Crime
Oil Tycoon, Akintoye Akindele Remanded For $5.6m Fraud
Mr. Akintoye Akindele, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Duport Midstream Company Limited, found himself at the center of a legal storm on Friday, as he was ordered to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged involvement in a $5.6 million fraud case.
In a brief ruling, Justice James Omotosho directed Akindele to be remanded in the correctional centre until the completion of his bail process.
The court set the next hearing for March 20, during which it will review the documents confirming the bail previously granted to him.
According to the charge brought forth by the police, Akindele and Duport Midstream Company Limited are accused of diverting $5,636,397.01 and N73,543,763.25 belonging to Summit Oil International Ltd.
Between 2017 and 2021, Akindele and his company, the second defendant in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/570/2023, purportedly diverted funds received from Shell Western Supply and Trading Limited for their personal benefit.
On March 1, Justice Omotosho granted Akindele bail amounting to N750 million, insisting on two sureties who could meet the same financial threshold.
Justice Omotosho, stipulating stringent conditions for bail, mandated that the two sureties must possess landed property within the court’s jurisdiction, swear to an affidavit of means, and deposit their bank account statements with the court registrar.
Granting bail, Justice Omotosho emphasized that the defendant must fulfill all conditions by March 8.
Acknowledging the defendant’s previous bail from the FCT High Court, Justice Omotosho allowed him to maintain that bail until March 8.
However, he maintained that the defendant would be remanded if he failed to meet the conditions of the new bail by March 8.
Following the bail proceedings, Justice Omotosho adjourned the case until March 15 for the trial to commence. This decision came after Akindele was arraigned on a four-count charge by the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police.
During the subsequent hearing on Friday, the I-G’s lawyer, Mr. Simon Lough, SAN, informed the court that although the trial was scheduled to begin and three witnesses were present, he made an oral application to transfer the case to the Federal High Court in Lagos.
In response, Akindele’s lawyer, Chief James Onoja, SAN, opposed Lough’s oral application, stating his intention to provide a response to the request.
Justice Omotosho also intervened to correct the prosecutor regarding his oral application.
He said “Transfer is just not by oral application. There should be a motion on notice.
“There must be reasons for transfer and it must be by affidavit evidence and you will serve the other party for them to respond.
“If they agree with your reasons, that is that. But if they don’t agree, they have the right to say why it should not be taken to Lagos.”
Lough, however, contended that Section 22 of the FHC Act permitted a judge to transfer a case to a division with jurisdiction, even without a formal request.
Justice Omotosho clarified that while the court had the authority for such transfers, it typically occurred after hearing from all parties involved.
he added “It is not without the evidence of the other party,”
Onoja reiterated that during the previous hearing, the court clearly outlined that the trial would proceed. Despite the prosecution’s presence with their witnesses, they were now pushing for a transfer of the case.
Expressing concern over the fairness of this move, Onoja argued that it disadvantaged the defendant. He stated that he was fully prepared for trial and had not been informed of the prosecution’s intention for transfer despite ongoing communication with Lough.
Highlighting the case’s civil nature, Onoja pointed out that it had already been investigated in Lagos, with no incriminating findings against Akindele. He emphasized the irony of the prosecution initiating the charge and then seeking transfer.
Onoja concluded by informing the court that Akindele’s bail had been successfully secured.
But the judge informed Onoja that the defendant’s bail perfection documents were not in his possession.
Despite Onoja’s insistence that the documents were submitted to the court, he urged one of the registrars to confirm their existence in the court’s custody.
Initially reluctant to examine the documents, the judge eventually called for the file. Upon reviewing it, he noted that the bail was not perfected by March 8, as ordered by the court.
Justice Omotosho observed discrepancies, noting that while the sureties’ letter of introduction was dated March 13, the affidavit of means was dated March 11, three days after the specified deadline.
Expressing his leniency in light of the conditions of the earlier bail, the judge lamented the defendant’s failure to comply.
Akindele’s lawyer, however, appealed to the court not to issue an order for his client’s detention in the correctional center.
The judge was informed that the defendant was indisposed.
Consequently, the judge ordered Akindele to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre until the completion of his bail process.
The matter was adjourned until March 20 for the court to review the bail perfection and to hear the application for transferring the case to the Lagos division of the Federal High Court.
Crime
Court Orders Woman To Pay ₦150,000 For Failing To Visit Boyfriend After Collecting Transport Fare
An Ilesa Magistrate Court in Osun State has ruled against a woman, Rhoda Adu, ordering her to pay ₦150,000 to her boyfriend, Olapitan Sola, for breach of agreement and emotional distress.
The incident occurred after Rhoda collected ₦3,000 as transport fare from Sola but failed to visit him as promised.
According to reports, she switched off her phone after receiving the money, leaving Sola unable to reach her.
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Feeling cheated and emotionally distressed, Sola reported the matter to the Ayeso Police Station, prompting Rhoda’s arrest and subsequent trial.
During the court hearing, Sola presented evidence including the mobile money transfer receipt and WhatsApp messages exchanged between the pair.
In her judgment, Magistrate Akogun Oludare ordered Rhoda to refund the ₦3,000 and pay an additional ₦100,000 for breach of agreement, alongside ₦50,000 as special damages for emotional distress.
“This court seeks to uphold accountability and fairness in personal agreements. Let this serve as a warning to others,” Magistrate Oludare said in her ruling, stressing the need for such decisions to deter similar acts.
The case has sparked widespread discussions, with many debating the implications of the judgment and its impact on personal relationships.
Human rights activist and vocal government critic, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) of plotting to detain him following his criticism of the extension of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun’s tenure.
Biztellers reports that Sowore arrived at the Force Intelligence Headquarters in Abuja on Monday at 9:58 a.m., responding to an invitation from the police.
The summons was issued after Sowore uploaded a viral video alleging extortion by police officers at a checkpoint in Lagos.
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The activist was questioned over multiple allegations, including resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful orders, cyberstalking, and actions allegedly aimed at preventing arrests.
In a Facebook post, Sowore accused the police of relying on “rehashed information” sourced primarily from the internet.
He revealed that he refused to provide a written statement during the interrogation, citing the lack of a clearly defined crime.
“The police relied on a rehashed set of information sourced mostly from the internet. When I asked them to identify the location of the alleged ‘crime’ in Lagos, they provided a vague response, stating it was along the airport road,” Sowore said.
The activist further alleged that the police intended to detain him and transfer him to Lagos for what he described as a “kangaroo trial.”
“I chose not to provide a written statement, as we informed the Police team that, in the absence of a defined crime, the process to determine such was unnecessary,” he explained.
“They took a break and later informed me that they were awaiting instructions from their superiors. It seems their plan is to detain me and take me to Lagos for a kangaroo trial.”
Sowore maintained that his case stemmed from his criticism of IGP Egbetokun, whose tenure, he argued, was illegally extended.
“I made it clear to the team that the matter revolves around my publicly stated view that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who is due for retirement and clearly tired, had his tenure extended illegally. I maintain that we are entering a promising era, and our fight for justice will persist. #RevolutionNow,” Sowore added.
The police have yet to issue an official response to Sowore’s allegations or confirm the next steps in the case.
Chikakore, a community in Kubwa, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was rocked by a violent attack on Sunday night, when at least 20 armed bandits stormed the area, kidnapping five residents, including an entire family.
According to police sources, the assailants struck at around 11pm, targeting the Health Centre extension area of Chikakore.
The attackers barged into the homes of their victims, abducting Adesiyan Akinropo, a Southwesterner, his wife, son, and a visitor.
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They also kidnapped another neighbor, bringing the total number of people taken to five.
In the midst of the raid, a woman was struck on the head with the butt of a gun, causing severe bleeding. She was rushed to the hospital for treatment following the brutal assault.
“The bandits kidnapped the man (Akinropo), his wife, and his son, their visitor. The bandits then took away another neighbor to make five persons. They also injured a woman on the head with the butt of the gun. She bled profusely and had to be rushed to the hospital,” a police source said
While the police operatives from the Byzahin division responded to the incident, the assailants had already escaped by the time they arrived at the scene.
Residents expressed dissatisfaction with the delayed response, revealing that the police took over an hour to reach the area.
“The bandits have resumed attacks in Chikakore. We need a police division here in this community. We have land and a five-bedroom apartment already built to accommodate the police, but there is no deployment yet,” a resident lamented.
This attack follows a similar one earlier in January, when bandits fleeing from Kankara Local Government Area in Katsina State detonated explosives in Kuchibuyi, a neighboring area.
The explosion, which targeted an Islamic school, claimed at least two lives, according to the police.
A community meeting is scheduled for Monday, where local leaders and police officials will discuss the ongoing security concerns in Chikakore.
Efforts to reach the FCT police command for comment were unsuccessful, as spokesperson Josephine Adeh did not respond to calls.
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