The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, Monday, dragged Abel Egerton Sokari, Nkiruka Chukwuma, and Zakah Global Investment Limited before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over alleged �49 million fraud.
The defendants are facing a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, possession of fraudulent documents and forgery. The alleged offences involve a fraudulent attempt to obtain �49,000,000 from First Bank of Nigeria.
One of the charges reads: That you, Abel Egerton Sokari, Nkiruka Chukwuma, Zakah Global Investment Limited, Cheryl Austin Adanti (now at large), Husain Abid (at large), Shazad Muhammed (at large), and Ismail Adil (at large), on or about May 19, 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, attempted to obtain the sum of �49,000,000 from First Bank of Nigeria by falsely claiming that Bayan Investment Bank and Hedge Fund Statutory Trust had transferred the said amount into account number 2046430791 belonging to Zakah Global Investment Limited.
Another count accuses Sokari and Chukwuma of being in possession of a forged letter allegedly from the U.S. law office of Steven H. Sado, P.C., falsely linking it to the legal team of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.
