N5.5m fraud: Court revokes bail against ex-PHCN staff

The FCT High Court has revoked an earlier bail granted Solomon Ndam, an ex-staff of defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) standing trial on multiple allegations of fraud.

Justice Jude Okeke revoked the bail on Thursday following an application and withdrawal of his surety, Mr. Tijani Haruna, from rendering the services.

Okeke remanded Ndam in Kuje prison pending the time he would get a new surety.

“In the light of this, all documents belonging to Haruna are to be returned to him, by this ruling, therefore, the applicant sizes to be responsible to the accused in a manner earlier agreed,” he said.

Ndam is standing trial on a 13-count charge of forgery, impersonation and obtaining N5.5 million by false pretence from an unsuspecting victim.

The Counsel to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Samuel Okeleke, entered his fielded his fifth prosecution witness, Mr. Olushola Adewumi.

Adewumi, a staff of the First Bank of Nigeria Plc., said he received a subpoena to produce certain documents relating to the case in court.

“One of the persons the accused allegedly cheated is a customer of the bank and he is among our customers captured in the bank’s database as shown in the bank’s mandate. This includes his picture, name and signature.

“We also produced the certificate of identification of the customer and the name of the account is Babatunde Kolawole”, Adewumi said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the documents were admitted as exhibits.

Ndam allegedly obtained the money from some unsuspecting persons, claiming that he would help them acquire plots of land being sold by PHCN.

The offence is punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990.

The Judge adjourned the matter to Oct. 25 for the continuation of trial.

Comments

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...

Global Naija Info

Search This Blog