News

Lawyer, Two Others Arraigned In Kogi Over Alleged N2.4m Fraud

Published

3 years ago

December 1, 2022

A legal practitioner, Chukwueze Ewerem, has been charged, alongside two others, Samuel Adeola and Alfa Umar before the Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital for complicity in a N2.4m fraud.

He was arraigned on an alleged offence of fraud bordering on criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and forgery. The crimes were allegedly perpetuated against the judiciary of the state.

The co accused, Samuel Adeola and Alfa Umar are both staff of the court’s Process Unit under the Litigation Directorate, while some others are said to still be at large.

They all pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge brought against them which are punishable under sections of the state’s penal code.

The offences reeled by the prosecution counsel are “criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust by clerk or servant using as genuine forged document and causing disappearance of evidence contrary to sections 97(2), 314, 366 and 167 of the Kogi State Penal Code”.

The case is an offshoot of the discovery of the fraud of N2.4m in revenue that should have been due to the High Court of the state which was reportedly diverted into private accounts.

The crime was reported to have been orchestrated through a syndicate that has been steadily used to defraud and deny the third arm of government revenues due to her.

Upon the discovery and submission of the report of the fraud by the newly created Revenue Services Directorate of the court, the acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Josiah Majebi, had, in line with his reformative policy to sanitize and restore the integrity of the state judiciary, ordered a thorough investigation of the matter to bring perpetrators to book.

He had constituted a Revenue Task Force to further scrutinize the revenue generation processes of the court to possibly unravel such other frauds in the court’s revenue generation while promising that those involved would not go scot-free.

The report had revealed that the sum of N2.4m, said to have been paid into the court’s account as judgement debt revenue sometime in October 2022 with the bank teller presented as evidence of payment was not paid despite the evidence of payment showing so. It was gathered that the payment did not reflect in the court’s bank statement for the month.

In line with the Chief Judge’s vow to sanction and hand over anybody, whether staff or members of the public found wanting in the crime to the police for necessary legal action, the matter was reported at the Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Police which quickly swung into action and subsequently took the defendants to court upon completion of investigations.

After the charge was read to them, the defendants who were respectively represented by counsels pleaded not guilty to the offences levelled against them.

According to the Prosecution counsel, G. O. Otowu, the crime was committed around the 25th of October, 2022 in Lokoja within the jurisdiction of the Court.

The charge states that the defendants fraudulently diverted the sum of N2.4m meant to be paid to the Kogi State Judiciary account.

The defendants were, however, granted bail by the court after the presiding Magistrate, Musa Mopah, considered their application.

“I am of the opinion that the application has merit. I admit the three defendants to bail in the sum of N400,000 each and a surety each in like sum. Two recent passport photographs of a surety are to be lodged at the registry of the court.

“The surety should each deposit original title documents with statutory Right of Occupancy of land situated at Lokoja and must have a fixed and traceable address.

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” He should depose to an affidavit of means. Both defendants and their sureties are to avail the registry of the court their bank account numbers and BVN” the Judge ruled.

Also, the Judge asked both defendants and sureties to report at the registry of the court every Monday and Friday throughout the pendency of the case.

The case was thereafter adjourned to the 7th of December 2022 for the continuation of hearing while the defendants were conditionally released after perfecting their bail bonds.

News

Tinubu Approves Portfolios For 5 NCDC Executive Directors

Published

9 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved portfolios for five executive directors on the board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).

Mr Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), made the announcement in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

The appointees and their portfolios are: Hajiya Biliquis Jumoke- Administration and Human Resources, Mrs Aisha Rufai Ibrahim-Commercial and Industrial Development.

Others are, Mr James Abel Uloko-Corporate Services, Prof. Muhammad Bashar-Finance and Atika Ajanah-Projects.

The president urged the executive directors to work closely with the governing board of the commission to promote and coordinate sustainable development of the North-Central geopolitical zone.”

News

Court Orders Arrest Of 2 Lawyers Over Alleged Forgery, Impersonation

Published

9 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Apo, on Monday, issued a bench warrant against two lawyers charged with forgery and impersonation.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie made the arrest order following repeated failure of the defendants- Victor Giwa, and Ibitade Bukola- to appear before the court to enter their plea to the charge that was preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police.

In the charge marked: CR/150/25, the duo were accused of conspiring to forge a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prof. Awa U. Kalu, with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

According to the three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of the SAN, requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment.

The contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”, was allegedly addressed to the AGF.

It allegedly sought intervention of the AGF to halt an arraignment that was scheduled before trial Justice Samira Bature of the high court.

The IGP, in the charge, maintained that the two lawyers committed offences punishable under Section 97, 179 and 364 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

At the resumed proceeding of the court on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Eristo Asaph, noted that the defence lawyer told the court that the 1st defendant was bereaved, hence his absence for the scheduled arraignment.

The prosecution counsel further noted that it was on the strength of an application by the defendant that the case was adjourned.

He, therefore, wondered why the duo were also absent in court for the case to proceed.

Responding, the defence counsel, Mr. Ogbu Aboje, told the court that the 1st defendant, Giwa, wrote a letter that was accompanied with a medical report dated September 3, indicating that he had a health challenge he described as “Degenerative disorder of the lumber vertebrae,” in addition to his hypertensive condition.

He added that the 2nd defendant equally went to the hospital on Monday morning to keep to a routine appointment for the immunisation of her daughter.

More so, he drew attention of the court to an application the defendants earlier filed to challenge its jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Dissatisfied with the developments, the prosecution counsel urged the court to issue a warrant for the defendants to be arrested y security agencies and produced for their trial.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that having listened to both parties, he was minded to accede to the prosecution’s request.

He court stressed that the medical report did indicate that the 1st defendant would not be able to attend court, adding that the 2nd defendant did not adduce any material to justify her absence.

Consequently, relying on the provision of section 266 (2) and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a bench warrant for the defendants to be arrested and produced before the court on October 8.
(VANGUARD)

News

Community Attributes Access Road To Reduction In Maternal Mortality In Bauchi

Published

13 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A cross-section of residents in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has attributed the reduction in maternal mortality to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of the Kirjaule–Lame roads.

Mr. Samila Jauro, who spoke on behalf of the community, made the disclosure during a media tour of ongoing Bauchi State projects in the area.

He explained that in the past, no fewer than 50 pregnant women and their babies had lost their lives due to delays in accessing healthcare caused by the poor condition of roads.

“We have lost many of our pregnant women and their unborn babies in the past because of bad roads.

“But the present administration has changed our lives through its infrastructural development,” Jauro said.

While commending the state government, he appealed for the electrification of Kirjauke community.

“We are grateful for the road project, but we still call on the governor to provide us with electricity.

For the past 18 years, we have had no source of power,” he added.

The Bauchi State Government, through the Ministry of Works, in 2023 awarded a 40.5-kilometer road construction and rehabilitation projects in the aforementioned sites.

Speaking on the progress of the projects, the Site Engineer, Mr. Ado Shehu, said the project had reached 75 percent completion.

“The Kirjaule–Lame and Magama–Gumau roads were awarded at the end of November 2023.

“Some portions are already completed, while others are at the second layer and shoulder stage to ensure a successful outcome.

“The duration of the project according to the contract is 36 months.

” But with 75 percent already completed, the project will be finished ahead of schedule,” he said.