Court admits $100,000 cash, phones, SUV in $700,000 fraud trial

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja on Thursday admitted $100,000 in marked notes, three mobile phones and a Toyota Prado SUV as exhibits in the trial of two men accused of obtaining $700,000 from a former managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

The defendants, Ojobo Joshua and Aliyu Hashim, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly impersonating commission officials to obtain the money from Muhammad Koko.

The EFCC alleged that Mr Joshua posed as the personal assistant to its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, and worked with Mr Hashim to carry out the scheme.

According to the commission in a statement on Thursday, the defendants told Mr Koko that his tenure as NPA managing director was under investigation and claimed that the EFCC chairman and the commission’s director of operations demanded $1 million to stop the probe. The amount was later reduced to $700,000, the agency alleged.

The defendants are facing amended four charges of conspiracy, impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence.

At Thursday’s hearing, the second prosecution witness, Tanko Abubakar, an EFCC operative, identified the items recovered during the investigation.

Mr Abubakar told the court that investigators recorded Mr Hashim during a video call with Mr Joshua in which he allegedly confirmed receiving the money.

“My team and I video-recorded the second defendant when he was making the video call with the first defendant, telling the first defendant that he had collected the money,” he said.

The witness identified a brown bag containing $100,000 in marked notes and a white flash drive containing video recordings made during the investigation, including footage of the defendants giving statements at the EFCC headquarters.

He also identified two Samsung phones, a Galaxy Flip and a Galaxy Note, allegedly recovered from Mr Hashim, and an iPhone 11 Pro Max recovered from Mr Joshua.

Mr Abubakar said investigators also seized a black 2016 Toyota Prado SUV, with registration number GWA 666 EA, Abuja, from Mr Hashim. The vehicle was kept at the EFCC’s exhibit car park.

On Wednesday, Mr Abubakar told the court that the EFCC’s Abuja zonal director assembled an investigative team after receiving intelligence that the defendants were allegedly planning to defraud Mr Koko.

He said the defendants initially demanded $1 million to stop the purported investigation. Mr Joshua rejected offers of $300,000 and $500,000 before Mr Hashim persuaded him to accept $700,000, the witness told the court.

On 28 August 2024, operatives attempted to arrest the suspects at an A.A. Rano filling station along Lugbe Road, Abuja, but could not proceed because they were unarmed.

Mr Abubakar stated that Mr Hashim was later arrested at Crystal Palace Hotel after he showed him the bag containing the money. Mr Joshua was arrested at his residence after a video call was made to confirm that the money was ready.

He said Mr Hashim was arrested at Crystal Palace Hotel in Area 11, Abuja, while Mr Joshua was later arrested at his residence.

The prosecution sought to tender the recovered items as evidence. While counsel to Mr Joshua, O. Nwosu, did not oppose their admission, counsel to Mr Hashim, M. B. Inuwa, raised objections.

After hearing the lawyers, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie admitted the items as exhibits PW2A to PW2F. They comprised the Toyota Prado, the three phones, the marked money, the brown bag and the flash drive.

The judge adjourned the case until 26 October for continuation of trial.

The defendants were arraigned before the same court in November 2024. They pleaded not guilty to allegations that they impersonated EFCC officials to obtain money from Mr Koko.