Nigerian fintech businessman, Odogwu Mmobuosi, also known as Dozy Mmobuosi, has been charged with criminal offenses by the United States.
In an indictment made public on Tuesday, Mmobuosi, 45, the former co-chief executive officer of Tingo Group, was accused of conspiracy, securities fraud, and falsifying records with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
According to the charge, Mmobuosi, was alleged to have falsely presented his Tingo mobile cellular business and Tingo foods agriculture business as profitable, generating hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue.
He was alleged to have sold both businesses to Tingo Group and Agri-Fintech Holdings, caused them to falsely portray the businesses as “cash-rich, revenue-generating companies,” and looted millions of dollars by misappropriating cash and selling stock at inflated prices.
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Prosecutors allege that the scheme occurred from 2019 to 2023.
According to Reuters, Mmobuosi is said to be at large.
Mmobuosi temporarily stepped down as Tingo Group’s co-CEO on December 20, two days after the SEC filed civil charges accusing him of orchestrating a “staggering” fraud.
Mmobuosi allegedly stole at least $16 million from Tingo Group, according to the SEC.
The commission claimed that Mmobuosi attempted to purchase Sheffield United football club when it was in the lower Championship league, while purchasing luxury automobiles and embarking on private plane trips with the money.
The SEC complaint alleges that Tingo Mobile claims to provide mobile phones and associated services to farmers in Nigeria, while Tingo Foods is supposed to be a food processor. The lawsuit is titled U.S. v. Mmobuosi, and it will be heard in the Southern District of New York under case number 23-cr-00601.
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission has
said Tingo Group Inc. lied about having $461.7m in its subsidiary Tingo
Mobile’s Nigerian bank accounts when it only had $50 in claimed accounts.
The U.S. SEC announced this on Monday when it announced
charges against the Mmobuosi Banye also known as Dozy Mmobuosi and three
affiliated US-based entities of which he is the Chief Executive Officer — Tingo
Group Inc., Agri-Fintech Holdings Inc., and Tingo International Holdings Inc.
According to the commission, Mmobuosi is being charged in
connection with an alleged multi-year scheme to inflate the financial
performance metrics of his companies and key operating subsidiaries to defraud
investors worldwide.
SEC noted that it is seeking emergency relief to prevent the
defendants’ continued dissemination of materially false information to
investors and to protect corporate and investor assets.
According to the charges, “The SEC’s complaint, filed on
December 18, 2023, alleges that, since at least 2019, Mmobuosi spearheaded a
scheme to fabricate financial statements and other documents of the three
entities and their Nigerian operating subsidiaries, Tingo Mobile Limited and
Tingo Foods PLC. The complaint further alleges that Mmobuosi made and caused
the entities to make material misrepresentations about their business
operations and financial success in press releases, periodic SEC filings, and
other public statements.
“For instance, Tingo Group’s fiscal year 2022 Form 10-K filed
in March 2023 reported a cash and cash equivalent balance of $461.7m in its
subsidiary Tingo Mobile’s Nigerian bank accounts. In reality, those same bank
accounts allegedly had a combined balance of less than $50 as of the end of
fiscal year 2022. According to the SEC’s complaint, Defendants also fabricated
the customer relationships that formed the basis of their purported businesses.
“The complaint alleges that Mmobuosi and the entities he
controls have fraudulently obtained hundreds of millions in money or property
through these schemes, and that Mmobuosi has siphoned off funds for his
personal benefit, including purchases of luxury cars and travel on private
jets, as well as an unsuccessful attempt to acquire an English Football Club
Premier League team, among other things.”
According to SEC, its case is filed in the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of New York, and the four defendants are being
charged with violating the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities
laws.
The commission added that Mmobuosi was being charged with
lying to auditors, insider trading, and failing to file Forms 4 disclosing the
sales of millions of Agri-Fintech common stock for which he was the ultimate
beneficial owner.
Newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Aisha Rimi is presently being indicted alongside her estranged hubby, a popular Lagos socialite, Folorunsho Coker, for diverting N3bilion Naira from the Lagos State account.
Ms. Aisha Rimi was recently appointed as the CEO of the NIPC by President Bola Tinubu.
She was indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Mr Coker, now reportedly to be her estranged husband.
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It was gathered that on March 6, 2018, that the EFCC told a Lagos High Court that N3 billion was diverted from the account of the Lagos State Government Number Plate Production Authority when Coker was the managing director.
A report monitored on SaharaReporters online news platform stated that in 2018, an EFCC investigator, Mr Olamide Sadiq, in an affidavit deposed to in support of an ex parte application to freeze the account used for the alleged fraud, said an investigation into the fraud was based on intelligence received sometime in 2017 by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit about suspicious transactions on the account of Rimi and Partners
According to him, there were “heavy inflows” in excess of N3 billion from LSGNPPA into the account of the company allegedly owned by Aisha Rimi, who is Coker’s wife.
Sadiq said investigations by EFCC revealed that Rimi and Partners had 10 bank accounts with Guaranty Trust Bank.
“Mr. Folorunsho Coker was as at that time the Managing Director of the 1st respondent — LSGNPPA.
“He was also the husband of Aisha Rimi, one of the signatories to the accounts of the 2nd and 3rd respondents — Rimi and Partners and Ekosina Investment Ltd respectively.
“Further to the depositions contained in the paragraph above, I know as a fact derived during my investigations, that the said Mr. Folorunsho Coker was also a signatory to the Bank account of the 1st respondent.
Further findings reportedly revealed that Aisha Rimi is the major partner in Rimi and Partners and she is also in control of Ekosina Investment Ltd, a company seen to have received huge transfers from the LSGNPPA.
“From preliminary investigations by the commission, the 2nd and 3rd respondents were used to divert funds from the LSGNPPA with the influence of Folorunsho Coker, who was the Managing Director of the Lagos State Agency,” Sadiq told the court.
Based on EFCC’s request, Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court ordered the freezing of the 32 bank accounts allegedly used for the diversion of funds pending the conclusion of the investigations being done by the EFCC.
Idris said the account would remain frozen pending the conclusion of EFCC’s investigation into the alleged N3 billion fraud.
The companies whose accounts were also frozen include a law firm, Rimi and Partners; the EFCC stated that Coker’s wife, Mrs Aisha Rimi, was the sole proprietor.
The court also ordered the accounts of Ekosina Investment Ltd, SW Properties Ltd, Imira Trade and Global Services Ltd, Lofty Investment Nigeria Ltd, Pure Technical Services Ltd and Cablepoint Ltd among others to be frozen.
Despite the baggage, President Bola Tinubu on October 15 appointed Rimi as the new CEO of NIPC.
Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested an unlicensed foreign exchange dealer, Chike Agada for alleged N2 billion fraud.
EFCC in a statement said Agada, a native of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, was declared wanted by the Commission on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.
He was declared wanted for obtaining money by false pretence and stealing by conversion to the tune of N2 billion.
The 37-year-old was arrested at a residence in the Bourdillion, Ikoyi area of Lagos on Monday, October 16, 2023 during a sting operation by operatives of the Commission, following credible intelligence linking him to the alleged scam.
Upon arrest, a mobile device was recovered from him.
He will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded, EFCC said.
Fraudsters took advantage of system glitch in Globus Bank’s USSD application between Monday 6th and Saturday 11th of June 2022 to process several fraudulent and unauthorized electronic transfer
Global Bank Limited, one of the new entrants into the Nigerian banking sector, led by Peter Amangbo as chairman and Elias Igbinakenzua as its chief executive officer, is in the news for the wrong reason, according to The Witness newspaper.
The bank has filed an application before a Lagos high court seeking an order for recovery of a total sum of N962,019,843.35 fraudulently transferred electronically from its vault into accounts domiciled in eight commercial banks.
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The N962m is part of the total N1,755,376,156.34 transferred from the bank between Monday 6th and Saturday 11th of June 2022. The bank has already recovered the sum of N817,998,969.85 from the accounts of the fraudsters.
The development has however raised concerns as financial analysts say that the bank’s security system may be either weak, poor or not up to industry standard.
In an affidavit sworn to by the legal officer, Kosisochukwu Ngene, Globus bank said fraudsters took advantage of system glitch in its USSD application between Monday 6th and Saturday 11th of June 2022 to process several fraudulent and unauthorized electronic transfer totalling N1,755,376,156.34 (One Billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty-Five Million, Three Hundred and Seventy-Six Thousand, One Hundred Fifty-Six Naira thirty four kobo.
The bank said 709 people who were its customers were involved in the fraudulent transfer of the funds to accounts domiciled in eight commercial banks.
It added that immediately it discovered the glitch, it instantaneously notified all the banks involved and requested that the beneficiary accounts be restricted.
This, Globus Bank said was in line with Central bank of Nigeria regulation to avoid dissipation of the funds fraudulently transferred into the accounts domiciled with the banks.
“Subsequently, Globus bank immediately approached the Magistrate Court, in the Yaba Magisterial District and obtained an order directing the banks to freeze and reverse the amount fraudulently transferred into various accounts domiciled in the banks.
“That in response to the order served on the respondents some of the respondents were able to salvage certain sum wherein the total sum of N817,998,969.85 were returned to the bank while the total sum of N962,019,843.35 is still outstanding and yet to be returned to the bank by the respondents banks.
The Excel sheet which contains the names of the respondents the total amount fraudulently transfered from Globus bank,the total amount salvaged and returned to the Globus and the total amount outstanding is analyze was also filed before the court.
Globus Bank said it still requires the order of the high court to enable the other banks to reverse and remit the salvaged funds to it.
It added that the other banks have requested an order of the high court, to enable them reverse and remit the salvaged funds.
“Consequently,Globus bank Limited is seeking the following reliefs from the court.
“An Order of the Court directing all the eight banks to immediately reverse and remit to, Globus bank Limited the total sum of N962,019,843.35 (Nine hundred and sixty two million, nineteen thousand , eight hundred and forty three naira, thirty five kobo), being the outstanding sum yet to be salvaged from the fraudulent transfer into several accounts domiciled with the eight Respondents from the Globus bank 709 customers’ accounts, less depleted sum.
“An order directing the eight commercial banks to release all account information in respect of the destination accounts and the beneficiaries of the transfer funds “And for such further order(s) as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case.”
Osemwengie’s company would send photographs of farms that did not belong to them to investors
Harrison Osemwengie, the founder of HO Corn, has been declared wanted by Interpol over a multibillion-naira investment fraud.
Osemwengie was on a media campaign in February 2020, where he talked about his firm’s offer of a 50 per cent return on investment (ROI) after six months to anyone willing to take advantage of it.
Osemwengie had said that his company would be able to pay the agreed 50 per cent ROI adding that the business was well insured in the event of a disaster.
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People subscribed in droves to the farm after the appearance. However, no promised ROI was paid.
Osemwengie’s company would send photographs of farms that did not belong to them to investors.
In July 2020, investors began to complain about non-payment of promised ROIs, raising doubts about the company’s authenticity.
When this happened, HO Corn quickly issued a statement blaming the pandemic and the lockdown for its inability to make payment. It, however, promised that by August, investors would get their money.
Shortly after, the company left its third-floor office at the Africa Reinsurance Building, Karimu Kotun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, without informing its investors.
Despite mentioning that the company had 30,000 acres of farmland in Ofiki, near Iseyin in Oyo, it was established in December 2020 by curious investors that the land being used as a cornfield by the company was not as big as claimed, Foundation for Investigative Journalism reports.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Gombe Zonal Command, on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, secured the conviction of a former Minister of Water Resources in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Sarah Ochekpe and two others, Evan Leo Sunday Jitong and Raymond Dabo, deputy director for Goodluck/Sambo 2015 election campaign and former Acting Chairman of PDP, Plateau State respectively.
The Ochekpe and two others are expected to spend 6 years in prison following their alleged involvement in the N450 million fraud.
Recall that the EFCC, Gombe Zonal office had on Monday, January 22, 2018 arraigned the trio of Sarah Ochekpe, Evan Leo Sunday Jitong and Raymond Dabo before Justice H. M. Kurya of the Federal High Court ,Jos, Plateau State, on two-count charge bordering on money laundering.
They were alleged to have received the sum of N450million out of N23billion brought to a Bank through cash and wire transfer by some oil companies and former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, to influence electorates and the outcome of 2015 Presidential Election.
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Investigations showed that after receiving the money in their custody, the Bank’s headquarters used its state branches to channel the distribution of the election loot through CBN to individual states of the Federation.
Specifically, on March 26, 2015, the sum of N450million was withdrawn from CBN by the Bank Jos main branch and it was handed over to the defendants in cash after they signed for collection.
Though the defendants claimed that they handed over the money to late Senator Gyang Pwajok, the Plateau State PDP Governorship candidate in 2015, they failed to provide any evidence to support their claim.
Count one of the charge reads:
“That you, SARAH RINGIM OCHEKPE, EVAN LEO SUNDAY JITONG, RAYMOND DABO and MRS DIEZANI ALISON MADUEKE ( NOW AT LARGE) sometimes in March 2015 at Jos, Plateau state of Nigeria within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without going through the Financial Institution, did conspire amongst yourselves to accept cash payment of the sum of Four Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N450,000,000.00) from MRS. DIEZANI ALISON MADUEKE through Fidelity Bank Plc which sum exceeded the amount authorised by Law and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provisions of Section 18 (a), Section 16 (1) (d) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act 2012 (as amended) and Punishable under Section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.
The anti-graft agency, however, on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, secured the conviction of Sarah Ochekpe, Evan Leo Sunday Jitong and Raymond Dabo. The trio are to spend at least six years in prison.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has interrogated the Managing Director of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Aliyu Abdulhameed, over the alleged wheat scandal.
Sources at EFCC and NIRSAL informed that Abdulhameed was quizzed last Friday and Tuesday this week, according to Daily Trust.
However, the MD had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Men of the EFCC had last week reportedly visited the NIRSAL office in Abuja and invited several top officials for questioning on their roles in the wheat project scandal.
Those earlier quizzed included the Assistant Head of Finance, the Head of Procurement and his assistant as well as all consultants working with NIRSAL.
Also invited, according to sources, were directors of three companies guaranteed loans for the N5.6bn wheat project for farmers in Kano and Jigawa States in 2018.
The companies are Mainframe Agricultural Investment Limited, Forest Hill Agricultural Development Limited and Woodfarm Agricultural Limited.
Their invitations were sequel to an investigative report on how the multi-billion naira loan guaranteed by NIRSAL for three companies for the cultivation-to-harvest of 20,000 hectares of dry season wheat the two states was allegedly diverted for other purposes by the investor companies in connivance with NIRSAL officials.
Following the report, the head of NIRSAL’s Project Monitoring Reporting and Remediation Offices, Steven Ogidan, alongside all the consultants, was also said to have spent almost a week at the EFCC.
Ogidan, who oversees the PRMO’s in all the states of the federation, was said to have been interrogated and asked to go and await further invitations.
The Managing Director of Medview Airline, Mr. Muneer Bankole, has been arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested and detained over an alleged hajj fund scam.
The Medview air boss is expected to account for over $900,000 in connection with Hajj operations.
According to information gathered, the transactions between Bankole and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) took place in 2019.
It was also gathered that, Mr Bankole, who was invited by the EFCC, arrived at the commission’s complex at 11 am on Monday.
“The MD was invited by the anti-graft agency over a case of alleged diversion of 50 per cent of funds paid to him by the National Hajj Commission and additional $900,000 USD for the airlift of pilgrims in 2019.
“He allegedly received the funds as mobilization but did not execute the contract.”
Wilson Uwujaren, the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, has reportedly confirmed the arrest.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Saturday, 29 January, detained the
Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu.
Okechukwu reportedly arrived at the EFCC headquarters in
Abuja around 1:30 pm on Saturday, following an invitation regarding a case of
alleged conspiracy, abuse of office, and misappropriation of public funds.
He is said to be undergoing questions for allegedly
embezzling N1.3 billion, and is still in the custody of the EFCC.
The EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren who reportedly confirmed
the invitation of the VON chief executive, however, declined to provide further
details.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned till March 11 further hearing in the $32 million fraud charge filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation against a Lagos socialite, Princess Toyin Kolade and 10 others.
Justice Peter Lifu, on Friday, fixed the date after both the prosecution and defence counsel adopted their respective written addresses on whether or not to hear the charge first or the objection to the charge filed by the defendant’s lawyer.
On the last adjourned date, the judge asked counsel to both parties to address him on the contending issue of Section 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA and fixed today for the adoption of the written addresses.
On July 17, 2021, Kolade, who was installed the Iyalaje Oodua on July 17, 2021by His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi in Ife.
The Lagos known socialite is one of 11 people currently facing a 10-count charge of $32million fraud preferred against them by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF).
At the resumed hearing of the matter today, counsel informed the court that they had filed their respective addresses as directed by the court and were given the go-ahead to adopt same.
Justice Lifu consequently adjourned till March 11 for the ruling.
The judge had on last December 3, raised the issue of Section 396 of ACJA and asked the defence counsel to address him on it when the defendant brought an application to quash the charge against her without first taking her plea before the court.
The AGF’s office had dragged the 11 defendants before the court on charges bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and fraud of $32 million.
Other defendants in the charge are; four India nationals – Prem Garg, Devashish Garg, Bhagwan Simgh Rawat and Mukul Tyagi – and two Britons – Marcus Wade and Andrew Fairie – said to be at large.
Also, four companies – Metal Africa Steel Products Limited, Wilben Trade Limited, Fisolak Global Resources Limited and Kannu Aditya India Limited – were also charged before the court on the alleged offences.
However, counsel to Princess kolade, Mr Dele Adesina SAN filed a motion asking the court to quash the charge preferred against the 7th and 10th Defendants/Applicants.
In the alternative, he prayed the court to strike out the names of the 7th and 10th defendants in the charge for several reasons.
They are: The charge and the proof of evidence failed to disclose any prima facie case and/or link or connect the 7th and 10th defendants/applicants to the commission of the alleged offences charged.
The Police Investigation Report Issued by the Commissioner of Police, Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Annex, Lagos which formed the basis of the Criminal Prosecution did not implicate the 7th and 10th Defendants/Applicants in any way or form.
The Police Investigation Report sufficiently cleared the 7th and 10th Defendants/Applicants from the commission of the alleged offences.
The 7th Defendant/Applicant is a clean, clear and responsible personality in the society and it will be unfair and unjust to drag her name and that of her Company (the 10th Defendant/Applicant) doing a lawful business into a criminal trial for offences they know nothing about.
The essence of this objection is to terminate the proceedings without this Honourable Court dissipating unnecessary energies to consider this unworthy and fruitless matter as it relates to the 7th and 10th Defendants/Applicants.
The justice of this case demands that the names of the 7th and 10th Defendants/Applicants be struck out from the charge.
The 7th and 10th Defendants/Applicants shall rely on the charge together with all other processes, Statements, Reports and documents filed by the prosecution in this case for the hearing of this application.
In a 24-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Abdul-Malik Abdul-Mutalib, a lawyer in Adesina’s law firm, the defendants had been doing clearing business at the NPA for many years without any blemish or stain whatsoever.
A Federal High sitting in Lagos on Thursday summoned the
former Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Olufemi
Martins Thomas, who is standing trial for an alleged N2.1billion fraud.
Justice Ayokunle Faji made the order following Thomas’
absence at the resumption of proceedings in the case on Thursday.
Thomas is standing trial alongside Kabiru Sidi, a Bureau De
Change operator, on an amended seven-count charge bordering on money laundering
brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The matter has suffered several adjournments since March 30,
2020 when the court dismissed Thomas’ no-case submission and ordered him to
open his defence.
At the commencement of proceedings yesterday, Thomas’ counsel
Kunle Gbolahan was in court, but the second defendant’s lawyer was not.
An angry EFCC counsel Mr. Ekele Iheanacho, who noted that the
day’s proceedings was for the 1st defendant to open his defence, blamed the defence
for the several delays in proceedings.
According to the prosecutor, the defendants seemed to always
come up with one reason or the other to abort proceedings.
He lamented that he had to travel to and fro Abuja for each
court date, accusing the defendants of holding everyone to ransom.
He stated that he would have applied for the revocation of
the defendants’ bail, but for the explanation of the counsel to the 1st
defendant who approached him in the morning explaining that they were not aware
of the day’s trial date.
He threatened to make a formal application for revocation of
the defendants’ bail and issuance of bench warrants for their arrest on the
next adjourned date of 24th November 2021.
Defending himself, counsel to the 1st defendant apologised to
the court for Thomas’ absence, adding that he was only aware of the 24 and 26th
November dates and not the day’s proceedings.
Responding, the Judge warned the defendants not to take the
court for granted.
He said the court would issue a summons to be served on the
defendants for the next hearing date adding that their failure to attend court
would leave the court with no other choice than to revoke their bails.
The court directed the prosecutor to serve the defendants
with the summons and adjourned till December 3, 2021.
She is one of 11 people currently facing a 10-count charge of $32million fraud preferred against them
AFederal High Court in Lagos has summoned a lawyer Mr O. Awowole to show cause why he should not be sanctioned for failing to present a defendant, Princess Oluwatoyin Kolade, that he allegedly undertook to produce in court, according to Witnessngr.
Justice Peter Lifu ordered Awowole to appear on Tuesday, November 9, following Kolade’s failure to honour a hearing notice for her arraignment last Thursday on an alleged $32 million fraud charge.
The lawyer was also absent when the matter, marked: FHC/L/407C/2019 was called.
Recall that on July 17, 2021, Kolade was installed the Iyalaje Oodua by His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Babatunde Adeyeye Ogunwusi in Ife.
She is one of 11 people currently facing a 10-count charge of $32million fraud preferred against them by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF).
The defendants include four Indian men – Prem Garg, Devashish Garg, Bhagwan Simgh Rawat and Mukul Tyagi and two Britons – Marcus Wade and Andrew Fairie, said to be at large.
The others, apart from Kolade, are Metal Africa Steel Products Ltd, Wilben Trade Ltd, Fisolak Global Resources Ltd and Kannu Aditya India Ltd.
At the commencement of proceedings, a Deputy Director from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Akutah Pius, reminded the court that when he applied for a Bench Warrant for the defendants’ arrest, Awowole undertook to produce Kolade in court.
He said the counsel not only failed to do so, neither he nor Kolade were present in court.
Pius prayed for an adjournment to enable the defendants to appear, arguing that Awowole should face the consequences of his action.
He further prayed the court to renew a bench warrant issued for the defendants by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo who handled the case before her transfer to the court’s Abeokuta division.
Responding to the judge’s query as to why the prosecution failed to produce the other defendants, despite an arrest warrant and an extradition order, Pius explained the Federal Government was collaborating with Interpol on that, adding that extradition was challenging and takes time.
He stated that his intention was to arraign the defendant that resides in Lagos while the extradition process was ongoing for those abroad.
Pius also applied that since counsel to the 3rd, 4th and 9th defendants, Mr Dele Belgore, SAN, was present, the court should appoint him as a special bailiff to serve the charge on his clients.
Belgore countered that his instruction was only to file a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court from entertaining the charge and to discharge the warrant of arrest earlier issued by the court.
Justice Lifu disagreed with the Silk, adding “If they briefed you, where are they? Did they brief you from the sky?”
The judge, in a short ruling, ordered that Awowole should appear on Tuesday to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
The judge also set the two motions filed by Belgore down for hearing.
