Police charge ex-senator, others with N400 million fraud

The former senator and others allegedly cheated the complainant in an alleged federal appointment scam.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has filed criminal charges against Andy Uba, a former Nigerian senator, and two others accused of defrauding a complainant, George Uboh, of N400 million.

Mr Uba represented the Anambra South District in the Senate from 2011 to 2019.

According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria, the police chief filed two counts against Mr Uba, Crystal Uba and Benjamin Etu before Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Abdulrashid Sidi of the Legal/Prosecution Section, the Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, filed the case on 10 October.

In count one, Mr Uba, Crystal, Mr Etu and Hajiya Fatima, said to be at large, were alleged to have conspired amongst themselves, sometimes in 2022, to commit the offence.

Mr Uba and others were accused of obtaining by false pretence, by making a presentation to Mr Uboh that they had perfected ways for the appointment of the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to any interested persons who could afford N400 million.

According to the charges, the police said the accused persons collected the N400million from Mr Uboh and converted it into their personal use, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1 (2) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related offences Act, 2006.

The police listed at least six witnesses to testify against the former senators and others.

The trial judge, Mr Ekwo, adjourned their arraignment until 18 February 2025, following a complaint by M. L. Anthony, a lawyer who appeared for the prosecution on 13 November, that the defendants have been evading the service of the court documents despite being given administrative bail.

The lawyer told the court that they have been on the matter since 2023.

He said the defendants obtained a fundamental rights enforcement order which had prevented the police from bringing them to court.

The lawyer said it was only after the order was lifted that the defendants were finally charged before the judge.

Mr Ekwo adjourned the matter to allow the defendants to appear in court to take their plea.