Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, has granted the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, the go-ahead to prosecute former senator Andy Uba over an alleged N400 million fraud.
At a court session on Monday, July 7, A.M. Abdullahi,
counsel representing the IGP, informed Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal
High Court in Abuja that the AGF’s office had reviewed the case and authorised
the police to proceed with the prosecution.
The case, previously handled by Justice Inyang Ekwo, was
reassigned to Justice Umar following Ekwo’s suspension by the National Judicial
Council (NJC).
The prosecution had initially filed a two-count charge
against Uba and his co-defendants, Crystal Uba and Benjamin Etu, on October 10,
2024. However, in an amended charge filed on March 4, Crystal Uba’s name was
removed, leaving only Uba and Etu as defendants.
According to the charge, Uba, Etu, and one Hajiya Fatima
(now at large), allegedly conspired in 2022 to fraudulently obtain N400 million
from George Uboh under false pretences. The defendants allegedly claimed they
could secure the appointment of a managing director for the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC) for anyone willing to pay N400 million.
“A presentation which you know is not true and thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 8 and punishable under Section 1 (3)
of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006,” the
charge reads.
Uboh, in a petition dated April 5, 2023, submitted to the
IGP, provided documentary evidence and voice recordings to support his claim.
The prosecution is expected to call six witnesses.
Earlier, the AGF had requested the case file for review
following a petition from the defendants. A subsequent letter from M.B.
Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), dated May 8, confirmed a prima
facie case against Uba, Etu, and Fatima, but noted no evidence linking Crystal
Uba to the offence.
When the matter resumed on Monday, July 7, only Etu and his
lawyer, C.F. Odiniru, were present. Odiniru told the court that Uba was abroad
for medical treatment and also claimed that the alleged sum had been refunded.
“What is funny is that the subject matter of this charge has been settled.
The money has been paid,” he said.
The prosecution, however, challenged Uba’s absence, arguing that no
medical documentation had been provided to support the claim.
Justice Umar adjourned the matter to September 24 for the defendants to
take their plea.
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