EFCC Operatives
Court Orders
EFCC Operatives
Court Orders Forfeiture of Unexplained $899,600, N150m
Cash
Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo Giwa of the Federal High Court,
Abuja, on Thursday, October 31, 2019, granted three separate
interim forfeiture applications by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, involving monies and properties.
The first involved the sum of $899,600 ( Eight Hundred
Ninety-nine Thousand, Six Hundred Dollars), belonging to one
Abdallah Suleiman, which was forfeited to the federal
government.
The money was established to be proceeds of fraudulent
activities by the EFCC.
The ex parte application for the forfeiture was moved by counsel
representing the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho, who asserted that the
Commission received intelligence bordering on money laundering
regarding illicit funds stashed in an apartment, located in Wuse,
Abuja. He said that based on the intelligence, the house was
searched and a safe was found that contained the money.
He told the court that investigations revealed that the
apartment was secured by a former secretary to the Bauchi State
Government, Ibrahim Ahmed Dandija to store his valuables but that
all efforts to get him have been futile as he has refused to honour
the invitation to explain his connection to the money.
Iheanacho further revealed that one Abdallah Suleiman later came
forth to claim the money, stating that he engages in chartering of
aircrafts through his company Montes Auri Ltd and that the money
was received on behalf of a company. However, according to the EFCC
counsel, investigations in the Federal Airport Authority of
Nigeria,FAAN, by the Commission failed to establish Suleiman’s
claim.
Justice Giwa granted the prayer sought by the EFCC and directed
that the order be published in a national newspaper for persons
with interest in the funds sought to be forfeited to appear before
the court to show cause why the final order of the forfeiture of
the funds should not be made in favour of the Federal government of
Nigeria on December 4, 2019.
Similarly, the court also ordered the interim forfeiture of N150
million (One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira), belonging to
Nicholas Mutu Ebomo, who was the chairman, House of Representatives
Committee on Niger Deleta Development Commission, NDDC.
While moving the application for the forfeiture order, Iheanacho
stated that the money was recovered by the EFCC in the course of
investigating contracts awarded by the NDDC.
He affirmed that NDDC engaged the services of Starline
Consultancy Services to recover funds owed it by oil and gas
companies and that Starline sought the assistance of the House
Committee on NDDC in the recovering of the funds. The oil companies
eventually paid the debts to Starline, with a total sum of N10
billion being realised.
According to the prosecutor, investigation further revealed that
Hon Ebomo received bribe and kickbacks to the tune of over N400
million (Four Hundred Million Naira) as appreciation for his role
in using the office of House Chairman on NDDC to facilitate the
recovering of the monies.
Iheanacho said the money the Commission is seeking its
forfeiture to the federal government is the N150 million refunded
by Hon Ebomo in favour of the EFCC Recovery Fund Account.
Justice Giwa granted the prayer and directed that the order be
published in a national newspaper for persons with interest in the
fund to show cause, why the final order of the forfeiture of the
funds should not be made in favour of the Federal government.
In the same vein, the judge also ordered the interim forfeiture
of a plaza and block of flats, belonging to one Goddy Nnadi,
General Manager, Corporate Services, Petroleum Equalisation Fund
Management Board.
Justice Giwa gave the order following an ex-parte application
filed by the EFCC through its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho.
The plaza, a two storey building is located at Plot C46 5221
Road, Block XXIIC Gwarimpa II Estate, Abuja , while the set of four
detached bungalows are located at Plot No 77, 525 Road , A Close,
Kubwa Estate, Phase IV Abuja.
Iheanacho told the court that the properties are suspected to be
proceeds of unlawful activities.
In his affidavit, Iheanacho stated that Nnadi received kickbacks
from petroleum products dealers and contractors and thereafter
acquired the properties to launder the funds received. He further
told the court that Nnadi has now voluntarily pledged to forfeit
the properties to the federal government and therefore urged the
court to grant the application against the properties.
Justice Giwa granted the prayers being sought with the previous
conditions attached
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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Arrest of Mompha, Lebanese Associate Landmark Achievement-Magu
The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has described the recent arrest of
an alleged internet fraudster, Ismaila Mustapha, also known as
Mompha and his Lebanese accomplice, Hamza Koudeih, as a landmark
achievement in the sustained fight against internet-related frauds
and money laundering in the country.
Magu said the arrest of Mompha and Hamza by operatives of the
EFCC, bore testimony to the commitment of the Commission to the
fight against internet-related frauds, adding that “ it is also a
red alert to potential fraudsters.”
Speaking during an interactive session with stakeholders at the
Lagos Zonal office of the Commission on Thursday, October 31, 2019,
Magu said actionable intelligence received from local and
international law enforcement agencies had revealed that the
suspects, alongside their collaborators, were high-valued targets
in Organized Cyber Syndicate Network, OCSN.
According to him, “the recent arrests of a social media
celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, and his
Lebanese collaborator, Hamza Koudeih, for their alleged involvement
in internet-related fraud and money laundering remain a landmark
achievement of the EFCC.
“I make bold to tell you that these arrests have further
confirmed our commitment to the anti-graft war, while also sending
a red alert to potential internet fraudsters.
“I am sure you will be greatly shocked to know that five
wristwatches valued at over N60million were recovered from the
suspected internet fraudster, Mompha, at the point of arrest.
“Investigation has also revealed that he operates 51 bank
accounts in Nigeria with which he acquires properties in Dubai and
had laundered about N14billion through a firm known as Ismalob
Global Investments Limited.
“His accomplice, Koudeih, also has two firms namely: THK
Services Limited and CHK properties Limited with which he has
allegedly laundered about N19billion.
“Koudeih lives in a $5million per annum suite at the Eko
Atlantic Pearl Tower, Victoria Island Lagos. “
The EFCC Chair also stated that the Commission had begun
forensic analysis of the phones, documents and “strange” items
recovered from both suspects.
“They will be charged to court accordingly as soon as
investigation is concluded,” he added.
Magu also emphasized the fact that the Commission, prior to the
arrests of both Mompha and Koudeih, had independently launched
intensive investigative actions against the Internet fraudsters,
popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo Boys, culminating in various
strategic raids on their hideouts.
He further stated that the Commission had embarked on the raids
even before the recently concluded collaborative operation with the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, tagged Operation Rewired- an
international operation targeted at the Business Email Compromise,
BEC, suspects across the world.
Magu added that “From January to date, the Lagos office of EFCC
has made over 300 arrests, secured 207 convictions and recovered a
good number of exotic cars. In addition, several properties
suspected to have been acquired through the proceeds of crime were
sealed.”
He, therefore, charged the media to join hands with the
Commission in sensitizing the members of the public about the evil
of internet frauds as well as economic and financial crimes.
Magu, who described media professionals as critical stakeholders
in the anti-graft war, said: “We must collectively strive to
achieve the Nigeria of our dream, one that our children and even
generations unborn will be proud of.
“it is very critical for you to understand that you owe the
youths that social responsibility of awakening their consciousness
to the importance of a noble life devoid of crimes.
“We must continue to mentor our youths and impress it on them to
shun crimes and its alluring temptation because it will always end
in sorrow and regrets.
“For us, there will be no hiding place for fraudsters as the
Commission will hunt and bring any errant and criminally-minded
persons to justice. “
Magu also used the occasion to disclose that the Commission
might soon put in place a policy of rehabilitating convicted
internet fraudsters so that they could deploy “their computer
wizardry to good use for the overall well-being of the
society.”
He further disclosed to the stakeholders that the EFCC would
commence the auctioning of recovered items soon, adding that the
commission wants to ensure there is transparency in the process of
auctioning the items.
“We have already commenced the process in Port Harcourt, where
we will be auctioning 242 trucks that have been forfeited. We have
so many recovered items that have been forfeited to the Federal
Government that are waiting to be auctioned. The process should be
properly coordinated in compliance with judgment given by the court
and that is why we have taken so much time”.
Magu urged the stakeholders to join the EFCC in the fight
against corruption by using their platform to expose the criminals
and not promote them.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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