopen has been uniquely designed to respond to the challenges of online trading encountered by SMEs in the Nigerian business environment.

“Openshopen is easy to use, cheap and profitable. It addresses the fears of payment gateway security. It also takes care of the logistics of delivery. It is a platform you as merchants can adopt, if you want your business to grow” she said.

Delivering his presentation, Head, Innovation at CWG plc, Mr. Tayo Oduwole, introduced the Openshopen online platform to the participants, stressing that CWG partnership with Openshopen affords them to introduce the eCommerce platform which is in line with its vision to enable Nigerian merchants acquire business enabling technology without incurring business killing own-infrastructure costs.

He pointed out that Openshopen differs from other online shopping platforms, in that it allows merchants sell directly to buyers and have the privilege of promoting their brands. Unlike other platforms that require merchants to submit their wares for sale.

“With Openshopen, you can sell your brand alongside your products, such that people can look for you if they want your products again”, he said.

The workshop featured a practical session where Mr. Oduwole took participants through step by step procedure of opening a store online. The participants had the privilege of creating their own store, each having their unique web address, corporate logo and products for display. Thereafter, they were taught the basics of promoting their business using various social media platforms.

Presenting certificate of participants to attendees, Chief Technology Officer, CWG, Mr. James Agada, noted that the workshop served as one of CWG’s ways of contributing towards the growth of SMEs in Nigeria, creating employment and contributing to the growth of the nation’s economy.

He also urged participants to utilize the knowledge they have gained from the workshop.

“Having learnt how to open your store and sell online, we look forward to seeing you sell on Openshopen”, he said.

For some of the participants, including Mr. and Mrs. Yemi Adeyemo, Directors at House of Treasures, “In fact, the workshop was worth the while, the lectures were extensive and the speakers were very good. We have learnt a lot that we will like to put them into use as soon as we get back home”.

 +Remmy Nweke @Success Nmerife

ITREALMS ... delivering news for ICT4D

Pix:L-R: Charles Ibonye, Project manager, CWG Plc; Mr. James Agada Chief Technology Officer, CWG Plc;  Tayo Oduwole, Head, Innovation; Success Nmerife, Head, Marketing Communications and Adriana De la Cruz Duffo, Business Manager, Openshopen at the maiden eCommerce workshop for merchants in Lagos recently.