Judge insists on trial of Stanley Okafor, Labrador shipping for $111m fraud

Admin l Wednesday, June 08, 2022

 

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of a Special Offences Court Ikeja on Wednesday insisted that Stanley Okafor  and his company, Labrador Shipping Services Limited must face  trial for alleged $111,500,000 fraud.

Stanley Okafor and his company was arraigned on amended 9-count charge bordering on attempt to obtain money by false pretence, forgery, and possession of document containing false pretence involving  $111,500,000 fraud.

The defendant had filed for a no case submission through his counsel,  O. Chiemeke  instead of opening his defence when the matter came up for hearing in April 13, 2022.

Delivering ruling on the no-case submission today, Justice Taiwo held that the facts presented by the prosecution made it pertinent for the defendant to enter his defence as “there’s something worth looking at”.

“The no-case submission  is hereby dismissed as lacking in merit and the case adjourned till Wednesday, July 13, 2022 “for defence”.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC  said the offence contravenes Section 8 (b) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006; Section 361 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011, and Section 6, 8 (b) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Act, 2006.

One of the amended counts reads: “That you, Okafor Stanley and Labrador Shipping Services Ltd sometime between November 2019 and January 2020 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, did attempt to obtain the sum of $22,000,000 (Twenty-two Million Dollars) from Zenith Bank Plc by falsely representing that Citi Bank was in receipt of the said sum.”

Another count reads: “That you Okafor Stanley and Labrador Shipping Services Ltd sometime between November 2019 and January 2020 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, did attempt to obtain a cumulative sum of $89,500,000 (Eighty-nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) from Zenith Bank Plc by falsely representing that Citi Bank was already in receipt of the said sum.”

He pleaded “not guilty” to the amended charges.  The prosecuting counsel, E.E. Iheanacho called four witnesses and tendered several documentary evidence against the defendants  and closed the prosecution’s case on March 4, 2022.