Crime
Internet Fraud: Kaduna Court Jails Three
Justice A. Bello of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna has convicted and sentenced the trio of Saadu Salisu, Omoruyi Osavbie (a.k.a Antonio Hendo Henderson) and Daniel Japheth (a.k.a Cain Steven) to various jail terms for internet fraud.
It was gathered that the convicts were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on one-count separate charges.
Biztellers reports that while Osavbie’s and Japheth’s charges bordered on impersonation and cheating, that of Salisu was on obtaining by false pretence and cheating.
Salisu’s charge reads: “That you Sa’adu Salisu and Ihasas Ventures Nigeria Limited on or about the 1st of March,2021 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, cheated and dishonestly induced one Adamu Bakori to part with the sum of N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira only) with the promise to secure a job for him and you thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 311 of the Kaduna State penal Code Law, 2017.”
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Similarly, Osavbie’s charge reads: “That you, Omoruyi Osavbie (a. k.a Antonio Hendo Henderson) sometime in May, 2024, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, represented yourself as one Antonio Hendo Henderson (A military personnel in the United States of America) on Facebook (an online social media platform) and in such assumed identity, cheated unsuspecting victims the total sum of N87,000 (Eighty Seven Thousand Naira), and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.”
Each of the three defendants pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they were read to him, which prompted prosecution counsel M. Arumemi and M. Lawal to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Bello, afterwards, convicted and sentenced Salisu to three years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira).
In addition, he forfeited N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira), being the proceeds of crime to the federal government.
On his part, Japheth bagged four years imprisonment or a fine of N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira).
In additiona, he forfeited the sum of £75.00 (Seventy-five British pounds), being proceeds of the crime and his iPhone 11 mobile phone to the federal government, while Omoruyi was sentenced to seven years imprisonment or a fine of N450,000.00 (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).
He also forfeited the sum of N400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira), being proceeds of his crime and his iPhone X max to the federal government.
Salisu’s journey to prison began when his victim petitioned the EFCC, alleging that he convinced him in May 2021 that he could secure a job for him in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and later demanded the sum of N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) for the job placement, which he paid into the convict’s bank account but neither got the job nor his money back.
Crime
Court Orders Arrest Of Dana Air CEO In N1.3bn Fraud Case
Amid repeated absences from court, the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for Hathiramani Ranesh, Managing Director of Dana Air, who faces charges of fraud and conspiracy tied to alleged misappropriations totaling N1.3 billion.
The ruling, handed down Monday by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, calls for Ranesh’s immediate arrest following his failure to respond to multiple court summonses.
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Justice Egwuatu cited Section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), empowering the court to issue an arrest warrant against defendants who evade appearance.
“The defendant is legally obligated to appear, and the court is authorized to issue a warrant for arrest if he does not,” Justice Egwuatu said, setting January 13, 2025, as the next court date, adding that no objections will be considered unless Ranesh is present.
Ranesh and two Dana Group subsidiaries—Dana Group PLC and Dana Steel Ltd—face serious allegations from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Prosecutors claim that between 2014 and 2018, Ranesh and his companies engaged in fraudulent activities, including the unauthorized sale of industrial generators valued at N450 million, which had been pledged as collateral in a debenture agreement.
Additional charges allege the misappropriation of N864 million from bond funds meant for operations at the Dana Steel Rolling Factory in Katsina, and a N60.3 million transfer to an external account without authorization.
The charges, filed by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Moshood Adeyemi, cite violations under the Criminal Code Act.
In court, government lawyer Mojisola Okeya-Esho argued for the arrest warrant, stating that Ranesh had disregarded court orders to appear for arraignment.
Defense counsel B. Ademola-Bello challenged the prosecution, contending that jurisdictional issues must be addressed before proceeding with the case.
Justice Egwuatu dismissed these objections, underscoring that Ranesh’s presence in court is required before other arguments can be entertained.
The matter is now adjourned until January 13, 2025, with the warrant remaining active until the defendant is brought to court.
Crime
Gunmen Attack Police Facility In Owerrinta, Female Detainee Killed
In a shocking act of violence, armed assailants targeted the Police Rapid Response Squad facility in Owerrinta early Monday morning, resulting in the tragic death of a female detainee.
The attack occurred shortly after midnight along the Umuahia-Aba Federal Expressway.
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State Commissioner of Police Danladi Isa confirmed the incident, revealing that the gunmen arrived in three Hilux vehicles and opened fire on the police facility.
“Our personnel successfully repelled the attack,” Isa stated.
However, the attackers resorted to using dynamite, causing significant damage to the building and exposing the detainees inside.
During the chaos, the gunmen attempted to free detainees, leading to the fatal shooting of the female suspect.
Unconfirmed reports suggest she was in custody related to a child trafficking case.
In the aftermath of the attack, police swiftly initiated a manhunt for the perpetrators, employing advanced technical methods to track their movements.
Commissioner Isa announced the arrest of one suspect, who is currently undergoing interrogation to uncover the identities of additional accomplices.
“We are making significant progress in our investigation,” he affirmed.
Authorities are calling on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities as the investigation continues.
Crime
Bobrisky Flees Nigeria Amid Legal Turmoil
Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky, a controversial figure in Nigeria’s social media landscape, has reportedly departed the country just days after being released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
While the destination of his flight remains undisclosed, Bobrisky took to Instagram on Monday morning to boast about his lavish travel arrangements, sharing videos that highlighted his purchase of a first-class ticket, claiming, “This girl bought a first-class ticket three times; that’s over 30 million naira. Raise the bar for this girl.”
READ ALSO: Bobrisky Granted Bail After Denying N15m Bribe Voicenote Claim
In his posts, he humorously commented on the disfigurement of his passport photo, saying, “That passport disfigured my picture,” showcasing his characteristic flamboyance.
Bobrisky’s sudden exit from Nigeria follows a turbulent week marked by a series of dramatic events.
Reports indicate that on Thursday night, he was removed from a KLM flight bound for Amsterdam while trying to travel to London.
He alleged that he sustained injuries during the altercation at Murtala Muhammed International Airport and later recounted the incident to his followers on social media.
Following this disruption, Bobrisky was taken to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where he faced questioning over allegations that he attempted to bribe officials with 15 million naira to dismiss money laundering charges against him.
He was released on bail on Saturday after denying the bribery claims during his interrogation.
Bobrisky’s legal troubles began earlier this year when he was sentenced to six months in prison for naira abuse.
Initially held at Kirikiri Prison, reports later emerged that he spent only three weeks in confinement before being discreetly relocated to a private location.
The controversy surrounding Bobrisky intensified in September, when social media influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, leaked an audio recording allegedly featuring Bobrisky discussing the bribery of EFCC officials to drop the charges against him.