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Court Strikes Out N170M FIRS Contract Fraud Against Zinox Boss, Leo Stan Ekeh

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Zinox  
Zinox Group Chairman, Leo Stan Ekeh

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) presided over by Honourable Justice C. O. Oba sitting in Court 32 has struck out Charge No. FCT/HC/CR/469/2022 filed by Falana & Falana against the Chairman, Zinox Technologies, Leo Stan Ekeh and officials of Technology Distributions Limited, including Mrs. Chioma Ekeh, Chris Eze Ozims, Shade Oyebode, Charles Adigwe and others over an alleged fraud involving a N170m contract with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

This follows a letter dated October 28, 2022 from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPP) to Falana & Falana withdrawing the fiat earlier granted them in May 2022 and also directing them to immediately withdraw the said Charge constituted as FCT/HC/CR/469/2022 leveled against Mr. Ekeh and the others, based on the findings that the fiat was obtained on misrepresentation and concealment of material facts by their client, Mr. Benjamin Joseph of Citadel Oracle Concepts Limited.

At the court proceedings on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, Mr. Marshall Abubakar, counsel from the firm of Falana & Falana, who appeared for the prosecution, tried to argue against the instruction and sought adjournment on some flimsy grounds, despite the clear instruction of the AGF contained in the letter to his firm.

However, Mr. Matthew Bukaa (SAN) who appeared for Mr. Ekeh, and the aforementioned staff of Technology Distributions Limited, opposed the application for adjournment and prayed the court to give effect to the unambiguous directive of the AGF to withdraw the charges.

The trial judge, Honourable Justice C. O Oba, after reviewing the certified true copy of the Attorney General’s letter, agreed with the defence counsel, Mr. Bukaa SAN, that there is no legitimate grounds to sustain the charges or grant adjournment and accordingly struck out the charges.

It would be recalled that some recent media publications had published stories indicating that the Federal Government of Nigeria was to prosecute Mr. Ekeh and 12 others over an alleged N170million FIRS contract which Mr. Benjamin Joseph claims was fraudulently executed using the name of his company, Citadel Oracle Concept Limited, without his knowledge and that the Federal Government was accordingly defrauded.

It was also reported that the firm of Falana & Falana, acting for Mr. Benjamin Joseph, applied for and was granted a fiat in May 2022 from the AGF to bring a charge against Mr. Ekeh and 12 others, upon which Mr. Femi Falana filed the purported charge on September 9, 2022.

However, the Attorney General, by a letter dated October 28, 2022, to Falana & Falana withdrew the fiat earlier granted them and directed them to immediately withdraw the charge they filed in court.

The directive came a couple of weeks after the AGF discovered that material information was withheld in the application by Falana & Falana for the fiat allegedly meant to prosecute Ekeh and others. Crucially, Mr. Falana SAN, who had only recently started representing Benjamin Joseph, failed to disclose to the AGF that the FCT High Court presided by Honourable Justice Damlami Senchi had in February 2021 delivered a judgment in Charge No. FCT/HC/CR/244/2018, dismissing as false and malicious the various allegations put forward by Mr. Benjamin Joseph and awarded the sum of N20m against him as damages for false petitioning and to serve as a deterrence to others against false information.

The respected SAN also failed to disclose that his client has refused to be cross-examined since 2018 in an ongoing criminal case (Charge No. CR/216/2016) instituted against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) based on false information on the same allegations.

Also, it was not disclosed to the AGF that the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters had, by a comprehensive final report dated December 1, 2020, after a thorough review of the facts and investigations of the case, absolved Mr. Ekeh and all the aforementioned persons of any criminal liability in the entire transaction leading to this case, but rather recommended the continuation of the trial of Mr. Benjamin Joseph which began since 2016. Furthermore, the AGF had, by a letter dated June 6, 2022, also directed the Inspector General of Police to prosecute Benjamin Joseph to a logical conclusion.

The said criminal proceedings is still ongoing against Mr. Benjamin Joseph before Honourable Justice Peter Kekemeke of the FCT High Court and comes up on January 24, 2023, for continuation of trial.

There was, therefore, no basis to grant or sustain the fiat to file charges against Mr. Ekeh and the staff of Technology Distributions on the same set of facts and allegations for which Mr. Benjamin Joseph, the petitioner, is currently standing trial for false information. Consequently, the fiat was withdrawn and the Charge struck out on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 by Honourable Justice C. O. Oba sitting in Court 32 of the FCT High Court.

Reacting to the development, a human rights activist, Dr. Niyi Abo, who was present in court on a sidelines as an observer, hailed the judgment, even as he expressed his disappointment at the step taken by Falana & Falana in filing the case against Mr. Ekeh and others without due diligence.

‘‘I think what they want to achieve is to see Mr. Ekeh in the dock just to diminish his stature because from findings, the only sin the man committed is that he founded TD Africa and his company extended an interest-free credit to help a young man to survive, just like he has done for thousands of others partners of TD Africa, some of whom are in court here in sympathy with Mr. Ekeh.
‘‘This further gives vent to the claims that this might be a case of blackmail gone wrong, according to what Benjamin Joseph’s ex-business partner, Princess Kama confirmed in the media herself, that Benjamin Joseph’s grouse is that she did not support him to divert TD Africa’s funds after the FIRS paid them, as well as his alleged attempt to extort money from Mr. Ekeh when he learnt that Mr. Ekeh is a very rich man. I understand Mr. Ekeh and his wife have never met the alleged blackmailer. Does it mean if you transact a business with a company and something goes wrong according to your own estimation, you start calling the Chairman of the company, a distinguished Nigerian and global citizen, a criminal?
‘‘I sincerely think it is very demeaning for a reputable law firm like Falana and Falana to get involved in this. Nigerian lawyers must please upgrade and exhaust simple due diligence on their clients before accepting their briefs. I think that blackmail, due to hard times, is one of the biggest businesses in Africa now. Several compromised media houses are being used by these blackmailers to extort rich men. You can imagine the negative publicity orchestrated by some online media houses against Mr. Ekeh in the past few days on account of this useless case.
‘‘I congratulate Mr. Ekeh for having the guts to follow this fight to the end, and if I were him, I would probably consider a petition to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee against Falana & Falana. He should also take Mr. Benjamin Joseph to the cleaners by taking out court actions against him and his compromised media supporters,’’ Dr. Abo concluded.

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Folake Soetan, Shettima, Okewale, others to Speak as WHATrybe annual confab holds Sunday

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Dr. Kole A. Shettima, author and Director, The MacArthur Foundation, Africa Office and Folake Soetan, the CEO, Ikeja Electric PLC will lead high-powered speakers at the Women High Achievers Trybe (WHATrybe) 2024 annual conference to be held Sunday 10 March at 4:00pm.
The upcoming free one-day virtual event themed “Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges,” is in commemoration of International Women’s Day.
WHATrybe is a Nigerian non-profit community dedicated to inspiring and empowering women to attain leadership roles in business and management services.
Speaking on the forthcoming virtual gathering, Kiki Okewale, the host and Convener, WHATrybe Community said this year’s conference asides giving women a new reorientation of being a woman with value, it also aims to celebrate the achievements of women while also advocating for gender inclusion and empowerment.
“With a strong emphasis on breaking barriers and fostering connections, this year’s event seeks to inspire women to overcome obstacles and build bridges towards a more inclusive and equitable society. We are coming together to celebrate the achievements of women, break down barriers, and build bridges towards a more inclusive and empowered future,” Okewale stated.
She added that to achieve this, a lineup of distinguished speakers who are leaders and experts in their respective fields have been lined up to share their insights and experiences during the conference.
Other speakers include Dr. Tewa Onasanya, founder,Exquisite Magazine; Josephine Osomwonken Omoniyi, Clinical Psychologist and Entrepreneur; Mabel Adeteye, Head of Brands & Marketing, Wema Bank; Karika Yonreme, Corporate Strategist; and Etemore Glover, Seasoned Development Expert.
The event will be hosted by the dynamic podcaster and coach, The Energetic EJ.
Registration is open now while interested attendees can reserve a spot at the conference by visiting: https://bit.ly/Whatrybe2024 and stay tuned for further updates on WHATrybe social media pages @whatrybe. They can also visit Bit.ly/WHATcommunity to be a member of the community.

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EDE Prize for Language: An Indigenous Language Spelling Bee to Promote Indigenous Literacy and Education

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Rotimi Eyitayo


 The EDE Prize for Language is pleased to announce the launch of our inaugural Spelling Bee, which will encourage literacy and academic excellence among students in Lagos and Ogun states. This first-of-its-kind spelling bee aims to celebrate and preserve the Yoruba language, fostering a stronger sense of cultural heritage and linguistic diversity.
The EDE Prize is proud to lead this groundbreaking initiative in collaboration with Teammasters, a reputable organization that organizes nationwide spelling bees. We hope to empower young people by giving them a platform to demonstrate their language skills and celebrate the diversity of indigenous cultures.
“The EDE Prize for Language represents our commitment to promoting indigenous literacy and preserving cultural heritage,” said Bobo Omotayo, the prize’s creator. “Through our partnership with Teammasters, the Prize’s goal for this event is to inspire the next generation to be proud of their language and culture. 

For the first edition, students from Lagos and Ogun states are eligible to compete for the Prize. We invite schools from both states to participate in this culturally rich educational experience. Participation in the spelling bee is free, and schools can register their students by going to www.edeprize.com.
“The EDE Prize for Language is not just a competition; it’s a celebration of Indigenous languages and traditions,” said Rotimi Eyitayo, Teammasters National Spelling Bee’s founder. 

The EDE Prize for Language will feature several rounds of competition, culminating in a grand finale in which finalists will compete for prestigious awards and recognition. The competition is divided into two categories: (i) Lower Category for children aged 8 to 11, and (ii) Higher Category for students aged 13 to 17.
Schools interested in taking part in this inaugural edition can register their students for free at www.edeprize.com. Registration will open on Monday, March 4, 2024, and close on Friday, March 29, 2024. 

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Violence: Call Aiyedatiwa to order, Akinterinwa’s Campaign Organisation Urges Tinubu

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Wale Akinterinwa

Ahead of the 2024 governorship election in Ondo State, the Wale Akinterinwa Campaign Organistaion has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to order over alleged use of thugs and other ciminally-minded miscreants against other aspirants.
The campaign organisation, in a statement, alleged that supporters and peaceful members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who turned to receive the president during his trip to family of late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s family, were attacked by armed thugs who were working for the state governor.
The statement, signed by the spokesperson of the campaign organisation, Segun Ajiboye, said property and billboards of other aspirants were destroyed by the rampaging thugs during the attack. 

The statement, tagged: “Ugly attacks on gubernatorial aspirants by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s thugs during President Tinubu’s visit to Ondo State”, said the organisation is being restrained by “the need to save our dear state from an ugly return to the dark days by those who harbor vaulting and mechanical ambition.”
It stated further: “You will recall that the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, was in Ondo state, on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, to commiserate with the family of the former governor of Ondo state, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON and His Majesty the Olowo of Owo, Alayeluwa, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III. The president was also at the residence of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the leader of Afenifere.

“As expected, the good people of Ondo state, particularly the peaceful members of our great party, the All Progressives Congress *APC), trooped out to welcome the president, who is the leader of the party and father of the nation..
“The people were joined by party leaders, party members. In an effort to give our leader a rousing welcome to the state, the different gubernatorial aspirants vying on the platform of APC mobilised their supporters to receive Mr President at the airport. 

“The atmosphere was carnival-like. But that was until what ordinarilly was planned to be a rousing welcome and celebration of the visit of Mr President was turned to a theater of violence and bloody attack on APC members and supporters of other gubernatorial aspirants by thugs sponsored and fully armed by Hon Lucky Ayedatiwa, the governor of Ondo state. 

“The well-orchestrated and executed attacks were carried out by some well-known thugs as well as members of the NURTW loyal to the governor of Ondo state, led by one Mr Eniba. The thugs, who brazenly fired gun shots into the air to cause confusion, went on a destruction spree as they attacked property, while billboards of other gubernatorial aspirants were defaced, pull down or out rightly destroyed. 

“Party members perceived to be loyal to all gubernatorial aspirants sustained varied and diverse degree injuries resulting from the attacks unleashed on them, while those supporting Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa were spared. T-Shirts, faze caps and other insignia wore by members of the targeted aspirants were torn to shreds. 

“The thugs who carried out the orchestrated attacks were armed with all sorts of dangerous weapons. It is sad to note that many of our supporters with deep cuts are in the hospitals receiving treatments at the moment. It is, however, surprising that no aspirant other than the governor was spared of the attacks.

“Let me state here that the need for this press statement is not borne out of fear or inability to protect our supporters. We have the capacity to give adequate protection to all our members who have remained peaceful in the face of this dastardly attack. We are also not unaware of the overriding need to save our dear state from an ugly reenactment of the dark days by those who harbor vaulting and mechanical ambition. 

“At this juncture as members of the Wale Akinterinwa Campaign Organisation, we would also love to state that as responsible leaders and members of our party with genuine intentions to serve our dear people, we are unable and will not accept the imposition on the party members a regime of panic and fear in other to supplant popular participation in a democratic process aimed at emplacing accountable and responsive leadership.  

“We, therefore, call on Mr President and the national chairman of the APC to prevail on Mr Governor to halt the use of thugs to advance his political interest. The field is wide enough for everyone to operate

“Also, we urge all security agencies to not only to be on red alert against future occurrence but also ensure that those who carried out these dastardly attacks are apprehended and brought o books to serve as deterrent to others who may be emboldened by this barbaric act.”

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