Court dismisses Abebe’s no-case submission in N120m fraud trial

Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, has dismissed the no-case submission filed by Dr. John Abebe and his company, Inducon Nigeria Limited, in an ongoing trial over an alleged N120 million fraud.

The ruling, delivered on Thursday, March 5, 2026, compels the defendants to open their defence after the court held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against them.

Dr. Abebe and a co-defendant, Kamoru Alade Oladimeji, were arraigned on September 19, 2022, on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy to steal, stealing, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, obtaining by false pretence and obtaining execution of security by false pretence involving N120 million.

According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly conspired on June 4, 2013, in Lagos to steal N120 million belonging to Arsenal Technologies Limited.

The prosecution also alleged that the defendants obtained the sum from the company under the pretence that a property located at 9, Magbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, which they pledged as collateral, was free of encumbrances.

However, the prosecution claimed that the property had already been pledged to a bank, making the representation false.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, leading to the commencement of trial.

During the proceedings, the prosecution presented four witnesses before closing its case on May 15, 2025.

Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the first and third defendants filed a no-case submission on October 14, 2025, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case linking them to the alleged offences.

But in her ruling, Justice Abike-Fadipe held that at the stage of a no-case submission, the court only determines whether the prosecution has produced legally admissible evidence linking the defendants to the charges, not whether such evidence is sufficient to secure a conviction.

The judge noted that the evidence presented by the prosecution suggested that the defendants allegedly obtained N120 million from the complainant by pledging a property that had already been used as collateral elsewhere.

She added that the evidence, if believed, required an explanation from the defendants.

Consequently, the court dismissed the no-case submission and ordered the defendants to open their defence.

The matter was adjourned to May 28 and June 3, 4, 24 and 25, 2026, for the defendants to begin presenting their defence.