Metro

AGF battles Polaris Bank, staff for diverting customer’s N16.5bn

Published

2 months ago

July 3, 2024

The Kayode Lawal-led Polaris Bank Limited is currently entangled in alleged N16.5 billion fraud.

This is as the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has taken over the prosecution of the bank and a staff member, Chinenye Duru, for diverting N16.5 billion belonging to a customer of the bank.

The office of the Inspector General of Police, which filed the case in December 2023, accused Polaris Bank and Mr Duru of fraudulently diverting over N16.5 billion from a customer’s various accounts within nearly eight years.

The police identified the bank customer and the victim of the alleged crime as Onukogu Victor Hezekiah, the spiritual head of the Living Christ Mission Church, Onitsha, Anambra State, South-east Nigeria.

According to the prosecution, the defendants diverted the money from Mr Hezekiah’s accounts between 2017 and 2023, while Mr Duru served as the customer’s account officer. Mr Hezekiah is fondly called Daddy Hezkiah by his followers.

A lawyer from the AGF office, V.J. Alma, informed the trial judge, Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that Mr Fagbemi directed the takeover of the case from the police in the exercise of his powers as the AGF under Section 174(1)(b) of the Nigerian constitution.

Mr Alma did not give any reason for the AGF office’s decision to take over the case.

“We have written a letter to the Nigerian police notifying them of this position and requesting the original case file in a letter dated 29 May 2024,” the lawyer said. “We are still waiting for the original case file.”

Mr Ekwo asked Mr Alma if the AGF office had written to the court about the development, and the lawyer responded in affirmative.

Mr Alma urged the court to fix the matter for trial on a date after the about-to-commence annual vacation of judges.

The judge then told Mr Duru’s lawyer, Chidi Ezenwafor, to advise Polaris Bank, the 1st defendant in the case, to engage a lawyer to represent it in the case.

Mr Ekwo postponed the hearing in the case till 18 and 19 November for trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Inspector-General of Police arraigned Mr Duru on 11 counts on 19 January.

He pleaded not guilty to the counts.

The judge remanded Mr Duru in a correctional facility pending the hearing of his bail application.

Polaris Bank and Mr Duru are the first and the 2nd defendants in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/603/2023.

In the charges, the prosecution accused Polaris Bank and Mr Duru of fraudulently withdrawing N16.5 billion from Mr Hezekiah’s account numbers 1040495455 and 1060104735 between 17 November 2017 and 14 August 2023.

Within the same period, the prosecution alleged that the defendants also fraudulently withdrew N75.534 million from the customer’s other account, 4010023601.

According to the prosecution, the defendants also fraudulently withdrew N13.3 million from the customer’s account number 40910106770 and N16.3 million from his other account number 411054152 within the same period.

The charges said the defendants withdrew the money without authorisation from the owner of the accounts with the intent of converting it for their personal use.

The police charged the offences under sections 18 (2) and 21 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022. Some of the offences are punishable under section 18(3) of the money laundering law, the police said.

Metro

Police arrest 24-yr-old man circulating girl’s nude video online

Published

19 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A 24-year-old man from Ogbolomabiri in the Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Godgift Bai, has been apprehended for circulating nude video of a young girl online.

The Bayelsa State Police Command confirmed the arrest of the suspect.

In a statement yesterday by the spokesman, ASP Musa Mohammed, the police said Bai was arrested in connection with the viral nude video of a young girl circulating on various social media platforms. Mohammed said: “Acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, Alonyenu Francis Idu, operatives of the Cybercrime Unit carried out a thorough investigation, which led to the arrest of the suspect, Mr. Godgift Bai, a 24-year-old male from Ogbolomabiri in Nembe LGA.

“He was apprehended in Yenagoa on September 3, 2024.

“The Command condemns the act of cyberstalking, especially targeting vulnerable individuals, and reiterates its commitment to curbing such crimes and related offences within the state.

“Furthermore, the Command urges the public to refrain from online exploitation of individuals.”

The spokesman said investigations are ongoing and that the suspect would be charged to court accordingly.

Metro

Internet Fraud: EFCC arrests 44 Suspects in Kwara

Published

20 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it has arrested 44 suspected internet fraudsters at different locations in Ilorin, Kwara State.

This was disclosed in a post via the commission’s official X handle on Friday.

According to the commission, the suspects were arrested on Friday, following credible intelligence over their alleged involvement in internet-related offences.

The statement reads, “Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested Forty-four (44) suspected internet fraudsters at different locations in Ilorin, Kwara State.

“They were arrested on Friday, September 6, 2024, at Sango, Kulende, Taxaco and Harmony Estate, all in Ilorin, following credible intelligence over their alleged involvement in internet-related offences.

“Items recovered from them include 6 different brands of exotic cars, laptops, smartphones and charms.

“The suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.”

Metro

Just in: Hoodlums abduct Babcock varsity staff

Published

1 day ago

September 6, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

Hoodlums have abducted 66-year-old Mrs. Elizabeth Uruakpa, an Assistant Chief Nursing Officer at Babcock University Teaching Hospital in Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, on Thursday evening.

Uruakpa was reportedly returning from an evening church service when the attackers ambushed her at the entrance of her home, located near the new Ilisan market.

The incident, which occurred around 7 pm, caused panic in the neighborhood, prompting residents and business owners to quickly shut their doors in fear.

According to a local resident who spoke to The Punch on the condition of anonymity, the gunmen forcibly removed Uruakpa from her vehicle and whisked her away in a red Toyota car.

“The woman was coming back from the church in the evening around 7 pm when the gunmen abducted her. I know her very well, she’s a senior nursing staff with Babcock University Teaching Hospital and a member of the Winners’ Chapel.

They dragged her down from her vehicle, put her in their red Toyota car and sped away. It was really like thunder lightning, and such a thing had never happened before in our neighbourhood. It is so strange and scary,” the resident said.

Babcock University’s Director of Communication and Marketing, Dr. Joshua Suleiman, confirmed the abduction, noting that the university is actively seeking more information.

“I heard about it last night. It is on one of the university’s platforms but I don’t have a comprehensive report about it. Someone is already working on getting more information about this and as soon as it is ready, I will get across to you,” Suleiman said.

Details later..

Credit: Punch