Court To Deliver Judgment In FIRS Official’s Alleged N2bn Fraud Case 8th December.

The trial of Emmanuella Eteta Ita, Head of Stakeholders Unit of the Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS and her Surestart School Limited before Justice Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, with the judge slating December 8, 2025, for judgment.

Ita and Surestart School Ltd are standing trial on 25-count charges, bordering on criminal misappropriation, diversion, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering to the tune of N2bn.

The counsel to Ita, Paul Erokoro, SAN, called the attention of the court to his final address, dated December 10, 2014 and urged the court to dismiss the prosecution`s application and resolve the matter in favour of the defendant based on alleged claim of failure of the prosecution to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

He stated again that “On the receipt of the prosecution`s final address, the first defendant filed a reply dated 13th June 2025 and I hereby adopt the reply on point of law as the first defendant’s answer to the issues raised by the first defendant’s final written address. Once again, we urge your lordship to discharge and acquit the first defendant and we want to add that the prosecution refunds the N19.5m paid to the EFCC so that she can pay the money back to the lenders,” he said

In response, prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN informed the court of his final written address of January 10, 2025, filed the same date, served and adopted on June 16, 2025 and urged the court to convict the defendant as the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

He further drew the attention of the court to his written reply, stating, “If my lord finds the reply on the point of law to the prosecution’s final written address as an opportunity to re-argue issues canvassed in the main written address, consequently we urge your lordship to strike out their request”

Justice Ogunbanjo adjourned the matter till December 8,2025, for delivery of judgment.

The London Property that Exposes Nigeria’s Rot.

A quiet house at 79 Randall Avenue, North London, has become the unlikely centerpiece of one of the most extraordinary property fraud cases ever to involve two of Nigeria’s most prominent figures: the late General Jeremiah Useni and Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN.

That Nigerian politicians are corrupt is no news to anyone. What is remarkable is how their corruption is facilitated, even legitimized, by senior members of the Nigerian Bar in foreign courts. The case, decided in early September 2025 by the UK’s First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), revealed how this property – purchased in 1993 at the height of General Sani Abacha’s regime – was registered under the false name “Tali Shani.”

Decades later, the tribunal uncovered how this phantom identity was used to conceal Useni’s ownership and later became the basis of a failed attempt to pass the house to Chief Ozekhome. What emerged was a shocking tale of forgery, fabricated identities, and collusion between Nigeria’s political and legal elites.

Forged Identities and Fabricated Claims

The tribunal was tasked with resolving competing claims. On one side stood “Mr. Tali Shani,” produced by Chief Ozekhome as the supposed registered owner who had transferred the property to him in 2021. On the other was “Ms. Tali Shani,” presented by Nigerian law firm Edewor & Co. through their London agent, solicitor Kingsley Efemuai, who opposed the transfer. The stories quickly unraveled.

“Mr. Tali Shani” told the tribunal he bought the London house in 1993 at just 20 years old, using profits from selling sweets, mangoes, and cattle in Nigeria. He claimed he then appointed General Jeremiah Useni – then a powerful FCT Minister – as his property manager. The idea of a herdsman hiring a sitting general as property manager would be comical, if not absurd.

But “Ms. Tali Shani” was even more fantastical. Although she was the applicant in the matter, she never appeared throughout the proceeding. Her legal team submitted a raft of fraudulent documents: a forged Nigerian National Identification Number (NIN) slip that was created in Monaco, through an online loophole, a fake mobile phone bill later traced back to her lawyer Mohammed Edewor himself, and even a death certificate riddled with contradictions. When pressed on her absence from the proceedings, her lawyers first claimed she was gravely ill, then announced her sudden death in 2024, filing documents so sloppy they included a Sunday funeral scheduled on the wrong date.

Two men appeared as her supposed “son” and “cousin”. Their accounts contradicted each other and collapsed under questioning. When asked about picture of Ms. Shani’s funeral, one of the witnesses claimed the funeral photographer was “killed by bandits” immediately after the funeral.

But what was shocking at the end of the matter was that Ms. Shani never existed. She was the creation of some lawyer from the Nigeria law firm of Edewor & Co. Her legal team in Nigeria (Edewor & Co) and their London counterpart, Kingsley Efemuai, a London-based solicitor, submitted a bundle of fake documents to the tribunal in proof of her existence. When the charade unravelled under scrutiny, Mr. Efemuai abruptly withdrew from the case, leaving behind a trail of professional embarrassment.

Ex-Senator Andy Uba Fails To Appear In Court, Police Request Arrest Warrant In N400Million NDDC Fraud Case

Benue: Man arrested over fraud case dies in police custody.

A man identified as Fanen Kpenteman has reportedly died in Police custody in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

The deceased’s bank account was allegedly hacked by unknown persons, who used it to scam a Hausa trader at Market in Makurdi.

Mr Ukan Kurugh, a rights activist who reported the incident on his official facebook page, said when the trader traced the account used to defraud her, she found the picture of the deceased and assumed he was the criminal.

“She alerted/reported it to the Zone 4 Police Station, who came to his (deceased) workplace and picked him up and then handed him over to OPERATION ZENDA since Friday.

“From that moment, no one was allowed to see or speak to him.

“His family and friends were shut out completely.

“Then the worst happened, news broke that he had died in police custody, tortured to death for a crime he knew nothing about,” Kurugh said.

The activist said the incident is not a tragic mistake but a case of murder by the police.

Insisting that it is also a case of injustice and gross abuse of power by the police, he said, “And let me be clear, this is going to be a serious case between me and the men of the Nigeria Police Force, Benue State Command.”

The spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP, Udeme Edet, could not be reached to confirm the incident as calls to her mobile telephone were not answered.

Why prosecuting Yahoo boys appears faster than politicians EFCC spokesman.

Nigerians have often accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of showing more speed and precision in prosecuting internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo boys, compared to bringing politically exposed persons to justice.

But EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, dismissed these claims, saying the anti-graft agency applies the same level of commitment to all cases, whether cybercrime, contract fraud, or money laundering.

Speaking in a recent interview on Hard Facts with Nigeria Info FM, Oyewale denied that the EFCC treats politicians with kid gloves, insisting that delays in high-profile cases are largely due to the judicial process.

“As far as the criminal issues are concerned, and adjudication of cases in court and the operation of economic and financial crime, there are no low-hanging fruits; every crime is a crime,” he said.

Oyewale stressed that while internet fraud cases appear to move swiftly, trials involving politically exposed persons often require extensive preparation before charges are filed.

“Last year alone, five former governors were charged to court, five former ministers were charged to court. If you know what goes into the arraignment of one single politically exposed person, you’ll know that a lot of work has gone on.

“It’s the business of the court to determine the resolution of these cases, and if there’s a delay in the resolution, it should not be blamed on EFCC,” he explained.

He emphasised that the Commission’s mandate covers all financial crimes equally but pointed out that it is ultimately the courts, not the EFCC, that decide the pace and outcome of trials.

Trump Hails ‘Total Victory’ As US Court Quashes $464m Penalty

A New York appellate court on Thursday overturned the $464 million civil penalty imposed on US President Donald Trump in a fraud case, ruling the fine “excessive” and in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

While upholding the verdict that Trump inflated his wealth to secure favorable loans and insurance terms, the five-judge panel struck down the penalty originally imposed by Judge Arthur Engoron in February 2024.

Trump celebrated the ruling on Truth Social as a “total victory” and “witch hunt” defeat, while his son Don Jr. called it a “massive win.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who filed the case, could appeal to the state’s highest court.

#Trump #USPolitics #CourtRuling

New York appeals court throws out $500m fine against US President Donald Trump in fraud case.

Why I Defrauded America Of $4.2M”- Nigerian King Oba Joseph Oloyede Confesses In Court.

Oba Joseph Oloyede, the Apetu of Ipetumodu, pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court to a $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud case.

The court hearing took place on August 19, 2025, in front of Judge Christopher Boyko in the Northern District of Ohio.
Oloyede’s defense cited pandemic-related pressures and his personal health issues as factors influencing his actions in the fraud scheme.

The Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has admitted guilt in a U.S. federal court over a $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud case, a development that has sparked widespread reactions in both Nigeria and the United States.

At a hearing on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, before Judge Christopher Boyko of the Northern District of Ohio, his defense team argued that unusual pressures during the pandemic and his personal health struggles influenced his involvement in the scheme.

According to a sentencing memorandum cited by Peoples Gazette, Oloyede’s lawyers maintained that the COVID-19 outbreak created extreme social and financial pressures that drove individuals into unexpected actions. While stressing that the pandemic was not an excuse, they insisted it played a significant role in the monarch’s decisions.

The traditional ruler, who moved to the U.S. in the late 1990s, previously built a respectable career as a banker and adjunct lecturer before returning to Nigeria in 2019 to assume the throne of Ipetumodu. His attorneys described the case as a sharp break from his years of service, discipline, and leadership.

COVID-19 Drove Me Into $4.2m Fraud, Apetu of Ipetumodu Tells U.S. Court.

The Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has pleaded for leniency before a U.S. court after admitting guilt in a $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud case that has drawn widespread attention in both Nigeria and the United States.

In a sentencing memorandum filed on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, before Judge Christopher Boyko of the Northern District of Ohio, the monarch’s lawyers argued that the coronavirus pandemic played a major role in pushing him into the crime. “COVID-19 affected all of us differently.

Conduct that we would never expect from ourselves or others sometimes manifested itself as we encountered a completely different society,” his counsel stated, adding that while the pandemic was not an excuse, it was a key factor, especially for Mr. Oloyede, who faced health challenges during the outbreak.

The 62-year-old traditional ruler was arrested by the FBI in May 2024 after disappearing from Nigeria two months earlier, sparking concerns in Ipetumodu over his absence from major traditional festivals such as Odun Egungun and Odun Edi.

He was accused of using six companies to file fraudulent loan applications under the U.S. Paycheck Protection Programme and Economic Injury Disaster Loan schemes.

Court records revealed that Oba Oloyede, who migrated to the U.S. in the late 1990s, had previously built a respectable career as a banker and adjunct professor before returning to Nigeria in 2019 to assume the throne. His lawyers described the fraud as a complete departure from his past life of service and responsibility, stressing that he had shown remorse and accepted full responsibility.

Prosecutors disclosed that part of the fraud proceeds were laundered through personal and business accounts, leading to the seizure of a Medina County property in Ohio and over $96,000 from one of his company’s bank accounts.

He was granted bail after surrendering both his U.S. and Nigerian passports but has since remained under court restrictions pending sentencing. Oba Oloyede, a father of six and foster parent to several others, is now scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2025.

FBI, EOCO Seize Ghanaian Singer, Shatta Wale’s Lamborghini Over $4.7m Fraud Case.

Ghanaian music star, Charles Nii Armah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, is under investigation after his luxury car was seized in connection with a $4.7 million fr@ud case involving a convicted Ghanaian in the United States.

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) confirmed the seizure of a 2019 Lamborghini Urus from the artiste’s residence in Trassaco Valley Phase 1, Accra. The operation, carried out by EOCO’s Surveillance and Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), followed a 2023 request from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to EOCO’s acting Executive Director, Raymond Archer, the car was traced to Nana Kwabena Amuah, who is currently serving an 86-month prison sentence in the U.S. for financial cr+mes. Authorities allege the vehicle was purchased with proceeds from those crimes.

Shatta Wale reportedly cooperated with officials, opting to surrender the car voluntarily to avoid public embarrassment. The EOCO statement noted that he pleaded for discretion, explaining that the car was closely tied to his public image. The handover occurred without incident.

The car was seized from Charles Nii Armah, aka Shatta Wale,” the statement read. “He requested that the seizure not be made public due to the car’s significance to his brand. Officers acted professionally and allowed him to surrender the vehicle, which is now in EOCO’s possession.”

U.S. authorities are making arrangements to repatriate the Lamborghini as part of restitution owed by Amuah, valued at $4,743,443. Meanwhile, both Shatta Wale and a former senior officer of Ghana’s National Signal Bureau (NSB) have been named as persons of interest in the investigation and will be invited for questioning.

In reaction, Shatta Wale took to Facebook to express anger over the manner in which EOCO conducted the operation, particularly criticizing the use of firearms. “EOCO boss, the president didn’t appoint you to humiliate citizens,” he wrote. “Remember, God no sleep.”

Singer Sean Kingston’s Mother Sentenced to 5 Years in $1 Million Fraud Case — Singer Awaits Sentencing on August 28.

Janice Turner, the mother of singer Sean Kingston, has been sentenced to five years in prison and three years of probation for her role in a federal wire fra¥d scheme exceeding $1 million.

The 63-year-old was convicted alongside her son, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Kingston, 35, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 28. Before her sentencing, Turner addressed the court, expressing remorse. “I’m sorry. My intention was to keep my son afloat in this difficult industry.

They used him and abused him. I am begging for mercy for me and my son,” she said. As part of her sentence, Turner must also pay restitution, although her attorney noted that many of the defrauded businesses had already recovered their losses.

Federal prosecutors said the fraud involved a 2024 scheme in which Turner and Kingston deceived luxury vendors, including jewelers and car dealers by falsely claiming to have made wire payments for high-end merchandise.

Investigators later confirmed the payments never went through, but the duo still obtained more than $1 million in goods and assets. The fraudulent transactions, which occurred between October 2023 and March 2024, included nearly $500,000 in jewelry, $200,000 from Bank of America, $160,000 in a luxury SUV, over $100,000 from First Republic Bank, and $86,000 from a custom bed company.

Turner and Kingston were arrested on May 23, 2024. The singer was apprehended at Fort Irwin, a U.S. Army base in California, while his mother was taken into custody during a police raid on a South Florida mansion he had been renting. Kingston waived extradition and was returned to Florida.

At the time of his arrest, Kingston was already serving a two-year probation sentence for trafficking stolen property. Turner had a prior conviction for bank fraud in 2006 and served about 18 months in prison for stealing over $160,000.

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