Business
Globacom in court over alleged $6.7m fraud
Globacom Limited has been sued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegation of fraud involving about $6.7 million.
The anti-graft agency dragged the telecommunications company before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja.
Charged along the firm is its Indian Chief Marketing Officer, Ashok Israni. He is the first defendant in the case.
In a one count filed before Justice A.O. Williams against the defendants, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Mr. A.B.C. Ozioko, who signed the charge sheet, argued that the Globacom and Israni acted contrary to Section 1(2)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.
The count read, “Ashok Israni and Globacom Limited, sometime in 2008 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, induced Emitac Mobile Solutions LLC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates to confer a benefit on you by permitting Emitac Mobile Solutions LLC to provide you with Blackberry solutions services, valued at USD 6,786,674.64 on the understanding that the benefit will be paid for, which pretence you knew to be false.”
READ ALSO: To be Nigerian president, it’s either you’re a thief, or supported by thieves —Balarabe Musa
Meanwhile, the defendants were not in court when the case came up in court on Monday, but the EFCC prosecutor, Ozioko, said that the commission was doing everything possible to produce israni, who had been granted an administrative bail by the anti-graft agency.
He said, “My lord, we are sorry we are not able to produce the defendants. As part of efforts to ensure that trial commences, we brought the complainants all the way from Dubai. We have no choice but to seek a date for arraignment.”
The case was subsequently adjourned by Justice Williams till May 15, 2018 for the arraignment of the defendants.
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