- Court jails serial conman
The trial of a former Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Dr. Ngozi Olejeme before Justice Maryam Hassan Aliyu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi Abuja could not continue because the defendant allegedly slumped at home before sitting.
According to her counsel, Paul Erokoro SAN, the defendant slumped at exactly 6:30 am while getting set for court, and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre Jabi, Abuja for medical attention. Erokoro presented a letter informing the court about the development and praying for an adjournment.
He further told the court that he could not present a medical report as the hospital was still reviewing her case. Responding, the prosecuting counsel, Sir Steve Odiase did not oppose the application for adjournment.
He said, “My lord, they served us with a letter seeking for an adjournment based on the defendant’s ill health, and being the defendant’s first time absenting herself in the court and for the interest of justice, we are not opposing their application seeking adjournment.
“Meanwhile, for record purposes, we came prepared with five witnesses in court, and all of them stood up for recognition,” he said.
Justice Aliyu thereafter adjourned the matter till April 13, 2022, for continuation of trial. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is prosecuting Olejeme on a nine-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering to the tune of over One Billion Naira.
Meanwhile, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has sentenced Mohammed Sani Zubair to two years imprisonment. Zubair, a serial fraudster was first arraigned on October 8, 2018, on four-count charges bordering on fraudulent dealings.
He was alleged to be a member of a syndicate that specialized in defrauding people, The Trumpet gathered.
Specifically, he was said to have defrauded a retired Army General to the tune of N180 million.
One of the counts against him read: “That you, Mohammed Sanni Zubair on or about October 2016, in Abuja, within the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did make a statement to Naziru Aminu Shehu, an officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in the course of the exercise of the duties of his office, contained in your written statement dated 28th October, 2016, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 39 (2) (a) and (b) of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004”.
He, however, pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to him. Based on his plea, prosecution counsel, Richards Dauda, prayed for an accelerated hearing of the matter.
Defence counsel, O. F Ekengba did not oppose the prayers. The trial lasted four years with the prosecution counsel presenting many witnesses. Justice Ojukwu in his ruling convicted and sentenced him to 2 years imprisonment. He, however, gave the convict an option of fine of N400,000.
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Zubair’s journey to the Correctional Centre started when children of one Major General Geoffrey Ejiga (rtd) petitioned the EFCC alleging that a syndicate of fraudsters took advantage of their father’s old age to defraud him of over N180 million.
The EFCC investigated the matter and found out that Zubair was involved in several other fraudulent dealings. He was eventually prosecuted and convicted by the court
