Sahara Reporters Latest News Wednesday 23rd October 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Wednesday 23rd October 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 23/10/19

EFCC Confirms Arrest Of Mompha Over Alleged Internet Fraud, Money Laundering

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has confirmed the arrest of a popular Instagram celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha also known as Mompha.
This was made known through the official Twitter handle of the commission on Tuesday.
Mustapha was said to have been arrested by the anti-graft agency in the Federal Captial Territory, Abuja.
In a statement, the EFCC said Mompha was arrested for his alleged involvement in Internet-related fraud and money laundering.
It said, “The EFCC, Lagos office, has arrested social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha popularly known as Mompha, for alleged involvement in Internet-related fraud and money laundering.
“The suspect, a premium and first-class customer of one of the popular international airlines, was arrested on October 18, 2019 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to Dubai, United Arab Emirate, following series of intelligence reports received by the commission.
“Actionable cross-border intelligence received from collaborative law enforcement agencies about his alleged involvement in the criminal activities further strengthened our suspicion.”
Mustapha, who allegedly perpetrates his fraudulent activities under the guise of being a Bureau de Change operator, is always seen with his little son flaunting huge amount of foreign currencies on his social media platforms.
The suspect has volunteered useful information to the operatives and has admitted being reasonably involved in the first two cases he was accused of.
At the point of arrest, five wristwatches with a total worth of over N20m were recovered from him.
The EFCC said he will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.

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E2%80%99s-trial-stalled-technical-ground Agba Jalingo’s Trial Stalled On Technical Ground

The trial of journalist and rights activist, Agba Jalingo, on Tuesday suffered a minor setback as the prosecution and defense counsel could not come to terms on the processes filed.
Jalingo is facing trial on four count charges bordering on treasonable felony, attempt to topple the Cross River State Government and terrorism.
Jalingo had in July published an article where he asked Governor Ben Ayade to come clean on the whereabouts of the N500m approved and released for the floating of the Cross River Microfinance bank.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Dennis Tarhemba, told the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar and presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda, that he was served with another affidavit by the defense and pleaded the court to take a short date for “us to look at the content of this file”.
Tarhemba, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said he was served at about 9:25am when the court had begun sitting.
The defense counsel, Mr James Ibor, in his argument submitted that the prosecution lacked the right to “ask for another date because we responded line-to-line to his affidavit which was filled with lies”.
Upon resumption of sitting, Tarhemba argued on the need for protection of witnesses while Ibor submitted that there was no threat to the witnesses and called on the court to dismiss the application of the prosecution.
Justice Amobeda after listening to the two counsels, adjourned the trial until Wednesday.
The judge held that no matter where the ruling tilts to on the next adjourned date, the actual trial will commence.

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Court Orders Forfeiture Of N6.42bn Linked To Deizani’s Associate, Kola Aluko

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The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the forfeiture of three landed properties belonging to Kola Aluko, an ally of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission gave the value of the properties located in Abuja and Lagos as $73m and N350m.
The EFCC gave the names of the properties as Plot 3389 and Plot 3390, House 2, Margaret Thatcher Close, Asokoro Cadastral Zone, Abuja; as well as Avenue Towers, Plot 1391 Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The anti-graft agency said Plot 3389 and Plot 3390 in Abuja were purchased for N350m and $18m, respectively.
It said the Lagos property was bought for $55m.
The EFCC said the funds used to procure the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Following an ex-parte application on Tuesday, Justice Mohammed Liman ordered the properties temporarily forfeited to the government.
EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, had told the judge that Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 2016 empowered the court to make such a forfeiture order.
He said, “The properties sought to be attached are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful diversion from the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“That the respondent’s known and provable lawful income is far less than the properties sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
An operative of the EFCC, Sambo Mayana, said the anti-graft agency investigated Aluko after receiving from Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr Debo Adeniran, “a damning intelligence report and a petition alleging fraud, lack of transparency and unethical conduct in the transfer of production rights in the oil mining leases against the respondent and his cronies.
“That there are suspicious financial transactions involving the 1st respondent, KAA and Atlantic Energy Holding Limited based in the British Virgin Island.
“That the company, in the course of three years, received large suspicious transfers from two sister companies, namely: Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited, based in Nigeria.”
After granting the forfeiture order, the judge directed the EFCC to publish it in a national newspaper.
He adjourned the matter until November 12, 2019 for anyone interested in the properties to appear before him to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

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E2%80%93huriwa Soyombo: Nigeria Back To Days Of Tyranny –HURIWA

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has condemned the planned arrest of Nigerian investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo.
It was reported that the Nigerian Government was planning to pick up the journalist following his undercover investigation into various malfeasance in the police, prison and judicial system.
In a statement on Tuesday, HURIWA said, “The news of the ongoing plot by the security forces to arrest, prosecute and detain Mr Fisayo Soyombo following his extensive reportage on the widespread corruption in the police and prisons has not come to us in HURIWA as a surprise.
“The plot to arrest this journalist should also not shock discerning observers around the world because Nigeria is back to the dark ages of tyranny.
“Even amidst threats to our lives as human rights defenders, we hereby condemn in totality this satanic agenda of seeking to silence all those who speak truth to power.
“The list of journalists and activists in detention for doing nothing but speaking out to correct the ills of the political class, is expanding. Omowole Sowore and many of his followers have remained in detention for months.”
“The attempt to either arrest Mr Soyombo for exposing a notorious truth that even the devil himself is aware about corruption in police and prisons in Nigeria is antithetical to democracy and is absolutely unconstitutional.”

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E2%80%93witness How Zenith Bank Took Bullion Van To Evacuate Cash For Fayose –Witness

The N6.9bn fraud trial of former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, continued on Tuesday with a top official of Zenith Bank Plc, Abiodun Oshode, narrating to the court how the bank took a bullion van to the airport to evacuate a cash sum of N1.219bn from an aircraft.
Oshode said the bank rendered the service at the request of Abiodun Agbele – an aide to Fayose.
He told the court that a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, was present during the operation at the airport.
Oshode said on taking the N1.219bn to the bank, Agbele supplied three bank accounts into which the money was to be lodged.
He listed the three accounts as those of Privateer Nigeria Limited; Spotless Investment Limited and “a personal account of His Excellency (Fayose)”.
Oshode, who was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), also listed “Ayodele Fayose and Mrs Olayemi Fayose” as signatories to the account of Spotless Investment Limited.
When asked under cross-examination by Fayose’s lawyer, Mr Ola Olanipekun (SAN), whether “seeing such volume of money being paid into your bank,” the bank reported the N1.219bn cash lodgment to the authorities as “illicit or suspicious,” Oshode said, “It was reported”.
He explained that it was the standard practice that banks must report cash transactions above N1m for an individual and N5m for a corporate body.
When Olanipekun asked him that “pursuant to the report, did you get any instructions to stop the transaction?” Oshode said, “No”.
When the defence counsel asked whether Oshode would agree with him that “the transaction was not stopped because it was deemed appropriate,” the banker said he agreed.
“You also agree that the defendant invited your bank because they too believed the transaction was appropriate?” Olanipekun asked and responding, Oshode said, “Yes”.
When the second defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), told Oshode that “At no time did you see the 1st defendant (Fayose) filling any teller at any branch of your bank, either in Ekiti or Akure,” the banker said, “Excellency will not do that”.
Justice C.J. Aneke adjourned further proceedings till Wednesday.
In the charges, the EFCC alleged among others that Fayose on June 17, 2014, “took possession of the sum of N1, 219, 000,000 to fund your 2014 gubernatorial campaign in Ekiti State, which you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing.”
The ex-governor was also alleged to have on the same day “received a cash payment of $5,000,000 from Senator Obanikoro, which exceeded the amount authorised by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 1 and 16(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.”

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FRSC Launches Investigation Into Killing Of Man By Officials In Edo

The Federal Road Safety Corps said it has commenced an investigation into the killing of a man by four of its officials in Edo State.
SaharaReporters had reported how the officials identified as Francis Igboh, Sunday Ogi, Samson Alolade and Joseph Onolade, were said to have beaten the victim – Odion Samuel – to death for preventing a driver from giving them bribe.
After initially arresting the driver for kidnapping the victim, the police embarked on an elaborate investigation after they were told Samuel was attacked by the FRSC officials.

JUST IN: Another Torture Centre With 11 Inmates Found In Zaria

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An illegal rehabilitation home that had transformed into a house of horror where inmates are tortured and left to writhe in pains has been discovered in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The discovery, which was made on Tuesday, left many across the city in shock.
At least 11 inmates made up of men and children were removed from the illegal facility.
The latest incident follows the discoveries of other unauthorised rehabilitation centres in Rigasa under Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna, and another in Katsina State.
Many of the inmates in those places were bound with chains and had various torture marks all over their bodies.

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SERAP Vows To Take Legal Action If Investigative Journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, Is Arrested

The Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project has pledged to take legal actions against any government institution that arrests Fisayo Soyombo for his investigative reporting.
Soyombo had published a report exposing the rot and corrupt practices in the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Correctional Service.
Fisayo, in his latest undercover report, spent two weeks in detention — five days in a police cell and eight as an inmate in Ikoyi Prison, Lagos — to track corruption in Nigeria’s criminal justice system beginning from the moment of arrest by the police to the point of release by the prison.
SERAP, in a tweet thread, stated that Fisayo’s work detailed the perversion in the course of justice existing in the police and prison while describing the reported planned arrest of Soyombo as another assault on media freedom in Nigeria.
SERAP said, “We condemn the reported plan by Nigerian authorities to arrest Fisayo Soyombo over his undercover investigations, which exposed the depth of corruption in Nigerian police cells and prison. We’ll take appropriate legal action(s) to challenge any arbitrary arrest of the journalist.

JUST IN: Seven Killed, Houses Razed As Gang Violence Grips Cross River Community

At least seven person have lost their lives while several houses were torched during a gang violence that broke out in Okundi under Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State in the early hours of Tuesday.
The violence was said to have been triggered by the killing of a young man named Joseph Bankong, who is opposed to cult activities in the area on Monday night.
A resident of the community, who witnessed the incident, said, “The killing of Bankong made the entire community to rise up against suspected cult members.
“In the process, Alphonsus Etta Ewung, Otu Agbor Edum, and Chief Paulinus Otu’s son among others were killed.”
Commissioner of Police in the state, Austin Agbonlahor, confirmed the incident, adding that “The police are on ground now”.

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Court Grants Bail To Owners Of Two Katsina Rehabilitation Centres

Two owners of spiritual rehabilitation centres in Katsina State currently being prosecuted for operating illegally and maltreating inmates were on Tuesday granted bail by two different courts in Katsina, PUNCH reports.
First to be granted bail was the owner of Niga Rehabilitation and Reformation Centre, Kofar Durbi quarters, Mallam Salisu Hamisu.
Hamisu, 52, was admitted to bail in the sum of N1m, three ‘reasonable and responsible sureties’, one of whom must be a director in the civil service.
The magistrate court also directed that two of the sureties must have houses “within the jurisdiction of the court and must be well known”.
Hamisu was also directed to submit his passport with the court.
The presiding magistrate adjourned the case to November 14, 2019 for mention.
Also on Tuesday, another court granted bail to owner of the Daura rehabilitation centre, Mallam Bello Abdullahi.
The court also granted bail to Habibu Bello, 28, and Abba Abubakar, 16, also standing trial along with the cleric.
The presiding chief magistrate while ruling on the bail application, insisted that the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended allowed for their bail.
He said, “The 1999 Federal Constitution of Nigeria as amended allows for the bail of the accused.
“I don’t agree with the argument of the police prosecutor that if the accused were granted bail, it would jeopardise investigation. I accordingly grant the three accused persons bail.”
Each of the accused persons were granted bail in the sum of N100,000.
He also directed that the trio should have one surety each with a house within the jurisdiction of the court.
The chief magistrate adjourned the case to November 13, 2019 for mention.

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