Fraud everywhere !! Alleged N3b fraud: Court freezes Lagos number plate agency’s account

The Federal High in Lagos today froze an account belonging to the Lagos State Number Plate Production Authority over an alleged N3billion fraud.

Justice Mohammed Idris made the order based on an ex-parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

EFCC said the funds were allegedly diverted while Mr. Folorunsho Coker was the agency’s Managing Director.

The court also ordered the freezing of the accounts of a law firm, Rimi and Partners, allegedly owned by Coker’s wife Mrs. Aisha Rimi as the sole proprietor.

An EFCC investigator, Olamide Sadiq, who deposed to a supporting affidavit, said the commission got intelligence last year from Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit on the alleged fraud.

According to him, Rimi and Partners had 10 bank accounts with Guaranty Trust Bank.

“Mr. Folorunsho Coker was as at that time the Managing Director of the first respondent (Lagos State Government Number Plate Production Authority) and also the husband of Aisha Rimi, one of the signatories to the accounts of the second and third respondents – Rimi and Partners and Ekosina Investment Limited, respectively.

“Mr. Folorunsho Coker was also a signatory to the Zenith Bank account number 1011424889 of the first respondent.

“Investigations revealed that Aisha Rimi is the major partner in Rimi and Partners and she is also in control of Ekosina Investment Limited, a company seen to have received huge transfers from the Lagos State Government Number Plate Production Authority.

“From preliminary investigations by the commission, the second and third respondents were used to divert funds from the Lagos State Government Number Plate Production Authority with the influence of Folorunsho Coker, who was the Managing Director of the Lagos State Agency,” Sadiq said.

Justice Idris said the accounts, including 32 others belonging to companies that were allegedly used to divert the N3billion, would remain frozen until EFCC concludes its investigation.

The accounts of Ekosina Investment Limited, SW Properties Limited, Imira Trade and Global Services Limited, Lofty Investment Nigeria Limited, Pure Technical Services Limited and Cablepoint Limited were also frozen in connection with the alleged fraud.

EFCC said there were suspicious transactions on the account of Rimi and Partners, including heavy inflows in excess of N3billion from the Lagos State Government Number Plate Production Authority. - The Nation