The arraignment of Lukman Sani Waziri, a former accountant of the Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, accused of a N245.9 million fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Malami Dogondaji of the Sokoto State High Court, Sokoto could not proceed today as planned due to a motion for the enforcement of fundamental human rights filed by the defendant.

He was to be arraigned on one count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and fraud to the tune of N249, 984, 847. 62 (Two Hundred and Forty-nine Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty-four Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty-seven Naira, Sixty-two Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platforms, while he worked as accountant with the Finance Department of Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital Sokoto.

When the case was called, prosecution counsel, S.H Sa’ad prayed the Court that the charge be read to the defendant for the purpose of entering a plea but defence counsel, J.E Ochidi SAN objected. He referred the Court to a pending fundamental human rights enforcement suit yet to be determined and sued for time to confer with his client and prepare a defence.

Justice Dogondaji ruled that the fundamental human rights suit pending is civil in nature and therefore cannot stop the criminal charge from proceeding, either way it is determined.

The Judge adjourned arraignment till March 18, 2021 to enable the defence to prepare while the defendant was remanded in EFCC custody.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal Office on Tuesday secured the conviction of one, Victor Chinemerem Ogaraku, for cryptocurrency fraud.

The 20-year-old was prosecuted by the Makurdi Zonal Office before Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State on one-count charge that borders on obtaining by false pretence.

The charge reads: “That you, Victor Chinemerem Ogaraku, sometime in November 2020, in Makurdi, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the aggregate sum of N257,500 from one Otokpa Joseph Orinya as payment for cryptocurrency, under the pretence that you have same for sale, which you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006″.

When the charge was read to him, the defendant pleaded ‘guilty’, prompting the prosecuting counsel, George Chia-Yakua, to ask the Court to convict him accordingly.

Justice Olajuwon pronounced him guilty and subsequently convicted and sentenced him to a fine of N50, 000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira) or six (6) months imprisonment.

He also ordered that the convict pay the sum of Two hundred and Fifty-seven Thousand Five Hundred Naira (N257, 500.00) to his victim as restitution

Fast raising Nigerian music Star Abbas Itopa Sanni popularly known as Aybeewon dubbed by many hip hop fans as the next Eminem has been murdered by unknown persons in Abuja.

The sad incident occurred on Saturday night, 6th February 2021, around Galadimawa roundabout in Abuja, less than a kilometer from his house. Abbas was 26 years old.

Abbas, a frontline artist of the Chungai Media Records, until his untimely death was a 1st year student of Computer Science at Nassarawa State University.

Police, who initially suspected the death as a case of late-night hit and run were however baffled when the mortician at The Federal Medical Centre Abuja, while cleaning the corps found several cuts on the body, one to the heart, on his arm, his thigh and his waist.

None of his belongings ( Phone, wallet, money ) were missing as at the time the body was found, which points to a clear case of murder. He was murdered by unknown persons in cold blood on his way back home from a studio session, the police are currently investigating the case as the body was dragged or he crawled for about a 100 meters to where it was found.

A statement signed by Charles Nsa, the A & R, at Chungai Media states that Abbas Itopa Sanni has since been buried according to Islamic rites.