THE NATION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012
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NEWS
seige to LUTH for Babalakin This is a new trend in judicial administration in Nigeria and it reflects desperation by EFCC to violate provisions of the law and constitution in order to circumvent justice, and a violation of the basic human rights of the citizen
– Babalakin
We have plain-cloth operatives around just to ensure that he is in the hospital. Our operatives are there to make sure that the claim he made that he is in the hospital is true
– EFCC
•EFCC Ibrahim Lamorde
•Babalakin
Bi-Courtney, in its reaction to the development, on Wednesday, condemned the action of the agency, describing it as a violation of Babalakin’s rights and an attempt to thwart justice. The statement by the company’s spokesman, Dipo Kehinde, said: “This is a new trend in judicial administration in Nigeria and it reflects desperation by EFCC to violate provisions of the law and
constitution in order to circumvent justice, and a violation of the basic human rights of the citizen. “It is noteworthy that this brings back sad memories of the days of Gen. Sani Abacha, when the rights of Nigerians were trampled upon with ease.” The order of a Federal High Court, in Lagos, which restrained the EFCC from proceeding with Babalakin’s trial and arraignment,
a copy of which was obtained by journalists, specifically stated: “Also perusing the amended statement, it is clear that serious issues of constitutionalism and the exercise of powers of public institutions and bodies have been raised. By the provisions of Order 34 Rule 6 (a) of the Rules of this Court, it appears to me that if the order sought is an order of prohibition and certiorari and
leave is granted, the grant should operate as a stay of proceedings to which the appropriate application relates. “Relief 1 is granted as prayed; an order is hereby made granting leave to the applicant herein to apply for an order of prohibition against the respondents and any other officers, agents, or security agencies of the Government of the Federation, including without
limitation to the Nigeria Police Force or the State Security Service, acting by themselves, or through any of their officers, agents, privies or otherwise howsoever, prohibiting them from proceeding with the arraignment or trial of the Applicant further to Charge No. ID/239C/2012 pending at the Ikeja Division of the High Court of Lagos State, which was preferred by the Respondents.”
London-based Nigerian fraudsters jailed for £2.7million scam T
WO Nigerian fraudsters, whose global £2.7m scam had deadly consequences for one family they mercilessly ripped off, were jailed yesterday. Police identified a total of thirteen victims all over the world, who each lost an average of £207,000, after the duo convinced them they were due for an Australian lottery pay-out, inheritance, investment benefit or were sold non-existent heavy plant machinery. Obinnam Nwokolo, 37, of 20 Chesworth Close, Erith, who amassed a valuable property portfolio in the UK and Nigeria, received six years and four months and Uchechhukwu Onuoha, 40, of Aspen Green, Erith, who entered the country on a student visa, received five years and two months. Both pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to conspiracy to defraud between October 1, 2008 and September 15 last year. One of their victims, Betty McClellan, 62, of Hyde Park, Los Angeles was shot dead by her husband Hersey McClellan, 63, who then shot himself on June 20, 2010 after she wired £264,000 — blowing the couple’s hardearned pension. She transferred the sums to accounts controlled by fellow Nigerians Sergius Ene, 44, of 111 Rushden Gardens, Ilford and Osas Odia, 33, of 15 Windrush Court, Chichester Wharf, Erith, who both admitted conspiring to launder criminal property. Ene, who received sixteen months in March for a £27,000 Euromilions lot-
tery scam on an 83-year-old Northampton pensioner, was jailed for two years and eight months. for laundering £342,400. The accountant, a former Haringey Council housing benefit officer, drove a Mercedes with a personalised ‘ENE’ number plate. He is currently appealing deportation and it was revealed the mother of his three children entered into a sham marriage with a French citizen of African origin just to stay in the UK. Student Odia, who laundered £149,000, was deported in 2005 as an illegal overstayer after a forged passport conviction, but is now a permanent resident after marrying a UK national. He will be sentenced on February 11 so he can complete a management degree. Victims were telephoned, emailed or written to by Nwokolo and Onuoha, who between them spent at least £22,500 on stationary supplies as they convinced the dupes to pay for administrative fees, insurance, certificates and other charges to release funds due to them. The criminals convinced Betty McClellan, 62, that she had won $2.8m on the Australian lottery. She sent them £264,000 to ‘cover tax and admin costs’. Some victims paid money to a bogus charity claiming to assist West African refugees, and one even paid for a non-existent U.S. Army General to ship his trunk of
belongings from Afghanistan to Australia. “These monies were placed in a series of bank accounts and laundered,” said prosecutor Mr. Andrew Evans. “The fraud was carried out on an international scale.” Mrs McClellan was convinced she had won $2.8m on the Australian lottery and sent £264,000 to cover taxes and admin costs to release the win. “When her husband discovered she had lost all of their pension savings he shot her dead and then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide,” added Mr. Evans. Their bodies were found by their son. An Indiana farmer, believing he had a claim on a £14.9m inheritance, lost over £339,000 and a Venezuelan businessman lost £163,000 buying a mobile crane Nwokolo and father-of-two Onuoha advertised for sale on a Spanish website. A Bristol woman lost £312,000 chasing a £1.8m Australian lottery win and found herself arrested after paying the counterfeit £158,000 cheque the defendants sent her into her account. “She was buying a new home and intended to settle the balance from the winnings she was expecting. ‘She is now living in sheltered accommodation and feels vulnerable and extremely embarrassed and her family have lost their inheritance.” Father-of-three Nwokolo even
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When her husband discovered she had lost all of their pension savings, he shot her dead and then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide
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bought three 1,350 per-hour letterfolding machines to increase the volume of mail shots and his home contained lists with details of thousands of individuals and businesses. Onuoha had a pile of 593 scam letters ready for postage when police raided the home he rented off Nwokolo and officers also found a prepared ‘script’ he used when duping victims over the phone. “It is difficult to think of a larger advance free fraud than this,’ announced Judge Jeremy Gold QC. It is on an enormous scale. Thousands of emails and letters were sent out
•Odia
across the world promising money from non-existent relatives from inheritances or non-existence lottery wins. “You preyed on the naivety or generosity of people to extract large amounts of money from them with devastating effects on their personal lives. “I regard this fraud as one that falls into the most serious category of advanced fee fraud, targeting vulnerable victims.” Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation proceedings will follow. • Culled from Daily Mail