A Ponzi scheme operator, Adonu Kingsley Ifeanyi, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court Lagos, on a five count-charge of money laundering to the tune of N10, 013, 237, 842 billion.
Adonu Kingsley Ifeanyi, whose company name bears operates under the name of S. Mobile Netzone Limited, was arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, in a charge marked FHC/L/280c/2025.
The prosecutor, Barrister Suleiman I. Suleiman, informed the court that the alleged Ponzi scheme operator, who claimed to be operating in partnership with MTN telecommunication Limited, committed the offence between June 4, 2021 to July 22, 2022.
Specifically, the prosecutor informed the court that the alleged Ponzi scheme operator took possession of the mentioned sums which he knew to be proceed of your unlawful activity.
He told the court that the defendant warehoused the mentioned sum in some banks account belonging to Setbiz Datalink Concept Limited.
He told the court that the illicit acts of the defendant is contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
The alleged Ponzi scheme operator whoever pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him. The situation which made the prosecutor to ask for a trial date, as well urged the court to remand him in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending his trial.
In Responding to the prosecutor’s request, the defendant’s lawyer, Chibuike Opara, while not opposed to the trial date as requested by the prosecutor, however orally asked the court to remand his client in the EFCC facility, pending when his bail application will be filed and determined.
The prosecutor however opposed the application on the ground that once a defendant has been arraigned, the proper custody is the Correctional center.
Ruling on the Justice Aneke ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ikoyi center of the NCoS, while adjourned the matter to July 4, for hearing of the bail application.
The charges against the defendant read: “that you ADONU KINGSLEY IFEANYI between 4th June, 2021 and 23rd July, 2021, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the total sum of N1,076,337,842 (One Billion, Seventy Six Million, Three Hundred and Thirty Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Two Naira) through a bank account with account name ‘S.Mobile Netzone Limited’.
“That you ADONU KINGSLEY IFEANYI between 2nd June, 2021 and 14th July, 2021, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the total sum of N656,400,000.00 (Six Hundred and Fifty Six Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) through a bank account with account name ‘S.Mobile Netzone Limited
“That you ADONU KINGSLEY IFEANYI between 15th January, 2021 and 14th April, 2022, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the total sum of N6, 791, 500,000.00 (Six Billion, Seven Hundred and Ninety One Million, Five Hundred Thousand) through a bank account with account name ‘S.Mobile Netzone Limited’
“That you Adonu Kingsley Ifeanyi between 23rd March, 2022 and 26tb July, 2022, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the total sum of N959, 000, 000.00 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Nine Million Naira) through a bank account with account name ‘S.Mobile Netzone Limited.
“That you Adonu Kingsley Ifeanyi between 15th March, 2022 and 31st March, 2022, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the total sum of N530, 000, 000 (Five Hundred and Thirty Million Naira) through a bank account with account name ‘Setbiz Datalink Concept Limited.”
