EFCC
EFCC presents more evidence against Naira Marley
The trial of music artiste, Azeez Fashola popularly known as Naira Marley continued on Friday before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi in Lagos State, South-West Nigeria.
The trial had an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Dein Whyte as a prosecuting witness continuing his evidence even as the court dismissed the defendant’s objection to the forensic evidence earlier presented by the witness.
Fashola is standing trial on an 11-count charge bordering on credit card fraud. At the last sitting on June 9, 2022, the defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo had objected to the witness’s opinion on the forensic evidence linking the defendant to credit card fraud. He had argued that only the court could make pronouncements on the defendant’s culpability, not an investigator.
At the resumed trial on Friday, Justice Oweibo delivered a short ruling in which he dismissed the defence’s objection. He said it is the duty of the law enforcement agency or Police to charge any person to court to investigate if the defendant committed the crime or not.
He explained that the Investigator must be able to link the defendant to the commission of the crime. The prosecutor must have made up his mind as to the involvement of the defendant before bringing the case to court.
Continuing his evidence, Whyte, who was led by the EFCC Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that findings from his investigation clearly established that the defendant through his phone had in his possession credit card details that did not belong to him and that he shared the credit card information with another person which was discovered that a fraud report had been generated from the same credit card stating that it had been used fraudulently.
He also explained that the investigation revealed that the defendant had on his laptop electronic tools that are specifically used for accessing compromised credit cards information as well as other electronic tools that are used to disguise both the identity and location of anybody accessing compromised credit cards in real time on the internet.
Explaining the role of his team before Exhibit E forensic analysis was produced, the witness said it was procedural in investigation for investigators to make a request to the Digital Forensic and Crime Laboratory Services Department to carry out forensic analysis of the content of recovered digital device of evidential value to a case.
In analysing the forensics report, the witness revealed that the defendant had running on his computer, a VPN called IP Varnish, (a tool used to disguise identity and location of the user.
According to him, in relation to the contents found on the NOTES, a software application on the devices of the defendant, wherein counterfeit card number was found alongside the details of the cardholder and an IP address, suggesting that the only reason the possessor of such information will need an IP address attached to it would be to satisfy the location specifics for consumption of transaction for merchants who require cards to be used only within countries and locations recognised by them.
Counsel to the defendant, Olalekan Ojo objected to the evidence of the prosecution witness, on the grounds that he was not competent to give evidence on what went on in the mind of the user of the laptop.
Responding to the objection, the defence counsel, Oyedepo said the learned silk missed the point as the question being answered by the witness which is to connect if there is any relationship between the forensic analysis.
The Judge overruled the objection, saying that the witness can give evidence on the reason he believes the defendant had those documents in his possession.
The matter has been adjourned to September 26 and 30 for continuation of the trial.
EFCC
Court orders interim forfeiture of 14 properties linked to Kogi State Govt, N400m
Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, Wednesday granted an interim forfeiture of 14 properties in Lagos, Abuja and the United Arab Emirates linked to the Kogi State Government. The information which is contained in a statement, also says the Judge in addition, ordered the preservation of the Four Hundred […]
Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, Wednesday granted an interim forfeiture of 14 properties in Lagos, Abuja and the United Arab Emirates linked to the Kogi State Government.
The information which is contained in a statement, also says the Judge in addition, ordered the preservation of the Four Hundred Million Naira recovered from one Aminu Falala, reasonably suspected to have been derived from the unlawful activity, and intended to be used for the acquisition of Plot No.1224 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island Lagos.
Justice Oweibo granted the order following an ex parte application filed by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by an investigating officer with the EFCC, Adejunbi Mojisola.
Moving the motion for the application on Wednesday, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, said that the properties, including Hotel Apartment Community in Burj Khalifa situated at, Plot 160 Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No 1, Property No 401, Floor 4, Dubai U.A.E., were reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity.
In his ruling on the application, Justice Oweibo granted the application as prayed and directed the commission to publish the interim order within 14 days, for any interested party to show cause why the forfeiture order should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The case has been adjourned till March 28, 2023.
EFCC
Fight against corruption: EFCC trains 305 officers
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has trained 305 Detective Assistant cadets as part of its commitment to the fight against economic and financial crimes in the country. Abdulrashid Bawa, Executive Chairman of EFCC, said this during the passing out parade of the Detective Assistant Course 3/2022, at the Police Mobile Force Training College, […]
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has trained 305 Detective Assistant cadets as part of its commitment to the fight against economic and financial crimes in the country.
Abdulrashid Bawa, Executive Chairman of EFCC, said this during the passing out parade of the Detective Assistant Course 3/2022, at the Police Mobile Force Training College, in Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The 305 Detective Assistant cadets comprised 260 males and 45 females were selected across the country. They were availed of complete combat operation training facilitated by the Police Mobile Force and the EFCC for six months.
Bawa said that the commission has continued to witness increasing successes in the fight against economic and financial crimes as it secured 3,785 convictions in 2022 alone.
The EFCC boss also attributed the successes of their operations as well as the recruitment and training of the cadets to President Muhammadu Buhari’s support and unwavering commitment in the fight against corruption.
He thanked the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali-Baba for supporting the Commission and availing it of the facility to be used for the training.
Commandant of the EFCC Academy, Ayo Olowonihi said the recruitment and training of the Detective Assistant cadets was a fulfillment of the President and Chairman’s cardinal policy object of human capital development in EFCC.
He thanked the Chairman for the opportunity given to the Academy to handle the tasks reassuring him of their readiness to do more in order to deliver on the mandate of the commission.
Court
Alleged disobedience of Court Orders: CSOs call for Bawa’s sack.
A coalition of civil society organizations has called for the removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa from office following his alleged disobedience to court orders The over one hundred and twenty- civil society groups after rounding off a weeklong protest in Lagos addressed journalists during a town […]
A coalition of civil society organizations has called for the removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa from office following his alleged disobedience to court orders
The over one hundred and twenty- civil society groups after rounding off a weeklong protest in Lagos addressed journalists during a town hall meeting.
They accused the EFCC of greater corruption and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately put machinery in motion to sanitize the commission in line with the fight against corruption by the present administration.
They later issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari directing the Inspector General of police to effect the arrest order on Bawa and commit him to prison.
Meanwhile, the Spokesman of EFCC Wilson Uwujaren in his response said the protests by the CSOs against Bawa and the EFCC were sponsored by persons under investigation by the anti‐graft agency.
The angry protesters had earlier stormed the Lagos state House of Assembly, Alausa Ikeja with their petition to the speaker, Mudasiru Obasa for onward delivery to the National Assembly in Abuja.
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