The Federal Government has instituted fresh charges of money laundering, advance fee fraud and fraudulent conversion against the Anosike brothers – Noel and Fidelis – and their company, Folio Communications Limited, over their alleged fraudulent handling of the properties of Daily Times of Nigeria.
However, their arraignment scheduled for Wednesday at a Federal High Court, Lagos, could not go ahead, because of the pending preliminary objection filed by the defendants' counsel, Norrisson Quaker (SAN), challenging the service of the case papers on him.
The presiding judge, C.J Aneke, then adjourned the matter till February 14, 2013.
According to the charge of five counts, the defendants were alleged to have fraudulently obtained the total sum of N325m and fraudulent conversion of the proceeds realized from sale of assets belonging to Daily Times of Nigeria.
Counts one and two preferred against them alleged that the accused persons conspired to commit felony by obtaining N25m from the Education Trust Fund under the false pretence of utilising the money to set up Electronic Library for Daily Times.
The representation was said to be incorrect as it was said to have contravened Sections 1 (3) and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2005.
Fidelis was also accused of laundering another £300, 000 (about N75m), which was realised from the sale of Daily Times property at Cold Harbour Lane, London, United Kingdom.
According to the charges, the said £300, 000 was paid into the personal account of Fidelis in London, while he later transferred the money to Nigeria and converted it into personal use.
The brothers also allegedly conspired in counts four and five to obtain N100m from Corporate Ideals Properties Limited and Senator Ikechukwu Obiorah under the guise that they had a printing factory at Lugbe, Abuja, when the claim was incorrect.
