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EFCC

BREAKING: EFCC Appeals Omatsuli, Firms’ Acquittal Over Alleged ₦3.6bn Money Laundering

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a comprehensive appeal at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, challenging the acquittal of former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Executive Director, Engr. Touyo Omatsuli, and three others over an alleged ₦3.645 billion money laundering scheme.

Also listed as respondents in the appeal are Don Parker Properties Limited, Francis Momoh, and Building Associates Limited.

The appellant, EFCC, is represented by a team of counsel led by E.E. Iheanacho, SAN, alongside Bilikisu Bala Buhari, Esq., Emenike Mgbenmele, Esq., O.S. Ujam, Esq., Famen Anum, Esq., M.A. Babatunde, Esq., and Lydia Ebenezer, Esq.

The appeal follows the judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Daniel Osiagor, which discharged and acquitted the defendants on all 46 counts contained in an amended charge bordering on money laundering, conspiracy, and failure to comply with statutory reporting obligations.

In its Notice of Appeal, the EFCC contended that the trial court erred in law and failed to properly evaluate the extensive evidence presented during the trial, including the testimonies of 16 witnesses and several documentary exhibits.

The anti-graft agency argued that the lower court disregarded binding decisions of the Court of Appeal delivered in earlier interlocutory rulings arising from the same case, particularly on the issue of a no-case submission, where the appellate court had held that a prima facie case had been established against the defendants.

According to the EFCC, the trial judge wrongly concluded that there was no evidence linking the respondents to the alleged offences, despite prior appellate findings affirming the credibility and sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence.

The Commission further maintained that the trial court mischaracterised the nature of the funds traced to the first respondent, insisting that the sum of ₦3.645 billion paid by a contractor, identified as PW4, constituted unlawful gratification rather than legitimate transactions.

The EFCC argued that the evidence before the court showed that the funds were paid as “appreciation” to members of the NDDC board and were subsequently laundered through proxies and corporate entities.

It stated that the payments were funnelled through Building Associates Limited and other accounts before being used to acquire high-value properties, thereby disguising their origin.

In challenging the judgment, the Commission outlined what it described as a coordinated laundering scheme involving the respondents.

It alleged that the first respondent nominated accounts for the receipt of the funds, while the third and fourth respondents facilitated transfers and conversions.

The funds were said to have been used to acquire properties in the names of corporate entities, with some transactions converted into foreign currency to conceal their origin.

The EFCC also claimed that the respondents engaged in cover-up actions after investigations commenced, including restructuring company ownership, relinquishing shares, and creating backdated documents to justify the transactions.

The Commission faulted the trial court for relying heavily on selected portions of cross-examination while ignoring the totality of the prosecution’s case.

It argued that there were no material contradictions in the testimonies of key witnesses, including PW1 and PW4, and that their evidence was corroborated by documentary exhibits.

The EFCC further maintained that the lower court failed to properly interpret anti-corruption laws, including provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, which prohibit public officers from receiving benefits linked to official duties.

On the issue of criminal intent, the EFCC argued that the trial court adopted an unduly narrow approach by insisting on direct proof of knowledge.

It maintained that, under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, knowledge can be inferred from surrounding circumstances and patterns of conduct.

According to the Commission, evidence of unusual financial flows, absence of legitimate business relationships, and subsequent concealment efforts clearly established that the respondents knew or ought to have known that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.

The EFCC also challenged the trial court’s finding that conspiracy was not proved, arguing that the law does not require direct evidence of an agreement.

It submitted that the coordinated actions of the respondents, as revealed through witness testimonies and financial records, were sufficient to infer a common unlawful design.

The Commission further insisted that the companies involved qualified as Designated Non-Financial Institutions under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and were therefore obligated to report suspicious transactions—obligations which it said were breached.

The EFCC is urging the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court in its entirety, allow the appeal, and enter a conviction against the respondents.

It also asked the appellate court to make any further orders deemed appropriate in the circumstances of the case.

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EFCC

EFCC Boosts Lawyers’ Skills for More Effective Prosecution

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April 15, 2026

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As part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against corruption, the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called on the Commission’s legal officers to demonstrate greater diligence, precision, and professionalism in preparing charges and court processes.

Olukoyede made the call in Lagos on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the opening of a three-day intensive training programme for EFCC legal officers held at the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 Conference Hall, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi.

The training, titled “Training Programme for Legal Officers on Preparation and Dealing with Appeals in Financial Crimes and Allied Matters, Evidence Gathering and Trial Preparation for Young Lawyers,” focuses on strengthening expertise in key prosecution areas, including charge drafting, appeals management, evidence gathering, and trial preparation.

In his opening remarks, the EFCC chairman, who was represented by the Director of Legal and Prosecution, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, said the training was designed to promote knowledge sharing and capacity building among legal officers.

According to him, the initiative reinforces the Commission’s sustained commitment to professional development as a key driver of institutional effectiveness in combating economic and financial crimes nationwide.

“This training is a strategic initiative designed to ensure that our officers handle cases with the highest level of competence and professionalism,” he said.

Earlier, the Acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I) Bawa Usman Kaltungo, declared the programme open and emphasized the need for continuous training and retraining of the Commission’s lawyers in response to emerging trends in criminal prosecution.

“When I received the memo and looked at the title, I said this is very apt. Our Executive Chairman is a trainer, and I am not surprised he approved this training. We need to constantly improve our skills. There is always a need for training and retraining,” he said.

Participants drawn from the Port Harcourt, Uyo, Benin, Ibadan, and Lagos Zonal Directorates 1 and 2 are expected to apply the knowledge gained to improve prosecution quality, reduce procedural errors, and enhance justice delivery in financial crime cases.

The training features paper presentations on topics including: Concept and Purpose of Appeals in Economic and Financial Crimes and Allied Matters; Drafting Competent and Effective Grounds of Appeal in EFCC Cases; Handling Evidence Issues in Appeals; Effective Drafting of Appellants’ and Respondents’ Briefs; Digital Evidence and Cybercrime Appeals; Strategies for Building Strong Appeals; Oral Advocacy Skills; Interlocutory Appeals; Compilation and Transmission of Records of Appeal; and Appeals in Asset Forfeiture and Recovery.

Other sessions include: Admissibility of Evidence under the Evidence Act 2011; Relevance as the Foundation of Admissible Evidence; Documentary Evidence and the Admissibility of Public and Private Documents; Electronic and Digital Evidence in EFCC Cases; Trial and Evidence Gathering in Financial Crime Prosecutions; Burden and Standard of Proof in Civil and Criminal Cases; Expert Evidence; Hearsay Evidence and Its Exceptions; and Confessional Statements—Admissibility and Weight in Nigerian Courts.

The training is expected to conclude on Thursday, April 16, 2026.

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EFCC

Alleged $35m NCDMB Fraud: Court Rejects Defendant’s Document

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April 15, 2026

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The trial of Akindele Akintoye, alongside Platforms Capital Investment Partners Limited and Duport Midstream Company Limited, continued on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, before Justice Ekerete Akpan of the Federal High Court, Abuja, with the court refusing to admit in evidence a document tendered by Akintoye containing his request to buy out the shares of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

The defendants are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended six-count charge bordering on dishonesty and the alleged conversion of $35 million belonging to the NCDMB.

The application for the admission of the document was filed by counsel to the first and second defendants, E.O. Adekwu, SAN, on March 10, 2026, during his cross-examination of the fourth prosecution witness (PW4), Isaac Yalah. However, it met strong opposition from the prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, who urged the court to reject the document on the grounds that it was merely a photocopy and not a certified true copy.

“I have an objection to the admissibility of this document. The ground is that this document is a photocopy of an original, and it is addressed to the NCDMB, which is a public institution. Such a document ought to have been certified. The only admissible copy of a public document in law is a certified true copy.

“We rely on Section 89 and Section 102 of the Evidence Act. We also cite the cases of Adeyefa v. Bamgboye (2013) 10 NWLR (Pt. 1863) 532 and Onwuzuruike v. Edoziem (2016) 6 NWLR (Pt. 1508) 205. We urge the court to discountenance it and dismiss it,” he said.

Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, Justice Akpan agreed with the position of the prosecution and rejected the document on the grounds that it was a photocopy of a public document and not a certified true copy.

The judge thereafter adjourned the matter until May 18 and 19, 2026, for the continuation of trial.

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EFCC

EFCC Presents Second Witness in Alleged Theft of 25.35 Million Litres of PMS Involving Vessel and Captain

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April 15, 2026

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, presented its second prosecution witness (PW2) in the ongoing trial of a vessel, MT Ostria, and three others over the alleged theft of 25,354,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Retail Limited.

The trial is before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

The defendants—MT Ostria, Captain Raymundo A. Panaligam, Chief Officer Roneno Villarin, and Vincent Wayas—were arraigned by the EFCC on October 29, 2025, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing. The offences are said to be contrary to Sections 411 and 280 and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the witness, a representative of NNPC, testified on the transactions involving MT Ostria and the events that led to the EFCC’s investigation.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, the witness told the court that operational concerns arose when D. Torros Shipping Limited, the receiving terminal, called for a suspension of discharge activities.

“From our operational perspective, we were worried about any delay that could cause additional costs to the operation. We were informed by Torros that the suspension was due to variations in quantities between the ship’s discharge figures and Torros’ received figures,” he said.

He further stated that upon raising the alarm, Torros notified the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of the discrepancy.

According to him, the NMDPRA escalated the matter to relevant government agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS).

The witness added that Torros also reported the case to the EFCC.

“I was invited by the EFCC. I was interviewed and wrote a statement regarding the transaction at the time. We also submitted documents to the EFCC in respect of the operation,” he said.

He confirmed that the documents were generated using his company’s laptop and printer, which were in good condition at the time.

The prosecution counsel, Buhari, tendered the documents, and they were admitted in evidence by the court.

Explaining the relationship among NNPC subsidiaries, the witness stated that there is an internal framework governing transactions between NNPC Retail, NNPC Trading, and NNPC Shipping.

Referring to Exhibit P4, the Credit Sales Invoice issued to NNPC Retail Limited, he identified NNPC Retail as “the ultimate owner of the petroleum products allegedly stolen.”

The document, he noted, confirmed receipt and was signed by NNPC Trading for the sale of about 20.3 million litres of PMS through MT Ostria, which was the vessel nominated by NNPC Retail from the mother vessel, MT Northern Light.

“This document was issued as part of the NNPC Retail and Trading agreement framework, which requires that requests for products or cargo be made through a company portal where sales quotations are generated.

“This Credit Sales Invoice carries two sales quotation numbers, also called PFI (Pro Forma Invoice) numbers: 20001584 and 20001601. These numbers are to be indicated on the commercial documents relating to this operation.”

He added that the documents established the commercial chain of the transaction and showed NNPC Retail Limited as the buyer of the cargo, in line with the companies’ internal framework.

Justice Dada adjourned the matter until Wednesday, April 15, 2026, for the continuation of cross-examination.

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