Connect with us

Crime & Court

EFCC removes Benedict Peters From ‘Wanted’ List

Published

on

NIGERIA’S antigraft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has conformed with the order of Nigeria’s High Court, directing the removal of the name of the Executive Vice Chairman of Aiteo Group, Benedict Peters, from its list of wanted persons. 

This action confirms EFCC’s compliance with the judgment handed down in March 2018, by Justice O.A. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. Justice Musa had ordered that Peters’ name be taken down from the anti-graft agency’s website, describing the process leading to his declaration as ‘wanted’ by EFCC as unconstitutional, since it was not initiated or validated by any known law or court order.

Reacting to this development, renowned Constitutional and Human Rights Lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, said: “We wish to commend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), under the leadership of Ibrahim Magu, for living up to its commitment to uphold the rule of law and obey the order of a competent court to remove the name of  the Mr. Benedict Peters, from its list of wanted individuals. The EFCC has shown a deep regard for the sanctity of the nation’s legal system, and we can confirm that Peters’ name has been cleared. In view of this and based on the fact that the decision by EFCC is premised on a court order, Peters has been legally excluded from the list of wanted persons in Nigeria. He can therefore continue his lawful business and enjoy his constitutionally guaranteed rights.”

The EFCC in March 2017 declared Peters wanted on its website. However, in response to suit, FCT/HC/CV/23/2017, the court reached the incontrovertible conclusion that Peters has never been charged with, nor tried for any criminal offence in any court of law, nor has he ever jumped bail for any offence howsoever in Nigeria and cannot be declared wanted by administrative fiat without any prior order or leave of court.  In the proceedings challenging EFCC’s actions, Justice Musa declared that “…the very act of declaring the Applicant (Benedict Peters) a WANTED PERSON on the official website of the 1st Respondent (EFCC) without any prior order or leave of a Court of competent jurisdiction to that effect is unlawful, illegal, wrongful, ultra vires, unconstitutional and constitutes a flagrant violation of the Fundamental rights of the Applicant to personal liberty, private and family life, freedom of movement and Right to not to be subjected to inhuman treatment and degrading treatment as guaranteed under Section 34, 37, 41 and 46 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended) and Articles 2, 3(1) & (2), 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004”.

ALSO READ  Not yet ‘Uhuru’ as court fixes date for final forfeiture of money linked to Patience Jonathan

Benedict Peters has recorded successful outcomes in three other cases, including one overturning the forfeiture of his properties which were wrongfully included in a list of properties belonging allegedly belonging to a former minister forfeited by court orders.

Comments

Crime & Court

Ex-Oyo PMS Boss, Auxiliary Paraded for Murder, Other Crimes

Published

on

By

 

Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Hamzat Adebola, on Thursday, paraded the former Chairman of the Park Management System, Lamidi Mukaila, commonly known as Auxiliary.

The arrest came following months of pursuit after the Department of State Services detained Auxiliary at his Olodo residence in Ibadan, the state capital, on the penultimate Tuesday.

Mukaila had been on the run since the police declared him wanted for his alleged involvement in a string of armed robbery, kidnapping, and murder cases.

Adebola, addressing the media while parading the suspect at the state police command, emphasised that Mukaila would face charges in court.

He stated, “Discreet intelligence-led search commenced for the sacked PMS chieftain with the help of technology, collaborative efforts with sister services and community policing, many locations were identified, traced and combed for months until his recent arrest in a concerted effort with our sister services.”

The Commissioner outlined the extensive list of exhibits recovered from Mukaila’s possession at his Diamond Hotel residence around Alakia-Isebo Egbeda under Egbeda Local Government Area.

The recovered items include one AK-47 Rifle, four AK-47 magazines, 84 live AK-47 Ammunitions, 19 pump-action rifles, one Barreta pistol, seven cut-to-size guns, one English-made Barrel Gun, 724 live cartridges, 25 cutlasses, Seven Jack knives, 33 mobile phones, one Samsung laptop, charms, one Mazda Bus, one Toyota Sienna, and a cash sum of N3,450,000.00.

ALSO READ  Harvest of cyber criminals as EFCC arrests 39 suspects in Osun , Ogun

Continuing, the Police chief affirmed that Mukaila would be charged to court for the offenses committed.

He expressed gratitude to the public for providing credible information to help curb crime in the state.

Adebola also reiterated the commitment of the command to deal decisively with any criminally motivated individual or group aiming to regress the state into the historical dark ages of the “Wild West.”

Continue Reading

Crime & Court

Mother of 5 Convicted for Forging Late Abba Kyari’s Signature

Published

on

By

A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja has delivered its verdict in the case involving Mrs. Ramat Mba, a mother of five children, accused of forging the signature of the late Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Presiding over the case, Justice Ibrahim Mohammad deferred Mrs. Mba’s sentencing until Thursday, the 16th of May, 2024. However, he directed that she be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had initially arraigned Mrs. Mba in June 2022 on a 5-count charge including cheating, fraud, and forgery, contravening various sections of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 200 and the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

During the trial, ICPC’s Prosecutor, Mr. Hamza Sani, presented evidence detailing how Mrs. Mba allegedly deceived job seekers by promising them employment with government agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), National Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA), and the ICPC.

Specifically, Mrs. Mba was accused of fraudulently inducing a job seeker to pay N700,000 into her private account under the guise of securing employment at the National Space Research and Development Agency.

Moreover, documentary evidence revealed that Mrs. Mba forged a letterhead from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President and Abba Kyari’s signature.

ALSO READ  Kogi West Senatorial: 'We Are Not Afraid To Go For A Rerun', Smart Adeyemi Reacts To Tribunal's Judgement,

The forged letter, addressed to the Chairman of ICPC, requested the recruitment of three individuals by the Commission.

However, a correspondence from the late Chief of Staff distanced his office from authorising such a letter.

In his judgment, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad convicted Mrs. Mba on counts 1, 2, 3, and 5, related to cheating and forgery, while she was discharged on count 4, which pertains to felony.

Continue Reading

Crime & Court

EFCC nets 64 suspected internet fraudsters in Osun raid {Photos}

Published

on

 

Investigators of the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, made a significant breakthrough on Wednesday, as they apprehended sixty-four suspected internet fraudsters in Osun State.

The crackdown targeted Ede, Osun State, where the suspects were allegedly engaging in various fraudulent activities.

According to Dele Oyewale, the Head of Media & Publicity for the EFCC, the arrests followed actionable intelligence gathered by the agency.

Among the items seized during the operation were 18 exotic vehicles, 18 laptops, 112 mobile phones, three PlayStation games, five motorcycles, and a trove of incriminating documents.

These seizures underscore the scale and sophistication of the suspected cybercriminals’ operations.

The EFCC stated that the suspects will face legal proceedings once investigations are concluded.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Tweets by ‎@megaiconmagg

Subscribe to our Newsletter

* indicates required

MegaIcon Magazine Facebook Page

Advertisement

MEGAICON TV

Trending