National Arts Theatre: Court to dock Prince Apugo, Bencap for fraud
Admin l Wednesday, March 24, 2020
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has ordered re-arraignment of Prince Benjamin Apugo of Bencap Nigeria Limited and Technoexportstroy Nigeria Limited for allegations of N467,737,014 fraud based on amended charge in case no. ID/949C/2014 brought before the court.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo ordered the rearraignment based on a petition titled “Abandonment of Contract for the Fencing, Construction of Five Gates and Sand-Filling at the National Arts Theatre after Payment”.
The order was made following application from the prosecuting counsel, E. Pereagbe for the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). E. Pereagbe had told the court that the EFCC has amended the charges against all the defendants and therefore requires them to take a new plea
“My Lord, we are making an application that bail granted all the defendants be revoked in light of the amended charges in order for the defendant to take a new plea. Prince Benjamin Apugo, Yusuf Ahmed Atai would be docked alongside companies called Bencap Nigeria Limited and Technoexportstroy Nigeria Limited.
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After hearing the application, Justice Taiwo granted the order. “It is hereby ordered that all defendant be produced for arraignment on the amended charges. All defendants must be produced by the EFCC for arraignment
Prince Benjamin Apugo and others are facing a 9 counts charge bothering on conspiracy to steal and stealing contrary to section 390 and 516 of the criminal law of Lagos state 2003.
According to the petition dated March 6, 2012 titled “Abandonment of Contract for the Fencing, Construction of Five Gates and Sand-filling at the National Arts Theatre after payment , upon questions been asked at the budget defence before the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on how far we have gone on the project but still remains abandoned.
“After the briefing, the committees requested for all the document in respect of the project and also requested us to write a reminder to you (EFCC) before they (Committees) would forward the issue to the House Committees on Corruption.
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According to the charge sheet, “Prince Benjamin Apugo, Yusuf Ahmed Atai, Bencap Nigeria Limited and Technoexportstroy Nigeria Limited, Eng. Todor Petkow (at large), Brown Davies (at large), Bud Design Nig. Limited, on or about the 10th of September, 2009, at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division son of the High Court of Lagos State did conspire to commit an offence, to wit: stealing the sum of N99,000,000 property of National Arts Theatre.
That you, Prince Benjamin Apugo, Yusuf Ahmed Atai, Bencap Nigeria Limited and Technoexportstroy Nigeria Limited, Eng. Todor Petkow (at large), Brown Davies (at large), Bud Design Nig. Limited, on or about the 16th of October, 2009, at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N40,460,556.78 property of National Arts Theatre.
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That you, Prince Benjamin Apugo, Yusuf Ahmed Atai, Bencap Nigeria Limited and Technoexportstroy Nigeria Limited, Eng. Todor Petkow (at large), Brown Davies (at large), Bud Design Nig. Limited, on or about the 26th March, 2009, at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N85,000,000 property of National Arts Theatre.
Justice Taiwo adjourned the matter for re-arraignment to April 30th 2020
