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Court fixes Nov 21 for judgment in N960m investment scam

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A Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has adjourned judgment in the N960m, investment fraud case involving Edu Hub Consults Limited and its Managing Director, Mma Anyanso, to November 21, 2025.

Justice Mojisola Dada on Wednesday fixed the date after she was informed of a plea bargain entered by the defendant.

Anyanso is standing trial on an amended charge of stealing and obtaining money under false pretence. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accused him and his company of diverting investors’ funds meant for legitimate business purposes to personal use.

The amended charge, dated August 21 2025,and filed on September 29, 2025, alleged that between July 18 and September 14, 2020, Edu Hub Consults Limited dishonestly converted N960 m, belonging to investors under the guise of a profitable investment scheme.

The alleged offences contravene Section 278(1)(b)(ii) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The EFCC further claimed that the defendants used part of the funds to acquire luxury properties, including an apartment at Eko Atlantic City, Lagos.

An EFCC operative, Chinedu Peters, attached to the Commission’s Cybercrime Section, testified that the agency received credible intelligence in 2020 about suspicious investment activities operating from Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island.

Acting on this information, investigators visited the location and arrested several suspects, including Anyanso.

Peters told the court that the defendant voluntarily admitted being the Managing Director of Edu Hub Consults Limited and, The Map Online Limited, both of which collected money from members of the public under the pretext of investment opportunities.

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He added that a letter sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission confirmed that neither company was licensed to receive or manage investment funds from the public.

Investigations, according to him, revealed that Edu Hub Consults Limited and, The Map Online Limited received various sums from over 2,300 investors, promising high returns based on the investment category.

The EFCC operative said the scheme collapsed after a few months of payouts, and the funds were diverted for personal use, including purchasing properties in Lagos and Abuja.

Peters also testified that while on administrative bail, the defendant made partial restitution to about 945 investors but still owed approximately N1.2 bn.

He added that Anyanso later wrote to the EFCC expressing willingness to enter into a plea bargain, in a letter dated September 29, 2025.

The prosecution urged the court to convict the defendant, insisting that the evidence established deliberate fraudulent conduct.

However, defence counsel, Dr. Suleiman Usman (SAN), pleaded for leniency, arguing that the defendant acted in good faith and had cooperated with investigators.

“The defendant believed the business was genuine,” Usman said.

“He has made substantial efforts to refund investors and surrendered properties to offset the outstanding balance.”

He urged the court to temper justice with mercy and consider a non-custodial sentence.

After listening to both counsel, Justice Dada adjourned the case until November 21, 2025, for judgment.

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Crime

Rape, manslaughter trial: Five witnesses testify against Odogwu Asaba

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The prosecution on Wednesday presented five witnesses and video evidence at the trial of content creator Ifeanyi Ogbonna, popularly known as Odogwu Asaba, over alleged rape and manslaughter in connection with the death of 20-year-old Favour Agbro.

The witnesses included Agbro’s twin sister, brother and father, the doctor who conducted the post-mortem examination, and an investigating police officer. The case is being heard by the Delta State High Court in Asaba.

However, the defence counsel requested more time to study the statements of the prosecution witnesses and the additional evidence served on the defence.

Speaking after the proceedings, the prosecution said it was prepared to proceed with the case but acknowledged the need to allow the defence adequate time to examine the materials.

The prosecution team was led by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe, SAN, alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions, Tejiri Anuhwin, and other state counsel.

Ogbonna had pleaded not guilty to the charges on October 21, 2026, before Justice Michael Nduka Obi. The allegations relate to Agbro’s death in June 2026.

The court adjourned the case until November 19, 2026, for the continuation of the trial, when the prosecution is expected to proceed with its witnesses and evidence.

Recall that the court had remanded the content creator at the Ogwashi-Uku Maximum Correctional Centre after he was arrested and arraigned following allegations of raping Agbro, who later died after ingesting a toxic substance.

Source: punchng.com

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Crime

Police arrest fake lawyer after 11 years of practice in Ebonyi

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The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a man, Ugwumba Enyinnaya, for allegedly impersonating a lawyer and practising for more than 11 years.

The state Police Public Relations Officerzz, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the arrest followed an investigation into a petition alleging obtaining money by false pretence.

According to the police, the suspect allegedly collected ₦650,000 from one Chukwu David in March 2026 to facilitate the processing and approval of a street naming in Ohaozara Local Government Area.

The petitioner alleged that Enyinnaya presented himself as a lawyer with years of legal experience.

The police said investigations following his arrest revealed that he had been parading himself as a legal practitioner despite not being a lawyer.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted that he was not a lawyer, according to the statement.

“A search of his apartment led to the recovery of several exhibits, including a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal; a portrait of the suspect dressed in barrister’s regalia; purported Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree certificates for the suspect bearing the name of Enugu State University of Science and Technology; a barrister’s robe and wig; judgements allegedly procured from the court and various legal documents allegedly prepared by him, including powers of attorney and deeds of conveyance,” the statement said.

The police said the suspect had been charged to court.

The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Hope Okafor, commended the operatives for uncovering the alleged impersonation and urged members of the public to verify the credentials of people offering legal services.

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She also advised residents to report suspicious activities to the police.

Source: punchng.com

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Lagos driver fleeing police arrest kills okada rider, injures two

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A  yet-to-be-identified motorcycle operator has been killed, and two others injured, after a speeding driver, allegedly fleeing police officers, knocked down three motorcycle riders on Liasu Road in the Idimu area of Lagos State.

The incident occurred on Saturday night during a police chase involving a vehicle suspected to belong to Internet fraudsters.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to escape from the pursuing officers and knocked down the three motorcycle riders in the process.

One of the riders was said to have died on the spot, while the two others sustained injuries.

It was gathered that the driver and other occupants of the vehicle abandoned it and fled after realising what had happened.

An eyewitness who gave his name simply as Wahab said the vehicle was being chased from the Ile-Iwe end of the road towards the Council bus stop.

He said, “They were coming from the Ile-Iwe side when police officers in a minibus tried to stop them. It was in the process that they increased their speed and drove recklessly.

“It was when the driver lost control that he ran into the okada riders. The one directly hit died on the spot, and the driver and other male adults in the vehicle ran out of the vehicle and fled.”

The vehicle was subsequently towed to the nearest police station, while the injured victims were taken to a nearby hospital.

The incident, however, sparked a protest by commercial motorcycle riders operating along Powerline and Liasu roads, as they stopped conveying passengers to demand justice for their colleagues.

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According to another resident, Titi Jayeoba, the protest left several residents stranded as they struggled to find alternative means of transportation.

“We were stranded on Sunday after the okada riders refused to operate. People who depend on motorcycles to get to church and other places were stranded. The tricycles available could not carry everybody, so many people found it difficult to get to their destinations.

“And some were not even interested in tricycles because they would not take them into their streets,” Jayeoba stated.

It was gathered that normalcy had since returned to the area after the motorcycle operators resumed operations later in the evening.

The deceased victim was also said to have been buried according to Islamic rites.

When contacted on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said she was not aware of the incident. She, however, promised to revert.

Source: punchng.com

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