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EFCC Arraigns Pastor For Diverting Church Fund, Enlisting Wife On Payroll

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned Pastor Omosebi Fred Adeola before Justice A.O Otaluka of the Federal High Court in Apo, Abuja.

The cleric faces an 11-count charge bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of N15,619,000.

Adeola is a Pastor of the Adventist Church and Country Director of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency of Nigeria.

The EFCC said the man of God allegedly diverted relief funds for himself, including paying for his PhD programme at Babcock University and illegally enlisting his wife on the church’s payroll.

READ ALSO: EFCC Arraigns Petrol Station MD, First Bank Staff For N900m POS Fraud

Count two of the charge said being a signatory to the various bank accounts, around 13th December 2017, in Abuja, Adeola committed criminal breach of trust.

He was said to have first transferred N7,714,000 from the account of Adventist Development and Relief Agency of Nigeria to the account of one Ayeni Gbenga Joseph.

After the money was cashed on Adeola’s instruction, he converted the same to personal use.

READ ALSO: Just In: EFCC Arrests ex-Kwara Governor Over Alleged Diversion Of N9 billion

The EFCC said the offence and others are contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja), 1990, and punishable under the same Section 312 of the same law.

The pastor pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges.

Prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Audu asked the court for a trial date and requested that the defendant be remanded in custody pending trial.

Defence counsel, E. G. Alala notified of a pending bail application, and prayed the court to grant his client bail as he is “a modest man of God who honoured EFCC invitations”.

Justice Otaluka granted Adeola bail in the sum of N10m and two sureties in like sum.

READ ALSO: World Anti-Corruption Day: EFCC Recovers N217,268,238m, Convicts 84 in Edo, Delta, Ondo States.

The sureties must be residents in Abuja, have a property worth N10m and provide addresses of residence.

They must provide identity cards, passport photographs and N3 million as bonds. The case was adjourned until September 30, 2021, for trial.

Crime

Police Declare Man Wanted Over Homos*xual Act

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A 50-years old man, Edo Omusi, has been declared wanted by the police in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, for disappearing after being ‘caught’ in a same s*x act in Ogiso community.

A source close to the police in the state, told our correspondent that the suspect, and one of his male friends, whose name was not given, were sighted at an undisclosed location by some youths as they were comitting the act.

Under Nigerian Laws, any person caught in the gay act is liable to 14 years in prison and if found by the community could be killed.

The duo were said to have been deeply engrossed in the act when they were found but before the person who saw them in the , “sinful and abominable act”, went for back up, they had escaped the location.

The incident which occurred on 25/4/23 at Ogiso area of the town almost threw the community into a turmoil as irate youths welding sticks and cudgels rampaged the community in search of the duo to lynch them.

It was also learnt that worried by the trend the youths in the community had to set up a surveillance team to monitor his movements. It was on one of the surveillance trips that he was reportedly caught on the fateful day, with the unidentified male partner.

It was gathered since the community reported the incident to the police, the whereabouts of the suspect, Edo Omusi has since remained unknown by all and sundry.

Speaking on the development, a top Police official confirmed the matter and explained that the Crime Investigation Department of the command is working round the clock to arrest the suspect, having declared him a wanted person.

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Man, 41, Sent To Prison For Groping Woman’s Breast

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A Badagry Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Friday, ordered the remand of a 41-year-old man, Ibrahim Lemo, for groping the breast of a woman.

The court heard that Lemo beat up his victim, Zainab Babalola, when she demanded he stopped the unlawful act

Chief Magistrate Fadahunsi Adefioye remanded Lemo after he pleaded guilty to a two count bordering on assault.

READ ALSO: Prophet Bags 21 Years Imprisonment For Defiling 10-year-old Step Daughter

Adefioye ordered that the defendant should be remanded in Awhajigoh Correctional Centre, Badagry.

He adjourned the case until April 14 for facts and sentencing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP. Clément Okuoimose, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on April 6 at 2.30 p.m. at Badagry Roundabout shopping complex, Badagry, Lagos.

Okuoimose said Lemo without lawful excuse pressed the breast of the complainant, Zainab Babalola.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Court Remands Ex-Imo Deputy Gov In Prison

He said the defendant also hit the complainant on her left eye and caused her harm after she asked him not to touch her again.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 134 and 170 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

(NAN)

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Hushpuppi’s Associate, Woodberry, Pleads Guilty, Forfeits $8m, Assets

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Olalekan Jacob Ponle, known as Mr Woodberry, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

He also agreed to forfeit $8 million in proceeds of wire fraud as well as luxury cars and watches to the foreign government.

Woodberry, a known associate of the now-imprisoned internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, recently in a plea declaration submitted at the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division on April 6, pleaded guilty to count one of the indictments, the Peoples Gazette reports.

According to his plea agreement, he is required to pay back the sum of $8 million he fraudulently received from the seven companies that he scammed.

READ ALSO: Calls For Abba Kyari’s Arrest Heighten As Reactions Trail Hushpuppi’s ‘Bribery’ Allegation

“Defendant understands that by pleading guilty, he will subject to forfeiture to the United States all right, title, and interest that he has in any property constituting or derived from proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the offence,” stated the document containing Mr Ponle’s signed plea declaration.

Woodberry was also asked to waive his rights to the luxury cars, and designer watches he had stashed in Dubai.

The high-end automobiles include Rolls Royce Cullinan with vehicle no J9153, Lamborghini Urus (N4973) and Mercedes-Benz G-class (G68816).

Other items seized are four Rolex watches, one Patek Philippe watch, three Audemars Piguet watches, three gold and diamond-studded earrings, and six gold neck chains.

READ ALSO:Hushpuppi Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison

Last year, he forfeited 151.8 Bitcoin to the American government.

On June 10, 2020, Woodberry was arrested in Dubai alongside Ramon Hushpuppi Abbas, who is currently serving an 11-year sentence for a similar fraud charge.

Prior to his arrest, Woodberry was known for rocking and flaunting expensive designer wear and showing off his illicit wealth to his massive Instagram followers, the majority of whom had no idea his luxury lifestyle was funded by cybercrime.

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