Herbalist, Lawyers, Health workers in hot soup over fraud

…As herbalist impersonates NNPC GMD, others, dupes foreigner N30m

…Lawyers in prison over N192m fraud .Health officials nabbed over travel card racketeering

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

The law has caught up with some criminals among them a herbalist, lawyers and Health ministry officials.

The herbalist, Jamiu Isiaka, 31, ran into the net of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for impersonating the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru.

Upon his arrest on Friday, it was also discovered that the same herbalist impersonated Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, among other prominent citizens.

The suspect with others who are still at large allegedly used the names of the senior government officials to scam a South Korean national, Keun Sig Kim, under pretence of getting him an NNPC licence that would enable him purchase a company.

The petitioner had paid over N30 million into the suspect’s account as fee to get the licence.

Speaking, Kim said:”I transferred $4,285,071 United States Dollars, to the United Bank of Africa, account number 2107575870 in the name of one Jamiu Isiaka, an associate of Mr. Shola Adeshina. It is noteworthy that this account particulars have been provided severally for me to make transfer to.”

Isiaka, during interrogation with EFCC officials, claimed that he used the money to perform sacrifice on behalf of the petitioner.

He claimed to have bought a vulture, elephant’s skin, elephant’s intestine, skull of a lion, and liver of gorilla, among others.

The suspect will soon be arraigned in court while efforts are ongoing to nab the accomplices at large.

In a related crime incident, EFCC on Friday arraigned two legal practitioners, Tom Awhana and Paul Okoro, before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a 19-count charge bordering on conspiracy to steal.

The lawyers were alleged to have stole the sum of N92,436,342.30 belonging to a Law firm, Mogbeyi Sagay & Co. and converted the money to their personal use, while they were in the employ of the Law firm.

Awhana, was appointed the Head, Mogbeyi Sagay & Co., after the death of the founder, Mogbeyi Sagay, SAN, in 2012 by the consultant to the firm and brother to the deceased, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC.

He was also made the overseer of the Estate owned by the late Sagay and also a signatory to the firm and Estate.

However, having assumed the position, he allegedly secretly opened personal bank accounts in the name of Mogbeyi Sagay & Co. with First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Union Bank Plc and Heritage Bank and subsequently diverted funds and cheques drawn in favour of the firm.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Tom Ahwana and Paul Okoro, sometime between 2012 and 2013 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to commit felony, to wit: stealing of the sum of N3,660,000.00 (Three Million, Six Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira) property of Mogbeyi Sagay & Co.”

They pleaded “not guilty” to the charge when it was read to them.

In view of their pleas, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, asked the court for a trial date and further submitted that the “issue of bail is at the discretion of the court.”

Counsel to the first defendant, Oluwaseun Olusiyi, told the court of a bail application filed and served on the prosecution and urged the court to grant her client bail.

Olusiyi further told the court that a peaceful resolution of the dispute had been activated between the first defendant and the family of the late Sagay.

Counsel to the second defendant, Kingdom Ani, informed the court about a pending application for bail on behalf of his client.

Justice Dada admitted the defendants to bail in the term and condition that both defendants submit their international passports with the Court’s Registrar pending the hearing and determination of the charge against them.

While adjourning to June 4 and 25, 2019 for commencement of trial, Justice Dada, ordered that they should be remanded in prison pending the perfection of their bail.

EFCC operatives in Benin city also held four officials of Port Health Service of the Federal Ministry of Health, Benin City, the Edo State capital over e-yellow fever travel card racketeering.

They were arrested in a sting operation, sequel to a petition in which the petitioner alleged that her aged mother who was to travel to Europe visited the Benin Office of Port Health Service to procure the e-yellow fever travel card, but rather than lead her through the proper procedure, she was convinced to pay N10,000 to obtain the card instantly.

However, trouble began at the time of boarding her flight at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, when it was discovered that her e-yellow card did not have the Remita Retrieval Receipt Reference Identity.

She was subsequently compelled to get a proper one at the airport with the sum of N2000.

Based on the petition, the Benin Zonal Office of the EFCC sent two operatives to Port Health Service office in Benin, who pretended to have genuinely requested for e-yellow fever card.

Unaware that they were EFCC operatives, the Port Health Service staff requested for N7000 as payment for each card. On payment of the amount, the EFCC operatives were issued with the cards instantly. The e-yellow fever travel card is officially N2000.

The illicit transaction made EFCC operatives swoop on Port Health Service office on Tuesday morning arresting four of its official.

The arrested officials will be arraigned in court as soon as investigations are completed.

Meanwhile, the EFCC on May 16 secured the conviction of Adiabokpa Emmanuel before Justice M. G. Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State.

Emmanuel was convicted on a one count charge of impersonation contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(IV) of the Cyber Crime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(IV)) of the same Act.

Emmanuel was alleged to have impersonated one Patrick Ryan on a dating site in order to hoodwink Miss Leong Sao Chu with the intent to obtain money from her.

The count reads: “That you, Aiabokpa Emmanuel (alias Patrick Ryan ) sometime in 2018 in Uromi, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did fraudulently impersonate the identity of one Patrick Ryan on a dating internet site to one Miss Long Sao Chu which identity you claimed to be your own with the intent to obtain money from her and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2) (b) (ii) of the Cyber Crime ( Prohibition Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22(2)(b)(IV) of the same Act”.

Upon his arraignment, Emmanuel pleaded guilty to the charge.

The prosecution counsel, Fredrick Dibang prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly but the defence counsel, P.E. Ejiga pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as his client was a first time offender and a youth who has promised never to go back to the crime.

Justice M.G. Umar thereafter, sentenced the defendant to two – month imprisonment. The court also ruled that all assets recovered from the defendant as proceeds of crime be forfeited to the victim through the Federal Government.