The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed explosive charges of ₦4.3 billion forex fraud at the Ikeja Special Offences Court against United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and four other defendants.
Named alongside UBA are Muyiwa Akinyemi, Amangbo Stephen, Gesos Global Service Ltd, and Fedat Global Ltd, according to a report credited to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Justice Rahman Oshodi adjourned the matter to April 21 for arraignment after the defendants failed to appear in court on Monday. None had legal representation present, the report stated
EFCC prosecutor Temitope Banjo also expressed shock at the no-show, confirming all defendants had been properly served with charges and court documents. He noted that the second and third defendants - Muyiwa Akinyemi and Amangbo Stephen - were aware of the trial but remain at large, insisting their absence stemmed from deliberate evasion, not lack of notice.
“My lord, the second and third defendants are on the run.
“We are still making efforts and gathering the evidence of their whereabouts,” Banjo said.
The prosecutor further prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the commission file the necessary applications to formally establish proof of service on the defendants.
Rahman, after listening to the prosecution’s submission, granted the application and adjourned the matter to April 21 f9r arraignment, NAN reported
According to the report, the defendants are being tried on a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, money laundering and retention of proceeds of crime.
The charge sheet also indicates the defendants allegedly committed the offences on September 14, 2022, and March 20, 2023 in Lagos.
In one of the counts, EFCC alleged the defendants fraudulently converted and stole the sum of N4.3 billion, property of Energy Shield Petrochemical Ltd.
The commission, in another count, alleged the defendants conspired to sell foreign exchange above the rates stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria, and thereafter retained and laundered the proceeds of the alleged illegal transactions.
The anti-graft agency in another count, submitted that UBA retained the said sum in its account No. NGN0991931102, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment, etc.) Act, 2004
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravene Sections 8, 17 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No. 14, 2006, Section 285 and 332 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State (2015), the report noted.
0 comments:
Post a Comment