EFCC docks ex-Adamawa commissioner over N20m land fraud; another for impersonation

A former Adamawa State Commissioner for Finance and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, John Elias, was, Thursday, arraigned before Justice B.B Aliyu of Federal High Court Yola, Adamawa State.

The accused and his three companies -Oil Trust Limited, AL-Akim Investment Nigeria Limited and Da’ama Specialist Hospital- are being prosecuted for conspiracy and unlawful dealing in forfeited property.

The accused person allegedly sold and appropriated some properties, which are under interim forfeiture to the Federal Government.

An evaluation exercise conducted by the EFCC on the forfeited properties revealed that the accused person sold  a landed property situated at Galadima Aminu Way, Yola to one Hamid Yusuf for N20,000,000.00 through his agent, Jibril Mairiga.

He  also allegedly gave another property on Atiku Abubakar Way, Yola, Adamawa State,to his brother, Dr. Joel Yohanna, for use as a private hospital.

The former Commissioner is also alleged to have coerced the tenants in another property to be paying their rents to Al-Akim Investment Limited without authorization by the EFCC.

One of the charges reads:  “That you, Al-kim Investment Nigeria Limited and John Babani Elias (M), sometimes in February, 2011 at Jimeta-Yola, Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and without due authorization by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission dealt with, having put tenants and collecting rents in and over the property known as four unit houses behind First Bank of Nigeria Plc. Jimeta, Yola and which property is a subject of an interim order of forfeiture issued on the 13th day of December, 2005 by the Federal High Court, Lagos in charge No. FHC/L/CS/1258/2005, contrary to and punishable under section 32(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004”.

The accused person pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Al’Qasim Ja’afar, asked the court for a trial date.

Justice Aliyu granted the accused person bail in the sum of N5million with a surety in like sum and fixed December 15, 2015 for trial.

Meanwhile, the commission also, Thursday, arraigned one Folusho Stephen before Justice C.N Oji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Apo, Abuja on one-count charge bordering on impersonation and fraud, contrary to Section 320 (a) of the Penal Code.

Stephen allegedly posed as a staff of the EFCC, and attempted to defraud one Henry O. Ojogo, a former accountant general, Cross River State, to the tune of N600,000.00 (six hundred thousand naira) to enable him give the victim a soft landing in a case he purportedly had with the Commission.

The accused, while parading as a staff of the Commission, asked the victim to pay the sum of N400,000.00 (four hundred thousand naira) within an hour and the balance of N200,000 (two hundred thousand naira) at a later date into a particular account in one of the  new generation banks to enable him destroy a purported case file.

Ojogo, confident that, he had no skeleton in his cupboard, suspected a foul play and consequently reported the case to the Commission who swung into action and advised the victim to play along before the law caught up with him.

The charge reads:

“That you, Folusho Stephen on or about the 23rd day of April, 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court fraudulently attempted to induce one Henry O. Ojogo to deliver the sum of N400,000 (four hundred thousand naira) to you by deceiving him that you were a staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and that you are in possession of the petition written against him to the Commission for abuse of office and that you will assist him to destroy the case file and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 320 (a) of the Penal code and punishable under section 322 of the same law.”

The accused admitted committing the crime when the charge was read to him.

Upon the accused plea of guilty, counsel to EFCC, Victor Ukagwu urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the provisions of Section 274 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Justice Oji adjourned the case to Friday, October 23, 2015 for reviewing of facts by the prosecution.