Press Release
EFCC, ICPC to Hold Joint Summit On Corruption and Fraud PDF Print
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC are to jointly organise a summit on Corruption and Fraud scheduled to hold in January 2009. The summit is intended to further consolidate the cooperation between the two agencies in the fight against corruption and financial crimes.

The decision to hold the summit was the high point of discussions as the chairmen of the two agencies; Mrs. Farida Waziri and Justice Emmanuel Ayoola meet yesterday in Cotonou.
The meeting at the instance of the EFCC Chairman, dispelled media speculations about raging rift between the sister agencies over matters of jurisdiction.

According to the ICPC Chairman, there was no supremacy contest between the agencies. He said that what has been misconstrued as suggestive of a rift between the agencies in the media was simply matter blown out of proportion. He said it was not unlikely the embers of discord was being fanned by people who are not comfortable with the excellent relations between the agencies. “There is no rift between us. If the captains are exchanging fire, the enemies will go away with the booty”, he said.

On her part, Mrs. Waziri said there is greater need for both EFCC and ICPC to work together now than ever before as corruption remains the greatest threat to the country’s development. She called for regular exchanges of information and intelligence by the agencies, in the overall interest of the country.
 
Wilson Uwujaren
For: Head, Media & Publicity
18-11-08
 
BANK FRAUD: MONEYGRAM SEEKS PARTNERSHIP WITH EFCC PDF Print
Tuesday, 11 November 2008

MoneyGram International ,a global money transfer company along with its agent banks in Benin Republic has assured the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC of its  continued commitment to fighting fraud and other economic crimes. The assurance was given by Chris Botes, MoneyGram Regional Compliance Director during a visit with some bank executives to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC,Mrs Farida Waziri at her office in Cotonou last weekend.
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N20m fraud: Pastor bags 7 year jail term PDF  

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Monday, 10 November 2008
 The long arm of the law has caught up with Chibundu Achinihu  as he is to spend the next seven years in prison. Honourable Justice F. A. Andetuk of High Court 3 in Jalingo, Taraba State last Wednesday found Achinihu guilty of the offences for which he was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.  

The EFCC had on February 20, 2007 arraigned the accused person who claims to be a pastor on a one court charge of Advance Fee Fraud. The accused was said to have sometime between February and September 2004 in Jalingo committed the offence with the intention to defraud and obtained the sum of twenty million (N20,000,0000) naira  from one Pastor Pichson Isaac under the false pretence that he was operating a company that was capable of paying 25 per cent interest on the said amount at the end of 30 working days.  The accused had also promised that at the end of 90 days, he will pay back both the interest and principal, an agreement he failed to keep.

 

When the matter was first heard on May 25, 2007, the prosecution called 14 witnesses and tendered 22 exhibits including cars and documents to support its case while the defence had no witnesses. The honourable judge who heard the submission of the prosecution counsel and that of the defence delivered judgment on November 5 and found the accused person guilty of the charge and therefore sentenced him to seven years imprisonment. The trial judge also ordered that the accused pay back the N20 million to the victim just as he gave order that property of the accused be auctioned by the court and be supervised by the prosecutor in line with section 11(1)(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act.

  

Femi Babafemi

Head, Media & Publicity

 

  
 
EFCC Slams 56 Count Charge on Indian Businessman over N32b fraud PDF Print
Friday, 07 November 2008
PRESS RELEASE

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, slammed a 56 count   charge on a Benin Republic-based Indian businessman, Mr. Patrick Fernandez, over his involvement in a N32 billion money laundering scam. EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, leading two other lawyers, told Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court,Porto Novo that the offences for which Fernandez was arraigned, were grave. Fernandez, however, pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges preferred against him.

 Fernandez, working in concert with some un-named Benin Republics and  Benin Republic- registered companies:  Joseann Global Resources Limited, Pet Prime Impex Limited and Pet Ferns Nig. Limited and four major banks in the country, at several times, laundered money suspected to be proceeds of criminality. He did this through “cheque kitting, suppression, swap and round tripping.” The four banks involved are Intercontinental Bank, Afribank, Zenith bank and Wema bank.

One of the charges against the accused persons reads thus: “ That you Patrick S. Fernandez, Joseann Global Resources Limited, Pet Prime Impex Limited; Pet Ferns Nig. Ltd and Pramila Fernandez ( now at Large)  John Ogidi ( now at large) between November 2007 and February 2008, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire to commit an offence to wit: laundering of 32, 000,000, 000.00( Thirty –two Billion Naira) through cheque kitting , suppression, swap or round tripping and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 17 and punishable under section 14(1) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2004”

 In a court session that was sparsely attended, Fernandez looked defiant and all his responses to the charge were quick, sharp and short. His counsel, Mr. Obinna Okoli made an oral application for his bail. He hinged his application on the ground that Fernandez had many well-meaning Benin Republics who would be ready to stand as his sureties and that “he has some medical issues”. Okoli did not specify the kind of medical issues his client had. 

In response, Rotimi Jacobs pleaded with the judge to insist on a written application for bail owing to the seriousness of the charge being pressed against Fernandez, coupled with the fact that he is not a Benin Republic as well as the proof of evidence against him. The judge assented to Jacob’s plea and ruled that his application for bail should be in writing. He also ruled that the specific medical issues Fernandez had should be explained and with enough evidence.

Justice Mohammed adjourned sitting till November 14 and ordered that Fernandez be remanded in EFCC’s custody.

Femi Babafemi
Head, Media & Publicity
7/11/2008.
 

 
 
Court remands 419 suspect in prison over $48,000 fraud PDF Print
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
The Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Cotonou has fixed November 17, for the hearing of the case brought against one Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Gwarzo who was arraigned in Court  6 is  accused alongside Paul Arousa, Alhaji Daiyibo, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal and Amadou Danzoumi all at large, of obtaining money under false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.