The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, on Tuesday, 13 November, 2012, arraigned six suspects at a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, before Justice Adebisi Akinlade, over N3.8million carrot seed scam. The six suspects: Dave Akanni Joel (alias Dave Bobby Mamello), David Omowunmi (alias Haastrup Ogedengbe), Oluwole Adegbite (alias James Tokunbo), Yusuf Adegoke (still at large), Oyebisi Olasukanmi (still at large) and Dr Ouldslimane (still at large) were arraigned on a five count charge bordering on intent to defraud and conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence from Rear Admiral B.J.C. Noshiri (Rtd).

The accused persons fraudulently sold a carrot seed business idea to the retired military officer. In the process, they collected the sum of N3,800,000,00 ( Three Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira only) in various instalments from Noshiri for the regularization of the business; supply of carrot seeds to Al-Camac Beverages Production Company based in Jedda, Saudi Arabia and for accessing the sum of $7million earmarked by Al-Camac Beverages Production Company for the business.When the charges were read to them, they all pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel, Mahmud Atanda, informed the court that he had filed an application for bail for the accused persons and urged that the application be heard. Prosecution counsel, A.B.C Ozioko, said he was not against the request for a short adjournment but opposed having any of the accused persons remanded in EFCC custody, stressing that the Commission's facilities in this regard are over-stretched.
Justice Adebisi Akinlade, after listening to all their submissions, adjourned the case till 3 December, 2012 and ordered that the suspects be remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison.

Wilson Uwujaren
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
14th November, 2012