LAGOS COURT JAILS NOGASA CHAIR, FATUYI PHILLIPS 21 YEARS FOR N43. 5M FRAUD. (PHOTO). #PRESS RELEASE

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 Lagos Court Jails NOGASA Chair, Fatuyi Phillips 21 Years  for N43.5m Fraud    Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, November 18, 2024, convicted and sentenced Fatuyi Yemi Philips, Chairman, Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria, NOGASA, to 21 years imprisonment for N43.5m fraud.   The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on April 5, 2022, arraigned Philips alongside his firm, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited, on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N43, 502,000.00   Count one reads: "Fatuyi Yemi Philips and Oceanview Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited, on or about the 28th day of September, 2016 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of N43, 502,000.00 from Elochukwu Okoye and Elebana Unique Ventures Nigeria Limited on behalf of WAPCIL Nigeria Limited under the false rep

MAN BAGS JAIL TERM FOR CURRENCY RACKETEERING IN LAGOS. (PHOTO). #PRESS RELEASE.


 Man Bags Jail Term for Currency Racketeering in Lagos 

 

The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 secured the conviction and sentencing of one Fabian John Itafor before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos for an offence bordering on currency racketeering. 


He was arraigned on a one- count charge.

The count reads: “That you, Fabian John Itafor on or about the 24th day of February. 2024 at Leisure Event Center, Wale Olateju Street, Victoria Island, in Lages within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court hawked the sum of N347,000.00 (Three Hundred and Forty-seven Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(4)l of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007."


He pleaded “guilty” to the charge when it was read to him.


Following his guilty plea,   prosecuting counsel, A.S. Wara  called on Jude Owolabi, an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the case.


Owolabi told the court that the defendant was arrested on February 24, 2024 , hawking naira notes at Leisure Event Center, Wale Olateju Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.


 "His arrest followed credible intelligence received by the Commission," he said. According to him, ATM cards, a POS machine, N347,000, $1 and 5 euros were recovered from him at the point of arrest.


“In his statement, he confessed that he was into money racketeering and hawking of Naira notes," he said. Defence counsel, Kolapo Gbadamosi, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy by granting him a non-custodial sentence or an option of fine.

Justice Ogundare convicted and sentenced him to three months community service with an option of fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira Only).


The Judge also ordered that the POS machine, N347,000, $1 and 5euro recovered from him at the point of arrest  be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

 

Itafor bagged his imprisonment by flouting extant laws against Naira mutilation.  


Specifically,  he was arrested for hawking new Naira notes for commercial purposes.  


He was later prosecuted and convicted.

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