An Ikeja Special on Monday was told how Emmanuel Nwude, was
convicted by a Lagos High Court for defrauding a Brazilian bank to
the tune of $242million and how he forged legal documents of
property forfeited in judgment.
A prosecution witness, Mr Arifayo Falodun, made this known to
Justice Mojisola Dada.
Nwude was convicted by an Ikeja High Court in 2005 for
impersonating Paul Ogwuma, a governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN), who had served from October 1, 1993 to May 29, 1999
in order to defraud a Brazilian bank.
The bank, Banco Noroeste, was defrauded of $242million between
1995 and 1998.
Nwude was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for the fraud in
2005 by Justice Joseph Oyewole.
Nwude has been charged again alongside two lawyers – Emmanuel
Ilechukwu and Roland Kalu –over a 15-count charge of forging the
documents of the property Justice Oyewole had ordered Nwude to
forfeit to his victims.
During Monday’s proceedings, Falodun, a legal practitioner in
the law firm of Sofunde, Osakwe and Belgore, in evidence led by Mr
Nnaemeka Omewa, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC gave a
narrative of how the property fraud was perpetuated by the
defendants.
Falodun said: “On October 10, 2017, the partners of my law firm
were invited by the EFCC concerning property located at Plot 38b,
Moboloaji Johnson, Oregun Road, Lagos.
“Pursuant to the said invitation we wrote a letter dated October
9, 2017 to the EFCC where in we explained the role of our firm
concerning the property.
“Via the said letter, we forwarded relevant materials including
the court judgment regarding the said property.
“Our clients who are the majority shareholders in a Brazilian
bank named Banco Noroeste had made a complaint to the EFCC
regarding the fraud perpetuated by certain persons including the
first defendant.
“The fraud was in excess of $190million and upon the complaint,
the first defendant amongst others, were charged before the High
Court of Lagos with charge number – ID/92C/2004.
“Upon the charge and by a judgment delivered by Hon. Justice
Joseph Oyewole delivered on Nov. 18, 2005, the first defendant and
a company known as Emorus Autos Nigeria Ltd were convicted and
sentenced.
“As part of the sentencing, the court ordered that certain
properties belonging to the first defendant be forfeited to victims
of the offence which were our clients.”
Falodun in his testimony also threw more light on details of the
judgment convicting Nwude.
“Sentence three of the judgment specifically ordered that shares
and other undertakings of the first defendant and Emorus Autos
Nigeria Ltd be forfeited to victims of the offence.
“The sentence also made reference to a schedule that should be
so forfeited.
“The relevant part of the schedule is the 26th item which is
annexed to the amended information dated Nov. 18, 2005 upon which
the defendant was convicted and sentenced,” he said.
The witness said that pursuant to the judgment, his clients who
were the victims of Nwude’s crimes sold the property located at
Plot 38b, Mobolaji Johnson, Oregun Road, Lagos which initially
belonged to Emorus Autos Nigeria Ltd to Rossab International
Ltd.
“Before the deed was registered to Rossab International Ltd, our
clients had registered the deed and the judgment at the Land
Registry.
“It was on the strength of the judgment of Justice Oyewole and
the registration of the deed of assignment that our client sold the
property to Rossab International Ltd.
“My Lord, the said judgment of Justice Oyewole was appealed to
the Court of Appeal by the first defendant.
“The Court of Appeal found that the respondents as victims of
the offence in which the appellant (Nwude) was the perpetuator.
“Till now, we are unaware of any appeal of the Court of Appeal’s
judgment,” Falodun said.
The EFCC counsel, Omewa however requested for an adjournment due
to the unavailability of some documents, which were to be tendered
in evidence by the prosecution.
The matter was thereafter adjourned till April 18 for
continuation of trial.
An Ikeja Special on Monday was told how Emmanuel Nwude, was
convicted by a Lagos High Court for defrauding a Brazilian bank to
the tune of $242million and how he forged legal documents of
property forfeited in judgment.
A prosecution witness, Mr Arifayo Falodun, made this known to
Justice Mojisola Dada.
Nwude was convicted by an Ikeja High Court in 2005 for
impersonating Paul Ogwuma, a governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN), who had served from October 1, 1993 to May 29, 1999
in order to defraud a Brazilian bank.
The bank, Banco Noroeste, was defrauded of $242million between
1995 and 1998.
Nwude was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for the fraud in
2005 by Justice Joseph Oyewole.
Nwude has been charged again alongside two lawyers – Emmanuel
Ilechukwu and Roland Kalu –over a 15-count charge of forging the
documents of the property Justice Oyewole had ordered Nwude to
forfeit to his victims.
During Monday’s proceedings, Falodun, a legal practitioner in
the law firm of Sofunde, Osakwe and Belgore, in evidence led by Mr
Nnaemeka Omewa, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC gave a
narrative of how the property fraud was perpetuated by the
defendants.
Falodun said: “On October 10, 2017, the partners of my law firm
were invited by the EFCC concerning property located at Plot 38b,
Moboloaji Johnson, Oregun Road, Lagos.
“Pursuant to the said invitation we wrote a letter dated October
9, 2017 to the EFCC where in we explained the role of our firm
concerning the property.
“Via the said letter, we forwarded relevant materials including
the court judgment regarding the said property.
“Our clients who are the majority shareholders in a Brazilian
bank named Banco Noroeste had made a complaint to the EFCC
regarding the fraud perpetuated by certain persons including the
first defendant.
“The fraud was in excess of $190million and upon the complaint,
the first defendant amongst others, were charged before the High
Court of Lagos with charge number – ID/92C/2004.
“Upon the charge and by a judgment delivered by Hon. Justice
Joseph Oyewole delivered on Nov. 18, 2005, the first defendant and
a company known as Emorus Autos Nigeria Ltd were convicted and
sentenced.
“As part of the sentencing, the court ordered that certain
properties belonging to the first defendant be forfeited to victims
of the offence which were our clients.”
Falodun in his testimony also threw more light on details of the
judgment convicting Nwude.
“Sentence three of the judgment specifically ordered that shares
and other undertakings of the first defendant and Emorus Autos
Nigeria Ltd be forfeited to victims of the offence.
“The sentence also made reference to a schedule that should be
so forfeited.
“The relevant part of the schedule is the 26th item which is
annexed to the amended information dated Nov. 18, 2005 upon which
the defendant was convicted and sentenced,” he said.
The witness said that pursuant to the judgment, his clients who
were the victims of Nwude’s crimes sold the property located at
Plot 38b, Mobolaji Johnson, Oregun Road, Lagos which initially
belonged to Emorus Autos Nigeria Ltd to Rossab International
Ltd.
“Before the deed was registered to Rossab International Ltd, our
clients had registered the deed and the judgment at the Land
Registry.
“It was on the strength of the judgment of Justice Oyewole and
the registration of the deed of assignment that our client sold the
property to Rossab International Ltd.
“My Lord, the said judgment of Justice Oyewole was appealed to
the Court of Appeal by the first defendant.
“The Court of Appeal found that the respondents as victims of
the offence in which the appellant (Nwude) was the perpetuator.
“Till now, we are unaware of any appeal of the Court of Appeal’s
judgment,” Falodun said.
The EFCC counsel, Omewa however requested for an adjournment due
to the unavailability of some documents, which were to be tendered
in evidence by the prosecution.
The matter was thereafter adjourned till April 18 for
continuation of trial.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/242m-how-nwude-defrauded-brazilian-bank-witness/