Funds Came Into Defendant’s Account In Tranches, Witness Tells Court In Alleged $1.5m Fraud Trial
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, June 29, 2026, presented its third prosecution witness (PW3), Levi Amanda Opice, a Compliance Officer with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), in the ongoing trial of Ifoma Immanuel before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, over an alleged $1.5 million fraud.
Immanuel is standing trial alongside his company, Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited, on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and forgery involving the sum of $1.5 million.
According to the EFCC, investigations revealed that the defendant allegedly induced Adebisi Adebutu of R28 Holdings Limited to invest $1.5 million by claiming that the funds would be used to finance projects linked to Chappal Petroleum Development Company Limited, Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited, and Chappal Energies Mauritius Limited.
The Commission further alleged that the investment was backed by assurances that the funds would be reimbursed, alongside the payment of a $2.25 million development capital fee and the allocation of a 22.4 per cent equity stake in Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Dada on March 11, 2026, and they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At Monday’s proceedings, Opice, while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel E. E. Iheanacho, SAN, alongside Babatunde Sonoiki, told the court that account of ABICO Plc transferred the total sum of Three Hundred and Five Million Naira (N305 million) within a single day to the account domiciled in Providus Bank Ltd belonging to 107 Global Limited. According to the witness, the funds were transferred in four different tranches of N100 million on three separate occasions, as well as an additional N5 million. ABICO Plc operated by Adebutu made the transfers to the account of 107 Global Limited in Providus Bank operated by a Bureau De Change operator who gave the funds to the defendants.
The witness further testified that GTBank received a letter from the EFCC dated May 30, 2025, requesting the statement of account and account opening documents for ABICO Plc. He said the bank responded to the request, and its reply dated October 16, 2025, together with the account opening package, were tendered before the court and admitted as exhibits.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution recalled its second witness (PW2), Paul Olufemi, a Compliance Officer with Providus Bank, to conclude his testimony.
During the hearing, the prosecution tendered several banking documents through the witness. Although defence counsel objected to their admissibility on the grounds that there was no proof of payment, Justice Dada overruled the objection and admitted the documents into evidence. The exhibits included the EFCC’s request to Providus Bank, the bank’s response, and the accompanying attachments.
Following the proceedings, Justice Dada adjourned the case until June 30, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
