The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 arraigned Abel Lesi Goka for offences bordering fraud before Justice Modupe Osho Adebiyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abuja.
Goka was arraigned alongside, Caminus Tochukwu Nwabineli of Kambelly Logistics who is currently at large and Alhaji Ibrahim Aminu, also at large, on twenty three counts of forgery, conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and internet fraud contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Count one of the charge reads:
“That you, Abel Lesi Goka, Caminus Tochukwu Nwabineli of Kambelly Logistics Services (at large) and Alhaji Ibrahim Aminu (at large) sometime between 12th December, 2017 and 15th December 2017 at Abuja, in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did conspire to do an illegal act to wit; obtained the gross sum of $350,000.00( Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars) from one Mariam Eyitayo on behalf of HAMCHID NIGERIA LIMITED under the false pretense that the said monies represent payment to facilitate chartering of vessels; SCF SAMOTLOR and MT COSLUCKY LAKE to transport a total of 3,000,000 (three million) barrels of Bonny Light Crude Oil(BLCO) from Nigeria to Ghana waters, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
Upon the defendant’s plea, counsel to the EFCC, Benjamin Lawan Manji asked the court to remand him in prison custody.
Justice Modupe Osho Adebiyi, however admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50million with two sureties who must submit their tax clearance to the court. One surety must be a civil servant of not less than Grade Level 14. The two sureties must be verified by both court officials and the prosecuting counsel.
While fixing November 4, 2021 for trial, and considering the ill health of the defendant, the court gave the defendant three days grace to perfect the bail conditions. The defence counsel shall undertake to report to the court the stage of the perfection of the bail.