Crime & Court
Controversy trails seized property, cash of E-Money, late kidnap kingpin
Controversy is currently trailing the seizure of property and cash belonging to a suspected kidnapper, Collins Ezenwa, popularly known as E-Money, who was killed during a gun battle with policemen attached to Imo State Command in January last year. This followed allegations by widow of the late kidnap kingpin that operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, had converted her late husband’s property and cash to their personal use, as well as a report which went viral, accusing head of the unit, DCP Abbah Kyari, of illegally depleting late Ezenwa’s assets.
Police Police Late Ezenwa, 31, was a Police Corporal, until November 2017. He was alleged to have coordinated several kidnaps and robberies in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Rivers states and was on the verge of kidnapping a South African-based businessman, when he was confronted by the Police.
Thirteen of his property scattered across the South-East were traced by the IRT operatives. They included a hotel in Enugu State, seven others in Owerri and Okigwe areas of Imo State and one in Aba, Abia State. Also, seven cars, two Sports Utility Vehicles, one Hilux truck, a commercial bus, two tipper-lorries and a trailer truck were recovered at several locations within the South-East, by the operatives. He was nicknamed E-Money owing to what was described as his stupendous wealth and generosity.
However, an online medium quoted the Nigeria Human Rights Commission, NHRC, and Amnesty International of accusing the IRT of gross human rights abuses and illegal expropriation of suspected proceeds of crime. The report alleged that De-Inglish Hotels and Resort in Enugu, owned by the deceased kidnapper and estimated at N220 million, was taken over by the IRT, adding that it had been receiving proceeds of lodging and other services in private bank accounts.
It further alleged that eight blocks of flats on 21, Edinburgh Road, New Layout, Enugu, which was also linked to late Ezenwa, was being managed by the police squad. Furthermore, the report mentioned Tochukwu Okeke and Ozougwu Stanislaus , as account holders of two bank accounts which the NHRC alleged earnings from the hotel and flats were being paid into.
IRT reacts In a swift reaction to the allegations, Commander, IRT, DCP Abba Kyari, described them as unverified lies by widow of the deceased kidnapper. Kyari said: “We have nothing to do with a private account carrying names of people from the South -East, flaunted by the kidnapper’s wife. In this BVN era, bank accounts can easily be investigated and cash movements and owners can easily be traced and arrested for questioning.
“They are all lies from the wife of a kidnap kingpin, who we refused to negotiate with. The family of the kidnapper begged to settle with us but we refused and they vowed to spend money to spoil our names, as all their efforts to transfer the case out of our office failed.
“They now went to a media outfit that is not ready to verify the authenticity of the stories from the kidnapper’s wife who jumped bail given to her on compassionate ground because of her baby. “She has vowed to enjoy the proceeds of her late kidnapper husband’s crime as if there are no laws in this country. We are suing the media outfit for linking our names to some fictitious/unknown accounts carrying names of people from the South -East. “I have never seen those accounts and they will tell the court why they are linking me to an account I know nothing about.
“Moreover, all the exhibits which included 13 houses, 13 vehicles and N100 million cash, we froze in the late kidnap kingpin’s bank account, using court order, are intact, while motion for their forfeiture to the Federal Government is before the Owerri High Court. “We are not relenting.
We are used to this type of baseless accusations/lies coming when uncompromising officers are handling cases of billionaire kidnappers like this. Everybody saw the lies from Evans billionaire kidnapper, his lawyers and wife. “The moment you refuse to negotiate with them, they will sponsor lies against you in anger. Had we agreed to negotiate with the family of the dead kidnap kingpin, nobody would have heard of this case. “We have nothing to hide, we want anybody or organisation to investigate this matter and see the truth.
” More revelations Meanwhile, sources at the IRT, disclosed yesterday, that operatives who were on E-Money’s trail before he was gunned down, had earlier apprehended him during a robbery operation in Owerri, Imo State, alongside some bankers and a real estate agent working for him.
The source explained that IRT operatives discovered that E-Money also had links to a notorious robbery gang which specialised in hijacking oil vessels on the high seas and selling off its products to waiting buyers. It was gathered one of his friends identified simply as Onyekere, had advised him(E-money) to quit his police job and travel out of the country to avoid suspicion.
Vanguard learned that E-Money left his police job, travelled out of the country for weeks and when he returned, bought a hotel in Enugu and also made a deposit of N100 million into a fixed deposit account, to which his wife was also a signatory.
The source said: “We commenced our investigations into the activities of this criminal in October 2017, while he was a policeman, after one Emmanuel and David Ofong were kidnapped along Nsukka-Kogi Road, Enugu by a gang of kidnappers and a ransom of $2 million was paid for the release of one of the victims, David Ofong, while the kidnappers held on to Emmanuel Ofong, demanding for additional money.
“We went into the case and through the aid of advance technology we were able to establish that E-money was the man behind the kidnapping but we had difficulty arresting him then because he was always moving in and out of the country.
“Shockingly, we heard, in 2018 that he has been killed alongside two members of his gang. But since Chief Emmanuel Ofong, who he kidnapped was still missing, we continued our case with the hope of arresting other members of his gang. “In the process, we arrested a banker working for him and he informed us that his wife had a fixed deposit account credited with N100 million. We also arrested a property agent, who assisted him in buying his property.”
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a Delhi-bound passenger, Freeman Charles Ogbonna, at the screening point of terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.
Ogbonna was detained for ingesting 80 wraps of cocaine.
The arrest took place on Sunday, March 31, 2024, as Ogbonna attempted to board a flight to Delhi, India via Doha on Qatar Airways.
He was in possession of a Liberian international passport under the name Carr Bismark.
According to NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the suspect underwent a body scan which detected the presence of illicit drugs. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Ogbonna’s real identity was Freeman Charles Ogbonna.
He was then placed under NDLEA observation, where he began to exhibit signs of discomfort.
“Obviously choked by the volume of illicit drugs in his stomach and another substance taken to hold back excretion, the suspect soon began to retch before starting to vomit and excrete wraps of cocaine he ingested almost simultaneously,” Babafemi stated.
“Over four days, Ogbonna expelled a total of 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 889 grams through his mouth and anus. Despite the grave risk to his life, Ogbonna claimed he was coerced into drug trafficking by a relative. He confessed that he was given the drugs to swallow at a hotel in the Ipodo area of Ikeja, with a promise of a cash reward of N300,000 upon successful delivery of the consignment in India”.
The NDLEA has since detained Ogbonna as investigations continue into the drug trafficking operation.
The Federal High Court in Lagos has set April 9, 2024, as the date to sentence the controversial cross-dresser and social media sensation, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.
This decision came after Bobrisky pleaded guilty to a four-count charge of Naira abuse brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Abimbola Awogboro, who presided over the case, reserved the date for the sentencing.
The courtroom proceedings commenced promptly at 11:55 am, with Mr. Sulaiman Sulaiman representing the EFCC, and Mr. Ayo Olumofin appearing for the defendant.
During the session, Justice Awogboro directed Bobrisky to uncover his face, previously obscured by a black hijab, which he complied with.
The EFCC initially filed a six-count charge against Bobrisky, but the prosecutor, Sulaiman, requested the court to strike out counts five and six due to an agreement reached with the defendant.
Justice Awogboro granted the request, leaving counts one to four for consideration.
Bobrisky pleaded guilty to each of the four counts, confirming his understanding of the charges brought against him.
The EFCC prosecutor proceeded to present the case’s facts, calling an EFCC Assistant Superintendent, Mr. Bolaji Temitope, as a witness. Temitope outlined how the EFCC became aware of Bobrisky’s actions through intelligence gathering and surveillance of social media activities.
The witness testified to several instances where Bobrisky was observed spraying Naira notes during events, supported by video evidence which was admitted by the court as exhibits.
In a bench ruling, Justice Awogboro convicted Bobrisky as charged, despite his plea for mercy and assertion of ignorance of the law.
Bobrisky, expressing remorse, requested a second chance to educate his followers on the consequences of Naira abuse, citing his substantial social media influence.
His legal counsel urged the court to consider a non-custodial sentence and an option of a fine, highlighting Bobrisky’s commitment to reform.
Sentencing has been adjourned till April 9, with Bobrisky facing the possibility of six months imprisonment, a fine of N50,000, or both, in accordance with Section 21(1) of the CBN Act 2007.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken legal action against Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky, filing a six-count charge against the social media personality.
Bobrisky is scheduled to appear before Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Friday to face the charges.
The charges brought forward by EFCC Prosecutor, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Rotimi Oyedepo, and seven other lawyers, include allegations related to both the abuse of the Naira and alleged money laundering.
The first four counts specifically focus on incidents where Bobrisky is accused of tampering with sums of money while dancing at various social events. These acts are purported to have occurred at different locations including the IMAX Circle Mall in Lekki, Aja Junction in Ikorodu, White Steve Event Hall in Ikeja, and an event in Oniru, Victoria Island.
In the fifth count, Bobrisky, operating under the business name Bob Express, is alleged to have failed to submit a declaration of the company’s activities to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering. During the period between September 1, 2021, and April 4, 2024, a total of N127.7 million was reportedly deposited into the company’s Ecobank account.
The sixth count further accuses Bobrisky of neglecting to submit a declaration of the company’s activities during the same period, during which an additional N53 million was deposited into the company’s account. These actions are said to contravene sections of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and are punishable under the same Act.
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