EFCC Arraigns 4 For Allegedly Stealing N1.3bn From Nigeria Police Force

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday charged four persons and two firms, before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja for allegedly diverting N1,301,334,108 from the coffers of the Nigeria Police Force.

The defendants: Olumide Odumosu, Sule Tegina, Helen Nwafor and Okpalugo Ifeoma were charged by the EFCC before Justice Sherifat Solebo on a 14 count charge of conspiracy, stealing and fraud.

The companies charged with the accused persons are: Olu Osmond Nigeria Limited and Jemmy Yus Investment Nigeria Limited.

In the charge, marked, Temp/39698/2018, the anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants stole the sum of N1.3bn from the coffers of the Nigeria Police Force and fraudulently converted it to their own between 2013 and 2014.

The commission also claimed that the defendants conspired with one Ogbadu Joseph and one Hassan Muhammed, who were said to be at large.

According to the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo the defendants acted contrary to Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and were liable to be punished under Section 285(1) of the same Act.

However, the planned arraignment of the defendants on Thursday was stalled as the 3rd defendant, Helen Nwafor, told the court that she did not understand English language and would require the charges to be translated to her in Igbo language.

The judge adjourned till November 7, 2018 to get an Igbo interpreter.

The defence counsel, A.O. Osinfowora, prayed that the defendants should be returned to the EFCC, but Justice Solebo turned the prayer down and ordered instead that the defendants should be remanded in the prison custody.