Alleged N37.6m fraud: Court issues fresh orders to IGP over Foreign Nationals, others
Alleged N37.6m fraud: Court issues fresh orders to IGP over Foreign Nationals, others
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, ordered the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to produce two foreign nationals; Etienne Rocher and Pawan Kapur, alongside others, before it for arraignment.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik gave the order following the absence of the defendants in court to take their plea in the alleged N37.6 million fraud preferred against them by the police.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the I-G had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/504/2024, sued Tincan Island Container Terminal Ltd, Mr Rocher, Mr Kapur, and Maryam Olapade as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.
Also joined in the six-count charge are Mr Adigun Rasheed Akinkunmi and Mr Raphael Ugbe as 5th and 6th defendants.
NAN observes that while Mr Rocher, a France national, is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tincan Island Container Terminal Ltd; Mr Kapur, an Indian, is the Manager.
In the charge filed Oct. 29, Tincan Island Container Terminal Ltd, Rocher, Kapur, Olopade, Akinkunmi and Ugbe were alleged to have between April 1, 2021 and Aug. 28, 2023, at the Nigerian Ports Authority, Tin-Can Island, Lagos State by false pretence defrauded Chief Ifeanyi Ezenwabachili of the sum of N37.6 million (N37,663,323.83).
The offence is contrary to Section 1(1)(b) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, Cap A6, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.
In another count, they were alleged to have stolen over N37 million, property of Chief Ezenwabachili between April 1, 2021 and Aug. 28, 2023, at the Nigerian Ports Authority.
The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap C23, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.
Besides, they are also being charged for money laundering offence punishable under Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2022, among others.
When the matter was called on Thursday, I-G’s lawyer, Joseph Udo, informed the court that the matter was slated for the arraignment of the defendants.
Udo said, though the 2nd to 6th defendants were admitted to administrative bail, he wondered why they were not in court, having been served with the charge.
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“We filed this charge on 27th day of September, 2024. And as at the last date when this matter came up, on 19th day of November, 2024, we were yet to serve them.
“But on 21st November, we were able to serve them.
“My expectation is that, having been served on 21st November, the defendants will be in court,” he said.
But Dr Ifeanyi Nwosu, counsel for the nominal complainant, Ezenwabachili, was in the court to watch the brief.
Justice Abdulmalik, however, told Udo that since the police admitted the defendants to administrative bail, it was their duty to produce them in court.
She threatened that if police failed to do the needful, the charge would be struck out for want of diligent prosecution.
“I, hereby, order the prosecution to produce the defendants in the next date,” the judge ruled.
She subsequently adjourned the matter until Feb. 5, 2025 for arraignment.(NAN)
News
Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
Two men docked for allegedly defiling underaged girl
The police in Lagos on Friday, charged two men before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defiling an 11- year-old girl.
The defendants are: Prince Tomnyie, 40, a businessman, who resides at Agege, and Micheal Adenuga, 24, a furniture maker, who resides at Atere Street in Lekki.
They are standing trial on charges of defilement, and had each pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji told the court that they committed the offence sometimes in December 2024, and September 2025, at Langbasa Ajah and Igbara Lekki, Lagos .
The prosecutor alleged that the victim’s father, had taken his daughter for medical check and it was discovered that the minor had been defiled.
The prosecution alleged that the victim had told her father that his friend, Tomnyie, defiled her sometimes ago.
Ademigbuji alleged that the victim also mentioned the second defendant’s name who lives in their neigbourhood.
The offence contravenes the provisons of section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr L. A Owolabi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of of N600,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until March 5, for mention. (NAN)
News
Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
Report any officer asking for money for release of suspect as Police insist bail is free
The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has insisted that bail is free, and called on the public to report any officer asking for money to release a suspect on bail.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Adeh spoke in reaction to public outcry that some police officers were demanding money to release suspects on bail in the territory.
She said the report of the erring officers would serve as a deterrent to others, adding that it was fraudulent to demand for money to release a suspect on bail.
Adeh blamed the yielding to such fraudulent demand on ignorance on the part of the victims who refused to stand on their rights.
“A similar case was reported where an officer demanded money to release a suspect on bail and when the matter was reported, we requested for evidence from the victim.
“The evidence was provided because the money was transferred to the officer’s account and actions are being taken on the issue.
“So, I encourage the public to take advantage of the FCT Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) lines on 08107314192 to report such misconduct with evidence,” she said.
Adeh urged the public to always insist on their rights and refuse any form of payment to release a suspect on bail.(NAN)
News
Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
Former President sentenced to five years in prison by Court
South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol was on Friday sentenced to five years in prison for obstruction of justice.
The Seoul Central District Court found that the 65-year-old conservative, with the help of the presidential security service, had tried to prevent his own arrest and deleted multiple documents related to the investigation against him.
Yoon shocked the nation by imposing martial law on December 3, 2024, amid a budget dispute with the opposition, plunging the country into a political crisis.
He justified the drastic measure as necessary to protect South Korea’s democratic order and accused the left-leaning opposition of being infiltrated by communists with ties to China and North Korea, though he provided no evidence for these claims.
In a separate trial, prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Yoon on charges of incitement, with a verdict expected on February 19.
While the death penalty remains legally in force in South Korea, it has not been carried out for nearly 30 years.
Yoon’s actions previously alarmed international investors and led to withheld investments, damaging the reputation of South Korea as a political and economic model for the region.
Since last summer, South Korea has been led by President Lee Jae Myung, a left-leaning centrist and long-time political rival of Yoon. (dpa/NAN)
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