No more night sting operations says EFCC - ITREALMS

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With immediate effect, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has banned night sting operations by its personnel, reports ITREALMS.

The Head, Media & Publicity at EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale confirmed this in a press statement available to ITREALMS on Wednesday, saying its in line with the newly-reviewed procedures on arrest and bail of suspects by the Commission.

Tinubu suspends EFCC chairman, Bawa, indefinitely - ITREALMS

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Nigerian President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) has suspended the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. AbdulRasheed Bawa indefinitely, reports ITREALMS.

A press statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) made available to ITREALMS by the Director, Information, Mr. Willie Bassey on Wednesday, June 14, confirmed that the suspension was to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.

EFCC quizzes former governor, Bafarwa, Raymond Dokpesi over suspected arms deal

ITRealms:

Reportings reaching our newsroom indicates that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Tuesday quizzed the former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa and former Chairman, Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi over alleged transfers made from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) under Sambo Dasuki, reports ITRealms.
 

Bafarawa was being interrogated for his alleged role in transferring money from the office of the National Security Adviser, between December 2014 and May 2015.

This is coming just as the former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, has spent his second day in the custody of EFCC.

A media report on Channels Television monitored by ITRealms, the Head, Media at EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, noted that Chief Dokpesi invitation by EFCC was in connection with money disbursed from the office of the former NSA Dasuki.

According to EFCC spokesman, there was no explanation about what the money was meant for and it was pathetic that the office of the NSA was used as “a warehouse to dish out money to people.”

He described the transfers as very worrisome in that hard-earned money is taken from the coffers of the country to private individual without any major project attached to them.

When contacted by Channels Tv, lawyer to Dokpesi, Mr Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said that it is a return to authoritarian regime as only last week Daar Communications Holdings, not Dokpesi, was invited by the EFCC to explain alleged contracts to the company from the office of the former National Security Adviser and that tax payments and other documents should be supplied to EFCC.

“I do not regard this as an arrest. If you are invited by the EFCC that is not the same thing as an arrest. We got this information through a mere phone call. There is no warrant of arrest and as a well-respected obedient nationalist, Chief Dokpesi decided to go and answer the invitation,” Ozekhome said.

Correspondent/GEE
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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  
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EFCC arraigns UNIBEN undergraduate over Internet scam

ITRealms:

A final year student of Computer and Statistics at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Kenneth Rukewe Ebule, has been arraigned before an Edo State High Court in Benin-city over Internet scam by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), reports ITRealms.

Head, Media and Publicity at EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren confirmed this in a press statement sighted by ITRealms, saying that Ebule was arraigned Thursday, October 30, 2014 before Justice E. F Ikponmwen of an Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin-City on a 6-count charge bordering on Internet-related scam including forgery, obtaining money by false pretence and possession of fraudulent documents.

ITRealms also gathered that the accused person allegedly duped Sabine Albert, a German, of the sum of $12,088.75 (Twelve Thousand Eighty Eight Dollars and Seventy Five Cents) through fraudulent claims. 

Rukewe, 30, was arrested by officials of a new generation bank on May 28, 2014 in Benin City and handed over to the EFCC for further investigation. Troubles started for him when Albert alleged that within two months after he had internet contact with him, Rukewe fraudulently obtained the sum of $12,088,75 (Twelve Thousand Eighty Eight Dollars and Seventy Five Cents) from him.

Rukewe allegedly posed to Albert as an English businessman on transit in Nigeria. He gave his name as Bob Albert and told his victim that he had a contract with a Nigerian company worth €1.200, 000.00 and that he needed a loan to facilitate a transaction with the company. He promised to pay back the loan and even doubled it because he was sure of pulling through the transactions. He also told Albert that he had complications and suffered a robbery attack.

Rukewe also falsely told Albert that, a levy of  of N1,975,861 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Sixty One Naira only) was imposed on him by the Federal Inland Revenue Service for the release of his International Passport, and a cheque  worth 1, 200,000 Euros. He also pleaded for a flight ticket to London.

Based on all these, Albert offered to loan him the money by sending it through Western Union, only to discover that he had been scammed.

Investigation also revealed that the suspect had defrauded other German nationals to the tune of $110,975.00USD (One Hundred and Ten thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Five United States Dollars) between May 2013 and January 2014.

When the charges were read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.

One of the charges read in part:
“Ebule Kenneth Rukewe (a.k.a. Bob Albert), on or about the 17th day of July, 2013 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with Intent to defraud, obtained the sum of  $12,088,75 (Twelve Thousand Eighty Eight Dollars and Seventy Five Cents) from Sabine Albert (a German National), under the false pretence that the money represented part payment of N1,975,861 (One Million Nine Hundred and Seventy Kobo) levy imposed one Bobby Albert (a British citizen) by Federal Inland Revenue Service for the release of the International Passport, Cheque worth 1,200,000 Euros and flight ticket to London of the said Bobby Albert, which representation you knew to be false”.

In view of the plea of the defendant, prosecution counsel, Kayode Oni asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody. The defence counsel, Maureen Morka informed the court of her application for bail dated September 9, 2014 and prayed the court to grant the defendant bail.

Justice Ikponmwen granted the defendant bail in the sum of One Million Naira and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be resident in Benin City and must be gainfully employed in Edo State. The defendant must also produce his student identity card.

Justice Ikponmwen subsequently adjourned the case to November 21, 2014 for hearing and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail.


+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +Efcc Ibrahim Lamorde +EFCC MEDIA +Naija AgroNet @DigitalSENSEng @InternetScam #Nigeria

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Pix: Suspected Kenneth Ebule as supplied by EFCC