EFCC Press Release
Land Scam: EFCC To Arraign FCT Minister’s Former Chief of Staff, Director
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC will on Thursday, May 7, 2015 arraign two senior officials of the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory over land scam. They are: Muhammed Yau Gital, former Chief of Staff to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Bala Mohammed and Sani Abba, Deputy Director, Mass Housing at the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA.
The duo will be docked before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Jabi for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust, obtaining by false pretence and abuse of office.
Gital and Abba allegedly conspired and defrauded one Chief Duru Mike Ejiogu, managing director of Visioni and Strauss Nigeria Limited to the tune of N60m (sixty million naira) on the pretext that the said sum would be used to facilitate the change of Land Use in respect of Plot No: 523, Cadastral Zone BOO Kukwaba District from Passive Recreation to Residential.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
6th May, 2015
Also read other statements issued by the commission today below…..
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EFCC Arraigns Three For Forgery
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 arraigned the trio of Mohammed Zahradeen Bello, Abdullahi Musa and Yusuf Baba before Justice I. U Bello of Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 5-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence, conspiracy and forgery.
The suspects allegedly conspired and stole a Right of Occupancy belonging to Freelands Estate Limited from the custody of Abuja Geographic Information Systems, AGIS.
Count one reads:
“That you Mohammed Zahradeen Bello, Abdullahi Musa and Yusuf Baba sometime in February, 2012 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja did conspire among yourselves to do an illegal act to wit; theft of a Right of Occupancy Number MISC 103986 Plot No 4057 belonging to Freelands Estate Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 of the Penal Code Law Cap. 532 LFN (1990) Abuja and punishable under Section 97 of the same law.”
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Upon their pleas, the defence counsel, S. A. Adeleye urged the court to admit the accused persons to bail pending trial.
Justice Bello ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case to May 20 and 27, 2015 for ruling on the bail application and commencement of trial respectively.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
6th May, 2015
EFCC Press Release
Oil Thief Bags 3 Years Jail Term
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on May 5, 2015 secured the conviction of Ifeanyichukwu Williams, who was being prosecuted before Justice O. O. Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court, Owerri, Imo State on a 2-count charge bordering on conspiracy, and dealing in petroleum product without appropriate license, contrary to Section 1 (17) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Ifeanyichukwu was arrested by men of the 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Owerri, on April 8, 2012 along Owerri-Onisha Road, Imo State, with a Volvo Truck with registration number: XN939FST, loaded with 42 drums of petroleum product without appropriate license. He was subsequently handed over to EFCC for prosecution.
One of the charges read: “That you Ifeanyichukwu Williams on or about the 8th day of April 2012 along Owerri-Onisha Road, Imo State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did without lawful authority use a Volvo truck with registration number XN939FST to illegally deal in petroleum product by conveying same in 42 drums and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(17) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1(17)(a)(b) of the same Act.”
He was first arraigned in 2012 and pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him.
At the resumed trial on Monday May 4, 2015, the accused pleaded guilty to the charge. Shortly before the sentencing on Tuesday, May 5, 2015, the defence counsel, M. L. Amiamum, pleaded for justice to be tempered with mercy for his client, Justice Oguntoyinbo subsequently sentenced the accused to three years imprisonment. He ordered the convict to forfeit the petroleum product to the EFCC, while the truck is released to him.
The sentence is to run concurrently from the date of his arrest.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
6th May, 2015
FCC Arraigns Three For Oil Theft
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 arraigned the trio of Bernard Efe Omoaiwua, Osahenruwen Osaguona and Osaro Arasowman before Justice Phoebe M. Ayua of the Federal High Court, Lokoja on a 3-count charge bordering on illegal dealing in crude oil.
The accused persons were arrested along the Lokoja-Abuja? express way with three trucks of the product with no license or proper documentation by officers of Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army.
Upon this discovery, the trucks were impounded and the accused transferred to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.
Count one reads:
“That you Bernard Efe Omoaiwua, Osahenrunwen Osaguona, Osaro Arasowman and Tony Okundia (now at large), Aaron Idahosa (now at large), Blessed Goodluck (now at large), and Ali Egbunu (now at large) sometime between 31st of May 2014 at Osanseni Village, Lokoja-Abuja road within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court Lokoja Division, Kogi State were arrested by Guards Brigade Nigeria Army with three trucks loaded with 33,000 Litres of illegally acquired crude oil from Niger Cat Yard, Warri in Delta State, did conspire among yourselves to commit a felony to wit: did without lawful authority or an appropriate license, deal in crude oil and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria”.
Another count reads:
“That you Osaro Arasowman sometimes between 31st day of May, 2014 at Osanseni village Lokoja-Abuja road within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court Lokoja Division, Kogi State, was arrested by Guards Brigade Nigeria Army with three trucks loaded with 33,000 Litres of illegally acquired crude oil from Niger Cat Yard Warri, without lawful authority or an appropriate license deal in crude oil with a DAF 95 truck with registration number BKW 244 XA, carrying 33,000 Litres of black oil and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(7) (a)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2014”.
Upon the accused pleas, counsel to EFCC, Steve Odiase asked the court for a date to commence trial. However, the defence counsel, S. T Amodu told the court that, he had a pending application for the bail of the accused. He prayed to move it.
?Odiase however objected. He argued that he needed time to respond formally.
Justice Ayua ordered the accused persons to be remanded in Koton-Karfe prison custody and adjourned the matter to May 26, 2015 for hearing of the bail application.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
6th May, 2015
