Crime
Ex-CEO of Federal Mortgage Bank, Gimba Kumo Yau granted N100 million bail in alleged $65 million fraud case
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted N100 million bail to a former Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Mr. Gimba Kumo Yau, who is accused of allegedly awarding a $65,000,000 real estate contract to an allegedly incompetent firm, Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited, in 2012.
Justice James Omotosho granted N100 million bail each to Yau and co-defendants Bola Ogunsola and Mr. Tarry Rufus on Wednesday, in the matter filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission‘s (ICPC) lawyer, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, in the charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CR/333/24.
Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited and T. Brend Fortunes Limited were also joined as defendants, having been sued for their alleged contravention of the Public Enterprises Regulatory Commission Act and Section 19 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In ICPC’s five-count charge, the anti-graft agency accused Yau of making payment to Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited in the sum of N3,785,000,000.00 out of the total contract sum of $65,000,000 for the development of 962 units of residential housing in Kubwa, Abuja, named “Goodluck Jonathan Legacy City,” contrary to accepted practice.
The ICPC maintained that the former bank CEO allegedly contributed to his organization’s failure at the time by approving $65,000,000 to a firm that could not carry out and complete the real estate project.
The allegations stated that Mr. Gimba Kumo Yau and Bola Ogunsola, in their roles as chief executive officer and executive director of the bank in August 2012, had secured a loan of N14 billion from Ecobank Nigeria PLC on behalf of the bank.
This loan was said to be earmarked for the development and completion of 962 residential housing units in Kubwa, Abuja, named “Goodluck Jonathan Legacy City,” within 18 months.
ICPC further alleged that Mr. Gimba Kumo Yau, as the bank’s CEO, awarded the $65 million contract despite knowing that the company lacked the capacity to carry out the contract.
ICPC added that the project remains incomplete as of today, thereby amounting to “economic adversity” for the bank and in violation of Section 68(1) of the Public Enterprise Regulatory Commission Act, CAP P39, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
The other defendants were accused of giving and receiving $3,550,000.00 of the contract sum in cash in contravention of the Money Laundering Act.
When the charges were read out to the defendants in open court, they had pleaded not guilty.
Subsequently, their legal team applied for bail.
The defendants had argued that bail is at the discretion of the court and that the applicants are entitled to bail, being presumed innocent under the law.
They also assured that their clients would not jump bail when granted bail, as one of the defendant’s counsel also submitted that the charge against his client is not one punishable by death.
On the part of the ICPC counsel, he did not oppose the applications for bail.
Ruling on the bail applications on Wednesday, Omotosho held that bail is premised on the presumption of innocence, which an accused person enjoys until he is declared guilty by the court.
He also said that bail is at the discretion of the court.
Subsequently, he granted N100 million bail to each of the defendants with two sureties in like sum.
He ruled that each of the sureties must be owners of property worth N100 million and that they must swear to an affidavit of means and show evidence of tax payment for the past three years.
“The sureties and defendants shall submit their recent passport photographs and certified bank statements.
“The Defendants shall submit their international passports to the registrar of this court,” the judge said.
He also ordered that the registrar of the court shall verify these documents and issue a report while the defendants are remanded pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
In 2021, the ICPC had declared Tarry Ruffus, Mr. Gimba Yau Kumo, and Mr. Bola Ogunsola wanted in connection with issues relating to the diversion of public funds for real estate to the tune of $65 million.
The ICPC, in a statement on its website dated August 29, 2021, said that it recovered N53 billion from a real estate developer for the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.
Former Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, had disclosed during a meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee Investigating the Operations of Real Estate Developers in FCT at the time.
According to him, the developer took the money without providing houses for its subscribers.
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts had also summoned Mr. Kumo over the irregular award of an N3 billion contract under his leadership.
The summons was based on a 2015-2018 report by the office of the auditor-general of the federation (AuGF) against the bank.
Kumo had reportedly told the ICPC that he had nothing to hide following its allegations.
Crime
UK prison officer, Linda De Sousa Abreu jailed over viral sex video with inmate
A former prison officer in the UK has been sentenced to 15 months in jail after being filmed engaging in sexual activity with an inmate.
Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, was identified by senior prison staff when the footage surfaced online and quickly went viral.
Abreu was arrested at Heathrow Airport while attempting to board a flight to Madrid with her father.
She had previously admitted to misconduct in public office.
Andrew Davy, the governor of Wandsworth, expressed the broader consequences of Abreu’s actions in a statement to Isleworth Crown Court.
He stated that her behavior had undone “less than a day” the years of effort female staff had invested to build respect and trust in the all-male prison.
He also noted that many female staff members reported being “hit on” more frequently by inmates and now felt “considered fair game.”
The court heard that the incident captured in the viral video occurred between June 26 and 28, and further investigation revealed additional misconduct.
A recording of Abreu performing a sex act on the same inmate was discovered on her prison-issued body-worn camera.
She admitted to having sexual relations with the prisoner on another occasion as well.
Judge Martin Edmunds KC described the viral video as part of a pattern of repeated misconduct rather than an isolated incident.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that investigations into the two prisoners identified in the video are ongoing.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service commented: “While the overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and honest, we’re catching more of the small minority who break the rules by bolstering our Counter Corruption Unit and strengthening our vetting processes. As today’s sentencing demonstrates, where officers do fall below our high standards we won’t hesitate to take robust action.”
The Prison Officers’ Association, which represents prison staff, acknowledged that corrupt individuals like Abreu undermine the efforts of their colleagues but emphasized that such cases represent a small minority.
Crime
Police Arrests Cop-killer, Dismantles Child-trafficking Syndicate
As Operatives Recover Illicit Arms, Ammunition.
The Nigeria Police Force as part of its efforts to ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians by employing proactive, intelligence-driven strategies to combat crime have evolved improved strategies to combat crimes and criminality.
These efforts have led to the disruption of criminal networks and a notable decrease in incidents of organized and violent crime, enhancing the overall security situation in the country.
On the 1st of November 2024, operatives of the FID-IRT arrested one Ogaga Dickson ‘m’ 35 years, a member of a notorious armed robbery syndicate responsible for the death of CSP Hassan Jega, the DPO Agbarho Division, Delta State, who was killed on the 14th of October 2024, during a fierce gun battle between a team of police officers led by the deceased DPO and the assailants, after the team of police men had foiled one of their robbery operations.
The operatives had earlier stormed the gang’s den and engaged them in a fierce gun duel leading to the neutralization of 4 of the gang members. Upon Ogaga’s arrest, the police recovered one Ak 47 rifle, one English pistol, one locally made pistol, ammunition of various calibres and six exotic vehicles.
Similarly, police operatives apprehended a child-trafficking syndicate led by one Pastor Dayo Bernard ‘m’ of End Time Army Ministry, Bukuru, Plateau State on the 2nd of December 2024.
The operation led to the rescue of five children between the ages of 2-4, abducted from various homes in Jos, Plateau State, and the arrest of other members of the syndicate identified as Rita Agboeze ‘f’, Victoria Ugwu ‘f’, Nanman Puntel ‘f’, and Peter Ukwuani ‘m’. Upon interrogation, the principal suspect confessed to having abducted and sold 13 children at varying prices, all of whom have been recovered by the police and reunited with their families through the Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
Furthermore, In line with the IGP’s directive to all police detectives to mop up every illicit arms and ammunition in circulation, operatives of the FID-IRT have successfully recovered 14 Ak-47 Rifles.
These operations exemplify the unwavering resolve of the Nigeria Police Force and highlight the effectiveness of our efforts to combat crime and enhance national security.
ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.
6th January 2025.
Crime
Lagos filmmaker, Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe arrested over cannabis trafficking case
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested one Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe, a US-trained Nigerian filmmaker, over alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
The NDLEA, in a statement on Sunday, said the filmmaker was apprehended at a hotel in Lekki, Lagos, on December 27, 2024.
It said the arrest came shortly after one Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James, identified as an associate of his, was apprehended earlier the same day at Ajao Estate, Ikeja.
The operatives revealed that James was intercepted at a warehouse retrieving a shipment of 33 parcels of “loud”, a potent strain of cannabis.
The shipment, weighing 17.30 kilograms, had arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on December 24 via a Delta Airlines flight.
The substance was concealed in “large wooden crates”.
The NDLEA disclosed a series of other arrests and drug seizures across the country.
Among them was Feyisara Ajoke Elediye, a 61-year-old Lagos socialite, who was apprehended at her mansion in Okota after operatives intercepted a truck loaded with over 1,500 kilograms of cannabis.
In Kwara state, two young women were arrested for producing drug-laced cupcakes allegedly targeted at students.
Similarly, in Rivers state, a joint operation at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex uncovered more than 300,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In Kano, a separate raid led to the seizure of over 149,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5.
Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, said the agency is abiding by a “balanced approach to drug supply reduction and demand reduction”.
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