* Alleged Nigeria Internet fraudster, Kayode Philip a.k.a. Voice of the King and his Lebanese accomplice, Hamza Koudeih (a.k.a. HK,) Pix source: The Sun Nigeria
Story by Gbenga Ogunbufunmi
A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, today, ordered the remand of an alleged Nigeria Internet fraudster, Kayode Philip a.k.a. Voice of the King and his Lebanese accomplice, Hamza Koudeih (a.k.a. HK,) over alleged multimillion dollars internet fraud.
Kayode and Hamza are to be remanded in prison custody till December 5, when their bail applications would be heard and determined.
Justice Sule Hassan who presided over the court made the remand order of the alleged internet fraudsters, after their plea was taking on 25 counts charge of conspiracy, phishing, spamming and unlawful conversion level against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In the charge, the two defendants were alleged to have sometimes in May, 2019, conspired among themselves to unlawfully convert the sum of $7, 069 million, £1 million and €80,000, which were proceed of unlawful act.
They were also accused of attempting to retain the sum of $700,000 in Multi Currency account No. 012-611-2-009379-4 domiciled in Bank of China (Hongkong) Limited in the name of Pung Shen Technology Trading Co. Limited, which sum they reasonably ought to know form part of the proceeds of fraud.
They were also alleged to have sometimes in the months of July and October, 2019, unlawfully retained the sum of £1 million and £3.5 million in a multiple currency account number 012-968-2-002658-3 domiciled in Bank of China (Hongkong) Limited in the name of HongKong Zhongli Industrial Co. Limited.
The Nigerian alleged fraudster, Kayode Philip who was charged in all the 25 counts charge, was alleged to have unlawfully retained the total sum of N30. 250 million in United Bank of Africa Plc (UBA) account numbers 102030764 and 107030764, belonging to Influx Computer and Hardware Limited and DAKOTA Entertainment Limited.
The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. A. O. Muhammad, are contrary to sections 18(a), 15(2)(d), 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
The offences are also said to have contravened sections 27(1)(b), 28(2), 32(2) and 33(9) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc)Act,2015 and punishable under section 32 (2) of the same Act.
The defendants pleaded not guily to the charges.
Upon their plea of not guilty, the prosecutor urged the court to remand them in prison custody, while he also asked for a date for trial.
Lawyers to the defendants, Oludare Falana and Hamid Muhammad, while informing the court that they are not opposed to the request for trial date, however, told the court that they have filed their clients’ bail applications and same have been served on the prosecution.
Falana and Muhammad also told the court that the prosecutor was yet to respond to their application. They therefore urged the court for a short date to hear the applications.
On where the defendants be remanded, Falana told the court that his client be remanded in the custody of the EFCC, while Muhammad told the court that his Lebanese client had selected to be remanded in the custody of Nigeria Correctional Services.
Responding, the EFCC lawyer, Muhammad, told the court that the bail application of the first defendant was served on him while in court this morning, adding that he is yet to receive the Lebanese’ bail application
The EFCC lawyer however told the court that he is still within the time to respond to the bail applications.
Upon the agreement, the Presiding Judge, Justice Hassan, adjourned the hearing and determination of defendants bail applications till December 5, while fixing January 14, 15 and 16 2020, for commencement of defendants’ trial.
Count one of the charge against the defendants read: “that you Kayode Philip (A.k.A Voice Of the King) and Hamza Koudein (A.K.A HK) sometimes in May, 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: conversion of the aggregate sum of $7,069,000 (Seven Million, Sixty Nine Thousand United State Dollars), [1,000,000.00 (One Million Pounds) and €80,000 (Eighty Thousand Euro) Which sum you reasonably ought to have known form part of the proceeds of fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18(a), 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Kayode Philip on or about the 10‘” day of November, 2017 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured, influx computer and hardware limited with account No. 102030764 to use the sum of N19,250,000 ( Nineteen Million Two hundred and fifty thousand Naira) in its United bank for Africa Bank Account, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: Fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 15 (2) a and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
: “that you Kayode Philip on the 13th day of November, 2017 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured DAKOTA Entertainment Limited with account NO 107.0307 64 to use the sum of N11,000,000 (Eleven Million Naira) in its United bank for Africa Bank Account, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawfully act to wit’ Fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary ti sections 15 (2) (d) and 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (b) of the same Act”.
