FG Charges Daniel-Nnah, Biowish for $712,000 Fraud
Davidson Iriekpen
The federal government has charged Biowish Africa Limited and its Managing Director, Mr. Jim Daniels-Nnah, before the Federal High Court in Lagos on a three-count charge bordering on fraud, conspiracy and obtaining under false pretence.
The accused persons, who according to the charge sheet, are at large, were said to have in 2012 obtained the sum of $362,000 from Alsa Logistics limited, in Lagos, under false pretense, with a promise to supply Biowish products to the company which later turned out to be false.
In the charge sheet which was signed by Effiong Asu quo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police at the Police Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos, stated that the accused persons were said to have also defrauded Environ-Aids Technologies Limited the sum of $350,000.
The offences are said to be contrary to section 8 (a) of the Advanced Free Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006 and Section 1(1) (a), (3) of the Advanced Free Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
One of the three counts on the charge sheet stated: “That you Biowish ™ Africa Ltd and Jim Daniels-Nnah, MD/CEO, Biowish ™ Africa Ltd (now at large), sometime in 2012 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $362,000 from Alsa Logistics Limited under the representation that you have appointed Alsa Logistics Limited exclusive distributor of Biowish products in South-south territory; and consequently supply the Biowish products to the company; a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a), (3) of the Advance Free Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.”
The case followed a petition by Enviro Aid Technologies and Enercon to the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police (Special Fraud Unit) on October 11 and December 29, 2013 respectively, stating that Daniels-Nnah had allegedly fraudulently obtained the sum of $350,000 from the company under the guise of supplying the respondents various chemicals for environmental remediation from Biowish Inc in the United States of America (USA).
The petitions explained that between September 2012 and December 2013, the Environ-Aid Technologies transferred the sum of $350,000 in two tranches of $150,000 and a last tranche of $50,000 on October 16, 2012, November 6, 2012 and December 14, 2012 respectively to Biowish Africa represented by Daniels-Nnah on bank account number 2531597594, BBVA Compass Bank, Houston, Texas as payment for the supply of chemicals for environmental remediation, which have not been supplied till date.
Following the commencement of the investigation by the Nigeria Police, Daniels-Nnah rushed to the courts to secure a motion ex parte to prevent the police from continuing with their investigation.