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EFCC speaks on probing alleged N100bn tax evasion by Alpha Beta linked to Tinubu

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it is considering a petition written against Alpha Beta Consulting and the petition will undergo processing.

A former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Alpha Beta Consulting, Mr. Dapo Apara, had accused the firm of tax fraud to the tune of N100bn.

The Company, according to sources, is linked to former Governor of Lagos State and the current National Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

In a petition to the EFCC, Apara stated that Alpha Beta, the firm given exclusive rights to monitor and collect Internally Generated Revenue on behalf of the Lagos Government “has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a conduit pipe for massive money laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other vices.”

In the petition which was written by his lawyer, Adetunji Shoyoye and Associates, the ex-CEO claimed that the fraud had been covered by powerful politicians in the state.

The petition signed by Adetunji Adegboyega on behalf of the law firm, read in part,  “Over the years the company has been protected and shielded by some powerful politicians and people in the society which made them to always boast of being untouchable, but our client, feeling the need not to keep quiet again and strengthened by his belief in the fact that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is keen on fighting corruption, which has been the bane of our country, is of the firm belief that it’s time to expose and open the can of worms called Alpha Beta Consulting.”

Adegboyega, who confirmed the authenticity of the petition to our correspondent on Friday, said his client was willing to provide more information to the EFCC if need be.

He said, “The petition is genuine, we wrote it to the EFCC but we have not been contacted. The former MD believes there is a lot of corruption in the country and decided to blow the whistle in line with the anti-corruption policy of the government.

“When they call us, we will provide more documents and other information.”

In separate posts on his official Twitter handle, Apara said a simple investigation would reveal the fraud perpetrated by the company.

Apara urged the EFCC to quickly begin work on the petition which was submitted in July 2018.

He added, “The EFCC investigation should be simple and straight forward. Not rocket science. Alpha Beta has been IGR consultants to the Lagos State Government since 2002, earning about 10 per cent and has generated IGR of about N1.5tn (yes trillion) excluding FAAC and loans.”

Alpha Beta could not be reached immediately for comments. When one of our correspondents contacted the phone numbers on the website of the company, the lady who answered the call said she had nothing to say about the report.

The staff, who didn’t reveal her name, said, “There is nothing I can say about it (the petition). I’m also seeing it (the petition) the way you saw it.”

Also, officials of Lagos State Government declined to comment on the matter.

However, EFCC said it would consider the petition if submitted to the agency.

The Spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said this in a message sent to our correspondent.

He said, “If the petition has been submitted to the commission as claimed, it will be processed like all other petitions.”

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Finance

Naira Abuse: Court Grants Cubana Chief Priest ₦10M Bail

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The Federal High Court in Lagos State, on Wednesday, granted businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, N10m bail with two sureties in like sum.

On Tuesday, EFCC slammed him with 3 count charge over the abuse of naira and asked him to report to court.

In court, The celebrity bar man pleaded not guilty to tampering and abusing the naira during his trial.

Earlier on Sunday, the EFCC revealed that it was probing several celebrities over alleged abuse of Naira notes.

In a statement, its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said;

“Many of them have made useful statements to the commission and many more have been invited by investigators working on the matter.

“The EFCC will not relent in its no-sacred-cow mode of operations and the public should be wary of running afoul of laws against the crime.”

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Cubana Chief Priest Faces Three Count Charges By The EFCC Over Naira Abuse

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Popular celebrity bar man, Pascal Okechukwu well known as Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over abuse of the naira on Wednesday, according to court documents.

He is facing three count charges for allegedly spraying and tampering with the naira at a social event contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

Not too long away was crossdresser Bobrisky Sentenced to 6 months in prison over thesame money mutilation. Now it is Cubana Chief Priest.
It seems like the government is taking the naira abuse situation much more seriously now.

Cubana Chief Priest would be arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

Cubana Chief Priest seen spraying bundles of money in a wedding

A copy of the document filed on April 4th by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission read:

1- “that you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

2 – “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

3 – “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

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Enugu Police Arrests Young Man Harbouring And Spending Fake Naira Notes

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Policemen in Enugu State have arrested a 24-year-old suspect, Mmaduabuchi Okonkwo, for allegedly possessing and transacting in counterfeit naira notes.

A total of ₦40,000 suspected counterfeited one thousand denominated Naira notes were recovered from him.

Okonkwo was said to have boarded a minibus and given the driver one of the counterfeited notes. The driver, however, scrutinised and observed that the currency was fake, thereby raising an alarm that led to the suspect’s arrest.

Information has it that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to paying N25,000 for counterfeit notes with a face value of N50,000.

He further confessed to having spent ₦10,000 out of the fake notes, remaining the ₦40,000 that was recovered from him.

The suspect will be arraigned and prosecuted once investigations are concluded.

Say No To Creating Counterfeits!

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