THE NATION THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012
7
NEWS
Atuche’s trial starts afresh By Eric Ikhilae
•Atuche
T
HE trial of former Managing Director of defunct Bank PHB Plc Francis Atuche and one other began afresh yesterday at a Federal High Court in Lagos. Atuche and an ex-director of the bank, Charles Ojo,
who have been in court since 2009, were re-arraigned before a new judge on a 45count charge. This followed the transfer of Justice Fatimat Nyanko. Justice Rita OfiliAjumogobia, has been assigned to the case. Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia is the third judge to handle the case. Justice Akinjide Ajakaiye, who earlier handled the case, was also transferred out of the Lagos division, a few months after he started the case. He has since retired from service. Atuche and Ojo were accused of alleged money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-
mission (EFCC). They were accused of recklessly granting loans, without adequate securities, to companies in which they had interest. The duo were also alleged to have falsified the bank’s records. Atuche was accused of exceeding his loan approval limit. The transactions involved were said to be worth over N125billion. Both men pleaded not guilty. Prosecution lawyer Kemi Pinhero (SAN) asked for a trial date. Defence lawyers Abubakar Shamsudeen and Olumide Adefila did not object. The duo urged the court to allow their clients remain on
the bail granted them in 2009 by Justice Ajakaiye, which Justice Nyako also adopted. Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia ordered them to file fresh bail applications within seven days. She fixed January 16 to hear the bail applications and possible commencement of trial. The judge allowed them to remain on the earlier bail, pending the determination of their new applications. Atuche and Ojo (also an ex-Managing Director of the equally defunct Spring Bank Plc) were first arraigned on October 28, 2009 on a 26count charge. The charges were substituted with the amended charge of 45 counts.
E
ERA holds conference
NVIRONMENTAL Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) will hold its fifth annual National Consultation on the Environment today and tomorrow at the Excellence Hotel & Suites, Ogba, Lagos. The consultation, with the theme: Corporate Accountability and the Environment, will bring together stakeholders and international experts to speak on the ecosystem. The chairperson is Minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, Hajiya Hadza Mailafiya.
Two Red Cross members killed From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi
T
WO members of the Nigerian Red Cross have been killed in a road accident in Onitsha, Anambra State. State Vice-Chairman of the Red Cross Peter Katchy said they died on their way back from the flood relief camps. He identified the victims as Chigozie Umeluh, who is married with a daughter and Moses Chijioke from Nbuo Ogbatu in Aninri Local Government Area, Enugu State. Chijioke will be buried today, while Umeluh has been intered.
‘Let’s access ballot papers after elections’ From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja
P
ROF Richard McLand of the Loyola University, Chicago, yesterday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow Nigerians access ballot papers for verification after elections. McLand, who works with electoral bodies in 35 countries, spoke at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja during the National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Enhancing Women’s Political Participation through Constitutional and Legal Reforms in Nigeria. He said this will help to quell the crisis that follows release of election results and will also show whether the elections were free and credible. The don said INEC has the power to prevail on parties to comply with the rules and regulations regarding elections and make them give more room for women’s participation.
Group sues Fed Govt By Adebisi Onanuga
A
•A cross section of guests at the University of Ibadan 2012 Convocation Lecture delivered by Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) with the theme, "Framework for Re-inventing Higher Education for Nigeria's National Development" at the Trenchard Hall...yesterday. INSET: Fashola...delivering his lecture
EFCC to prosecute lawyer for alleged N600m ‘fraud’
T
HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is to arraign an Enugu lawyer, Christian Chukwudozie Ebuzoeme, today for an alleged N600million scam. A statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said the accused and his accomplice, Amaechi Okoye (now at large), set up a phoney investment scheme to defraud the public. The statement said: “Ebuzoeme,the Chief Executive officer (CEO) of Karchack Services Limited, will be arraigned for allegedly defrauding the public through a phoney investment scheme involving over N600million. “The duo for three years mobilised deposits from the public ,promising huge returns on investment as a bait.
•Arraigns another for $5,450 scam From Yusuf Alli, Abuja and Adebisi Onanuga
“At the beginning, few investors were paid dividends which helped to convince others to join the fray. “But the flow of dividends soon dried up. After several months of being unable to pay their investors, the two partners split the company. “Okoye continued to manage the business while Ebuzoeme moved on to establish Yardenit Limited but the operations were still the same. “They continued to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians. “ Ebuzoeme and his partner in crime expanded their business to new frontiers in China and South Africa.” The commission yester-
day arraigned Etchie Joseph before a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, for alleged impersonation and false receipt of money. The EFCC alleged that Joseph falsely presented himself as Stanley Oberman from Los Angeles, USA, to a lady, Veronica Pena, who he had wanted to defraud of $5,450. He was arraigned before Justice Adebisi Akinlade on a three-count charge of attempts to obtain money by false pretence and possession of fraudulent documents. EFCC’s counsel Francis Usani told the court that Joseph was arrested by EFCC operatives at a cybercafé in Lagos. Joseph allegedly claimed he was a resident of Ken-
tucky, United States of America. He was said to have confessed in his statement to the EFCC, that he attempted to swindle Pena but was not successful. When the charges were read to him, the defendant pleaded not guilty. Usani said the agency was ready to begin trial and asked the court to fix a date. But defence counsel O. F. Latona told the court that he got the notice of the arraignment late. He pleaded for a short adjournment to study the charges and prepare his defence. Justice Akinlade adjourned the case till January 19 for hearing of the bail application. She ordered that the suspect be remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
Jonathan, IBB, Sultan for Anyiam-Osigwe lecture
P
RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, former Military President Ibrahim Babangida and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, will attend the 13th session of the annual Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation lecture. Also to attend is former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who will speak on ‘’Ethnic policy and national integration’’ . Jonathan is expected to speak on the theme of the lecture: ‘’Synthesis for Nationhood: Ethnic policy and na-
tional integration: From Indigenes to citizens’’, and his efforts at fostering nation-building. The Sultan, who is the royal father of the day, will speak on how his role as a natural ruler and spiritual leader is promoting national unity as well as ethnic and religious harmony. The lecture will take place on November 29 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Kofo Abayomi, Victoria Island, Lagos.
GROUP, Women Empowerment and Legal Aid Initiative (WELA) has sued the Federal Government for the non-swearing in of Justice Ifeoma Jumbo-Ofo as a justice of the Court of Appeal. In a motion on notice filed by its Executive Director, Mrs Funmi Falana, in Lagos, the group is challenging the provisions of the Federal Character Act, which states that women must revert to their state of origin for purposes of federal appointments. Mrs Falana asked the court for a declaration that Section 2, Part II of the Guiding Principles and Formula for the Distribution of all Cadres of Post under the Federal Character Commission that provides that a married woman shall continue to lay claim to her state of origin for the purpose of implementation of the Federal Character Formula at the national level contravenes Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution. A date is yet to be fixed for the hearing.
P
Website for flood relief
RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has launched an integrated website for flood relief donations. The website, created by the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation is to help mobilise funds from Nigerians all over the world, he said. The website is www.nigeriafloodrelief.org. The President said the launching of the website was another major highlight of the fund-raising efforts of the Federal Government through the Presidential Committee. The Committee also launched its official pages on some popular social media channels - Twitter (www.twitter.com/ NigFloodRelief), Facebook (www.facebook.com/ NigeriaFloodRelief), YouTube (www.youtube.com/ NigeriaFloodRelief), Google Plus (gplus.to/NigeriaFloodRelief) and Flickr (www.flickr.com/NigeriaFloodRelief).
NEMA advises on dry season From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan
T
HE National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) yesterday urged Nigerians to be prepared for the challenges of the dry season and its associated emergencies. Its Director General, Mohammed Sani Sidi, spoke to stakeholders at a workshop in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. He urged Nigerians to be wary of environment associated epidemics, notably measles, cholera, lassa fever and cerebral spinal meningitis, among others. Sidi, who was represented by the Southwest Zonal Coordinator, Iyiola Akande, said measles, cholera, lassa fever and cerebral spinal meningitis are among the 10 most critical health disasters associated with dry season.
Abuja Carnival to hold Nov 24-27 From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja
T
HE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved November 24 to 27 for this year’s Abuja Carnival. Twelve countries from Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean, according to the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke, will participate in the Carnival. The minister said unlike the previous ones, this year’s Carnival is being diversified to include the introduction of various competitions among schools as part of efforts to encourage culture and tourism in schools. A special exhibitions by the National Council for Arts and Culture, National Gallery of Arts and National Commission for Museum and Monuments is also lined up to spice up the carnival.