Whistleblower in trouble for giving false information to EFCC

A whistleblower, Umoh Edem, on Tuesday appeared in an Ikeja High Court, for allegedly giving false N700 million pension and tax evasion fraud information about a company.

The EFCC charged Edem with making false statement to a public officer.

The counsel of the EFCC, Mr S.O. Daji told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Aug. 7, in Lagos.

Daji said that the defendant provided false information to the EFCC about the involvement of a company, Starsonic/Sacvin Group of Nigeria, where he was an employee.

“The defendant claimed that the management staff of the company was involved in massive pension fraud, tax evasion and other fraudulent activities in the tune of N700 million,” he said.

He said that the defendant with an intent to embarrass the company gave information he knew was false to the EFCC and Mrs Patience Kalu, a public officer.

Deji said that the offence contravened Section 96 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The vacation judge, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility.

Oshodi also ordered the EFCC to return the case file to the registry for reassignment.