Economic Confidential, November, 2009

NATIONAL

Scammers Forged Senate President’s Cheque

… As EFCC Arraigned Nigerian Ambassador on Corruption Charges

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC arraigned three men over the theft and forgery of the Senate President David Mark’s cheque before a Federal Capital Territory High Court presided over by Justice Sunday Aladetoyinbo.

The three men, Emeka Ukor, a business man, Anthony Uzonwanne, a public servant and Babayemi Bukola, a secondary school teacher were slammed with a seven –count charge of theft and forgery .They were said to have on 5th October 2009 conspired to steal and forge a FinBank cheque belonging to Senator David Mark which was drawn in favour of Aeromagnetic Fishers Ltd to the tune of Forty Five Million Naira (N45 Million) .

Luck however ran out on the trio who were rounded up by EFCC operatives when the stolen cheque was presented for payment and the senate president was promptly called to confirm whether he actually issued the said cheque.

According to the charge sheet, the offences were contrary to Sections 96,286(1) 363 of the Penal Code cap.532 laws of the federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under section 364 of the same Act.

The trio all pleaded not guilty to the charge and thereafter the prosecution counsel, Francis Girbo asked the court to remand them in prison custody pending the commencement of the trial.

The case has been adjourned till February 17,2010 for hearing while the first and second accused persons are to be remanded in Kuje prison.

Meanwhile in another development, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain Mamman Yusuf was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a nine count criminal charge at the FCT High Court, Lugbe, before Hon. Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi for dishonestly misappropriating about N300 million belonging to Aso Radio and Television.

Ambassador Yusuf who until now was the Chairman Board of Directors of Aso Radio and Television Abuja and one-time national chairman of the Alliance for Democracy, AD was arraigned with other accused persons who included Mr. Ahmed A. Ishaq, Mr. Ahmed Tafida and Mr. Sani Ja’afaru. They were the three board members who allegedly conspired with Yusuf on February 5, 2009, to dishonestly misappropriate about N300 million belonging to the establishment.

The embattled former envoy and his board members, were arraigned following their indictment by the on going investigation being conducted by the Commission into a petition submitted by Radio Television and Art Workers of Nigeria, RATTAWU.

Ambassador Yusuf and his three co- accused entered a plea of innocence to the 9-count criminal charges that were read to them by the court clerk.

They were granted bail in the sum of N5million each by trial Justice Adeniyi who adjourned further hearing in the matter till February 4, next year Four of them were specifically alleged to have conspired to obtain credit facilities totalling about N25million, dishonestly siphoned about N130 million meant for the establishment of Aso TV and further shared amongst themselves another 22,280 Euros allegedly secured through an illegal transmission of ‘Aso Radio International’ radio station.

Love Scam: Australian Victim Receives $9,300 from Unilag Graduate

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, has directed that Rosalind Sumner, an Australian victim of love scam be paid the sum of N514, 212.10 and another $5900 recovered from a Nigerian fraudster.

The payment which is restitution is in fulfilment of a Lagos State High Court judgment of March 10, 2009, against Lawal Adewale Nurudeen, a graduate of the University of Lagos, who was prosecuted and sentenced to 28 years imprisonment by Hon. M. O. Obadina of the Lagos High Court.

Nurudeen was first arraigned on November 31, 2008, by the EFCC, on 11 count charge bordering on Advance Fee Fraud. He had defrauded the Australian of the sum of $47, 816.93 in a romance scam.

The N514, 212.10, was recently recovered from the convict’s bank account in  Sterling Bank while another cash sum of $5900 was recovered from his home.

The court, in its ruling, also directed that the balance of the money be recovered through the sale of his car, two plots of land and a monthly $250 which would be paid to the victim.

The Queensland Police, Australia as well as the victim have made requests for the recovered funds to be released to the latter in line with the judgment.  In a letter to the Commission, the victim, Rosalind Sumner commended the EFCC for the successful prosecution of the case.

Consequently, the anti-graft agency on Monday directed that all funds so far recovered from the convict totalling about $9,300 be handed over to the Australian Ambassador to Nigeria for onward delivery to the victim.