Alleged N3b fraud: Court freezes Lagos number plate agency’s account

The Federal High in Lagos today froze an account belonging to
the Lagos State Number Plate Production Authority over an alleged
N3billion fraud.

Justice Mohammed Idris made the order based on an ex-parte
application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).

EFCC said the funds were allegedly diverted while Mr. Folorunsho
Coker was the agency’s Managing Director.

The court also ordered the freezing of the accounts of a law
firm, Rimi and Partners, allegedly owned by Coker’s wife Mrs. Aisha
Rimi as the sole proprietor.

An EFCC investigator, Olamide Sadiq, who deposed to a supporting
affidavit, said the commission got intelligence last year from
Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit on the alleged fraud.

According to him, Rimi and Partners had 10 bank accounts with
Guaranty Trust Bank.

“Mr. Folorunsho Coker was as at that time the Managing Director
of the first respondent (Lagos State Government Number Plate
Production Authority) and also the husband of Aisha Rimi, one of
the signatories to the accounts of the second and third respondents
– Rimi and Partners and Ekosina Investment Limited,
respectively.

Read Also: Lagos’ll become Africa’s third largest economy, says
Otedola
“Mr. Folorunsho Coker was also a signatory to the Zenith Bank
account number 1011424889 of the first respondent.

“Investigations revealed that Aisha Rimi is the major partner in
Rimi and Partners and she is also in control of Ekosina Investment
Limited, a company seen to have received huge transfers from the
Lagos State Government Number Plate Production Authority.

“From preliminary investigations by the commission, the second
and third respondents were used to divert funds from the Lagos
State Government Number Plate Production Authority with the
influence of Folorunsho Coker, who was the Managing Director of the
Lagos State Agency,” Sadiq said.

Justice Idris said the accounts, including 32 others belonging
to companies that were allegedly used to divert the N3billion,
would remain frozen until EFCC concludes its investigation.

The accounts of Ekosina Investment Limited, SW Properties
Limited, Imira Trade and Global Services Limited, Lofty Investment
Nigeria Limited, Pure Technical Services Limited and Cablepoint
Limited were also frozen in connection with the alleged fraud.

EFCC said there were suspicious transactions on the account of
Rimi and Partners, including heavy inflows in excess of N3billion
from the Lagos State Government Number Plate Production
Authority.

The Federal High in Lagos today froze an account belonging to
the Lagos State Number Plate Production Authority over an alleged
N3billion fraud.

Justice Mohammed Idris made the order based on an ex-parte
application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).

EFCC said the funds were allegedly diverted while Mr. Folorunsho
Coker was the agency’s Managing Director.

The court also ordered the freezing of the accounts of a law
firm, Rimi and Partners, allegedly owned by Coker’s wife Mrs. Aisha
Rimi as the sole proprietor.

An EFCC investigator, Olamide Sadiq, who deposed to a supporting
affidavit, said the commission got intelligence last year from
Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit on the alleged fraud.

According to him, Rimi and Partners had 10 bank accounts with
Guaranty Trust Bank.

“Mr. Folorunsho Coker was as at that time the Managing Director
of the first respondent (Lagos State Government Number Plate
Production Authority) and also the husband of Aisha Rimi, one of
the signatories to the accounts of the second and third respondents
– Rimi and Partners and Ekosina Investment Limited,
respectively.

Read Also: Lagos’ll become Africa’s third largest economy, says
Otedola
“Mr. Folorunsho Coker was also a signatory to the Zenith Bank
account number 1011424889 of the first respondent.

“Investigations revealed that Aisha Rimi is the major partner in
Rimi and Partners and she is also in control of Ekosina Investment
Limited, a company seen to have received huge transfers from the
Lagos State Government Number Plate Production Authority.

“From preliminary investigations by the commission, the second
and third respondents were used to divert funds from the Lagos
State Government Number Plate Production Authority with the
influence of Folorunsho Coker, who was the Managing Director of the
Lagos State Agency,” Sadiq said.

Justice Idris said the accounts, including 32 others belonging
to companies that were allegedly used to divert the N3billion,
would remain frozen until EFCC concludes its investigation.

The accounts of Ekosina Investment Limited, SW Properties
Limited, Imira Trade and Global Services Limited, Lofty Investment
Nigeria Limited, Pure Technical Services Limited and Cablepoint
Limited were also frozen in connection with the alleged fraud.

EFCC said there were suspicious transactions on the account of
Rimi and Partners, including heavy inflows in excess of N3billion
from the Lagos State Government Number Plate Production
Authority.