6th April, 2011
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a businessman, Henry Akinduro, his company, His Grace Integrated Solution Limited and two other accomplices before Justice Funmilayo Akinlade of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja over offences bordering on forgery,stealing and conspiracy.
In the five-count charge preferred against the accused namely; Henry Akinduro, Oladotun Ojuri , Raphael Obiakalusi and His Grace Integrated Solution Limited , they were alleged to have conspired to steal nine containers of gasoline generators valued at $713,007,000, property of Fujian Tiger Machine Group of Company, China.
They were also alleged to have conspired to commit felony to wit, forgery of a letter of indemnity dated 23 November 2009 purportedly issued by an officer of Vermegoz International Limited, as genuine.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charge. The trial judge adjourned the case till 14 April when the application for bail would be heard, and ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.
According to the investigation, the 1st accused, Akinduro, who is also the managing director of Ibadan-based His Grace Integrated Solutions Limited, ordered for generators from Fujian Group China.
The company shipped ten units of the generator to Nigeria. On arrival in the country, they were moved to Mitchelle Bonded Container Terminal Warehouse in Lagos. But the original bill of lading that would be used to clear the containers by the importer (Akinduro’s company) was with the exporter and the condition was that the documents would be released to the importer to clear the container after payment. But the second accused person, Ojuri who was the terminal manager of Mitchelle Ltd was alleged to have conspired with Akinduro to release nine out of the ten containers without the importer making any payment to the exporter.
In a related development, a federal high court in Abuja has ordered that a US-based lawyer, Emeka Ugwuonye be remanded in EFCC custody after the accused failed to take his plea when he was arraigned on a one count charge of non-disclosure of his assets as required by the EFCC Establishment Act.
Ugwuonye who had earlier been arraigned before an FCT high court over the criminal diversion and stealing of $1.5 million belonging to the Federal Government was on Monday granted bail by the trial judge but he has been unable to meet the bail conditions set by the court.
When he was taken before Justice Adamu Bello today and the fresh charge read to him to take his plea, Ugwuonye’s lawyer, F.I. Igwe told the court that his client would not take a plea as he had already filed a motion on notice challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.
Justice Adamu Bello thereafter adjourned ruling on the competence of the court to entertain the suit till 18 April, 2011 and ordered the accused to be remanded in EFCC custody.