N9.4bn Fraud: Judge Orders Arrest Of 2 Foreigners

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered the arrest of two businessmen, Nabil Edmond Maukarzel and Halawi Fidaa, for allegedly refusing to appear before him to take their pleas in an alleged N9.4 billion fraud case.

Maukarzel, a Lebanese, and Fidaa, a French national, were accused by prosecutors from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) of obtaining N9,442, 788,578.93 from ECO Bank of Nigeria Limited, under false pretences.

The police, after concluding its investigation, filed a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing against the foreigners.

The charge, FHC/L/260C/2021, was signed by two police prosecutors, Williams Tijani and S. O. Ayodele.

But since the charge was filed in 2021, the suspects have declined to show up in court, prompting the police to file a motion ex parte, urging the court to order their arrest.

After listening to the motion, Justice Osiagor issued a warrant of arrest for the arrest of Maukarzel and Fidaa, for the offence of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence, fraudulent diversion of funds, and stealing to the tune of 9,442, 788,578.93.

The court ordered that the suspects should be apprehended and taken to the nearest police station.