Alleged N9.4bn Fraud: Court Issues Warrant of Arrest on Lebanese, French Businessmen

Wale Igbintade

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court, in Lagos has ordered the arrest of two businessmen Mobile Edmond Moukarzel and Halawi Fidaa over their refusal to appear in court to take their pleas in an alleged N9.4 billion fraud case filed against them by men of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).
Moukarzel, a Lebanese and Fidaa, a French national were accused of obtaining the sum of N9,442, 788,578.93 from a Nigerian Bank under false pretences.
The police after concluding its investigation had filed a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing against the foreigners.
The charged, FHC/L/260C/2021, was signed by two police prosecutors, Williams Tijani and S. O. Ayodele.
It read: “That you Mabil Edmond Moukarzel ‘M’, Halawi Fidaa ‘M’ and others now at large sometimes in the year 2014 at Apapa Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria conspired among yourselves to commit felony to with obtaining the sum of N9,441,824,102.14 from Ecobank Nigeria Limited under the pretence that you are using the
said sum to import goods to Nigeria.
A representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

“That you Mabil Edmond Moukarzel ‘M’, Halawi Fidaa ‘M” and others now at Large sometimes in the year 2014 at Ecobank Nigeria Limited plot 21 Ahmadu Bello Way. Victoria Island mn Lagos State of Nigeria. within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud fraudulently obtained the total sum of N9.441,824.102.14 from Ecobank  Limited under the pretence that you are using the said sum to import goods into Nigeria a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (a), (c) & 1 (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section | (3) of the same act.

“That you Mabil Edmond Moukarzel ‘M’, Halawt Fidaa ‘M’ and others now at large sometimes in the year 2014 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court steal the total sum of N9,441,824,102.14nly) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390 (a) of the Criminal Code Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.