EFCC, on Monday July 7, 2014 arraigned three
suspects: Mohammed Rabiu, Raphael Olorunfemi
Okomoda and Adegbdsan Theophilus; before Justice
Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja
on different criminal counts, all bordering on
conspiracy, obtaining money by false presence,
stealing, impersonation, forgery, using false
document and money laundering. While Lawan was
charged with 19-counts, Okomoda and Theophilus
were charged with 7-counts each.
The defendants, Mohammed Rabiu Lawan (65),
Raphael Olorunfemi Okomoda (50), and Adegbesan
Theophilus (38), got into trouble, when they were
arrested by operatives of the Commission, following
a report of fraudulent sale of shares of two deceased
shareholders who had shares in several blue chip
companies including, Agip Nigeria Limited, Total
Oil, Union Bank Nigeria Plc, Nestle Nigeria Plc,
Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, Unilever Nigeria Plc and
Nigeria Breweries Plc.
The total value of shares converted and sold by the
three defendants was N141,652,951( One Hundred
and Forty One Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Two
Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty One Naira)
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges
preferred against them.
In view of their plea, prosecuting counsel, Fadike
Giwa, prayed the court for a trial date and the remand
of the defendants in prison custody. Giwa informed
the court that she had filed a 22-paragraph counter-
affidavit and a written address urging the court to
deny the defendants bail in favour of accelerated
hearing of the suit.
Counsel to the three defendants, J. H. Bashir,
informed the court of his bail application and a
written address, urging the court to grant the
defendants bail. He specifically prayed the court to
admit the defendants to bail "owing to their fragile
health condition," but Giwa countered that the EFCC
had been taking good care of the medical needs of the
defendants.
Justice Akapo, after listening to both counsel,
adjourned the case till July 8, 2014 for ruling on bail
applications and ordered that the defendants be
remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos.
One of the charge reads: "Mohammed Rabiu Lawan
(alias Shande Ako Dzungwe), Raphael Olorunfemi
Okomoda, Adegbesan Theophilus and others (still at
large) on or about the 16th day of May, 2013 at Lagos
within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to
defraud, conspired to obtain the sum of N11,
493,137.83 (Eleven Million, Four Hundred and
Ninety Three Thousand, One Hundred and Thirty
Seven Naira, Eighty Six Kobo) property of late
Shande Ako Dzungwe".
Another count read: "Mohammed Rabiu Lawan
(alias Isa Koto) on or about the 16th of May, 2013 at
Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent
to defraud posed as Alhaji Isa Koto and fraudulently
instructed Fidelity Security Limited to sell 216,625
units of Guinness Plc shares valued at N44,092,048
(Forty Four Million, Ninety Two Thousand and Forty
Eight Naira) and transferred the proceeds into a
Fidelity Bank account you opened in the name of the
said Alhaji Isa Koto and withdrew same".
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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those of the comment writers alone and does not
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