The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned two persons before Justice D. V Agishi of the Federal High Court, Jos, Plateau State, on a 31-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and obtaining N908,108,974.52 million by false pretence.
Those arraigned were Naankang Dawan, his companies, Taen Nigeria Ltd and Lataen Engineering Ltd, and Moruf Tunji Olukanmi.
According to EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, in a statement on Monday, the first defendant, Dawan, who allegedly inherited some companies, including a petrol station from his family, connived with some staff of First Bank, including the fourth defendant, Olukanmi, to defraud costumers using a Point of Sale (POS) terminal allocated to him.
Count two of the charge read, “That you, Naankang Dawan, being the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Taen Nigeria Limited, Taen Nigeria Limited, Doyin Adesanya (at large), Samuel Temitope Falese (at large), Ebenezer Oni Kehinde (at large) and Mariam Babatunde Olabisi (at large) between October 2017 to November 2017 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, manipulated First Bank of Nigeria Plc Point of Sale (POS) terminal issued to Taen Nigeria Limited, and by so doing fraudulently credited Tean Nigeria Limited Account Number: 2025956973, domiciled with First Bank Nigeria Plc, with the sum of N908,108,974.52 (Nine Hundred and Eight Million, One Hundred and Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Four Naira and Fifty Two kobo) only, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 30(1) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015.”
The defendants had pleaded not guilty to all charges, and based on their pleas, prosecution counsel, Benjamin Manji, asked for a trial date.
The prosecution counsel also asked that the suspects be remanded at the Correctional Centre pending trial.
The defence counsel, A.G Yirvoms, however, informed the court of a pending application for the bail of his clients.
Justice Agishi adjourned the case till July 26, 2021, for consideration of bail application and October 6, 2021, for trial.
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