The operatives of Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) Ikoyi-Lagos have rearranged three workers of an upstream firm, Montego Upstream Services Limited, on a second amended five count-charge of conspiracy, fraud, fraudulent conversation and money laundering.
The three workers of the upstream company re-arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Friday Ogazi were; Philemon Ikenna Obileku; Onyia Obinna Jude and Sunday Othuko Okelezo.
They were re-arraigned before the court on Friday in a charge marked FHC/L/679c/2024, alongside a company, Bigshots Helecks Integrated Services Limited, said to belong to the third defendant, Sunday Othuko Okelezo.
The three defendants were formerly arraigned by Justice Deinde Dipeolu on September 13, during the court’s long vacation on a two count-charge of conspiracy and unlawful diversion of funds/price inflation amounting to N130, 099, 967 million.
However, at the resumed hearing of the matter on Friday, which was meant for the hearing of the defendants’ bail application, the new prosecutor, Mr. Chukwu Agwu, informed the court that there was a new development on the matter as there is a second amended charges against the defendants.
Mr. Agwu pleaded with the court to allow the reading of the amended charge for the court to take the defendants’ plea afresh.
With the prosecutor’s submission, which was not opposed by the defendants’ new lawyers Lee by Kelechukwu Nzoka, Justice Ogazi ordered that the amended charge be read to defendants.
In the new amended charge, the PSFU alleged that the defendants while working with the upstream Firm, conspired among themselves and defrauded the firm of more than N315 million.
The defendants were also alleged to have fraudulently misrepresented more than N315 million and fraudulently diverted same to their different accounts.
They were also alleged to have laundered the money with their various accounts.
Some of the accounts allegedly used by the defendants to launder the money were Access bank: 1132022474; Sterling Bank: 0073633014: GTBank: 0109660069; Zenith Bank 2177975134; UBA Plc: 2062734323 and Access Bank: 0031591992.
The prosecutor told the court that the alleged infractions of the defendants contravened sections 8, 1(a)(b)(c) and(3) and 1(b)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. And 18 (2)(b); 18 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prevent on and Prohibition) Act 2022 but punishable under Section 18 (3)(4) of the same Act.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor thereafter asked the court for a trial date and urged court to remand the defendants in the custody on the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till the determination of the charges against them.
However, a move by the defendants’ new lawyers to use the previous bail applications filed by their former lawyer, Ademola Olabiyi, was rejected by the presiding judge, who ordered them to file new bail applications for their clients.
Also, efforts to by the defendants new lawyers to orally applied for the defendants’ bail were equally rejected by the court.
Consequently, Justice Ogazi ordered that the three defendants be remanded at the correctional center pending the hearing, determination of their bail applications.
The judge thereafter adjourned the matter to October 15, for the hearing of the defendants’ bail applications.
The Second Amended Charge Against The Defendants read: “that you Philemon Ikenna Obileku ‘M Onyia Obinna Jude ‘M’, Sunday Othuko Okelezo ‘M’, Bigshots Helecks Integrated Services Limited and others now at large while in the employment of Montego Upstream Services Limited between the years 2022 and 2024 in Lagos, Lagos State, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and other places within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Obtaining by false pretences through fraudulent misrepresentations a total sum of more than N315,0000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Fifteen Million Naira) Fraudulent diversion, Fraudulent conversion and Money Laundering via your various bank accounts and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
“That you Philemon Ikenna Obileku ‘M’, Onyia Obinna Jude ‘M’, Sunday Othuko Okelezo ‘M’, Bigshots Helecks Integrated Services Limited and others now at large while in the employment of Montego Upstream Services Limited between the years 2022 and 2024 in Lagos, Lagos State, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and other places within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtain by false pretence through fraudulent misrepresentations more than N315, 0000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Fifteen Million Naira) through your various bank accounts, property of MONTEGO UPSTREAM SERVICES LIMITED represented by Montego, hereby committed an offence punishable under section 1(a)(b)(c)and(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
“That you Philemon Ikenna Obileku ‘M’, Onyia Obinna Jude ‘M’, Sunday Okelezo ‘M’, Bigshots Helecks Integrated Services Limited and others now at large while in the employment of Montego Upstream Services Limited between the years 2022 and 2024 in Lagos, Lagos State, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and other places within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court through fraudulent misrepresentations did convert more than N315, 000, 000.00 (Three Hundred and Fifteen Million Naira) through your various bank accounts numbers Access bank -1132022474, Sterling Bank – 0073633014, GTBank-0109660069, Zenith Bank-2177975134; UBA Bank 2062734323 Access Bank – 0031591992 respectively, property of Montego Upstream Services Limited represented by Montego and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(b) of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 but punishable under Section 18 (3) and (4) of the same Act.
“That you Philemon Ikenna Obileku ‘M’, Onyia Obinna Jude ‘M’, Sunday Othuko Okelezo ‘M’, Bigshots Helecks Integrated Services Limited and others now at large while in the employment of Montego Upstream Services Limited between the years 2022 and 2024 in Lagos, Lagos State, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and other places within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court through fraudulent misrepresentations did retain and use more than N315, 000, 000.00 (Three Hundred and Fifteen Million Naira) through your various bank accounts numbers. Access bank -1132022474, Sterling Bank -0073633014: GT Bank – 0109660069, Zenith Bank – 2177975134; UBA Bank- 2062734323; Access Bank- 0031591992 respectively, property of Montego Upstream Services Limited represented by Montego. Knowing or ought to have known that such fund is or forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition), Act,2022 but punishable under Section 18(3) and (4) of the same Act.
“That you PHILEMON IKENNA OBILEKU ‘M’, ONYIA OBINNA JUDE ‘M’, SUNDAY OTHUKO OKELEZO ‘M’, BIGSHOTS HELECKS INTEGRATED SERVICES LIMITED and others now at large where in the employment of MONTEGO UPSTREAM SERVICES LIMITED between the years 2022 and 2024 in Lagos, Lagos State, Port-Harcourt Rivers State, and other places within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court through fraudulent misrepresentation did induced MONTEGO UPSTREAM SERVICES LIMITED to pay millions Naira to various third parties who later transferred same or part of the fund back to your various bank account number Access bank- 1132022474, Sterling Bank- 0073633014; GTBank 010 9660069 Zenith Bank-2177975134; UBA Bank-2062734323 Access Bank 0031591992 respectively for your personal use, property of MONTEGO UPSTREAM SERVICES LIMITED represented by Montego knowing same or ought to have known that such fund is or forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(b) and(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
