N1.8bn fraud: EFCC drags police officers to court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday dragged four police officers and two companies before a High Court in Lagos for allegedly defrauding the Nigeria Police Force of a whopping N1, 892,832,203

In the charge sheet marked Temp/39698/2018, exclusively obtained by National Daily, Olumide Odumosu, Sule Yusuf Tegina, Helen Nwafor, Okpalugo Ifeoma, and two companies, Olu Osmond Nigeria Ltd and Jemmy Yus Investment Nigeria Ltd were dragged before Justice Sherifat Solebo on a 14-count charge bordering on conspiracy to steal and felony contrary to section 409 and punishable under section 285 (1) of the criminal law of Lagos state, 2011.

The EFCC stated that the defendants conspired with one Ogbadu Joseph and one Hassan Muhammed, who were said to be at large to steel N1.8bn from the coffers of the Nigeria Police Force and fraudulently converted it to their own between 2013 and 2014.

Count one on the charge sheet signed by Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa, Nnaemeka and I.A Mohammed, counsels to the EFCC, Ogbadu Joseph, who is now at large and the six accused sometimes in 2013 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of the court conspired amongst themselves to commit felony, to wit: stealing of the sum of N1, 301,334,108 belonging to the Nigeria police.

The six accused and Joseph were also accused of dishonestly converted to their use the sum of N6, 250,000 belonging to the police. In count three, Ogbadu Joseph and the six accused were said to have also converted to their use the sum of N85, 610,000 belonging to the Nigeria police.

The EFCC stated that the six accused and Ogbadu Joseph, who is now at large between 10^th day of January and 31^st day of December, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the court dishonestly converted for their use the sum N44, 250,000.

National Daily gathered that the six accused persons had been in the custody of the EFCC since they were arrested following a court warrant for them to be in EFCC custody.

Unfortunately, their plea could not be taken during hearing following the excuse given by one of the accused that she could neither speaks nor understands the English language.

The defence counsel, A.O. Osinfowora, however asked that the defendants should be returned to the EFCC, but Justice Solebo turned the prayer down and ordered instead that the defendants should be remanded in the prison custody.

All six were therefore ordered to be reminded in prison till November 7 when their plea will be taken.