Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has sentenced notorious fraudster Emmanuel Nwude and two lawyers, Emmanuel Ilechukwu and Rowland Kalu, to one year imprisonment each for forgery and dealing in forfeited property.
The conviction, delivered on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, followed their prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over offences linked to the illegal handling of property previously forfeited to victims of fraud.
Nwude and his lawyers were first arraigned on March 2, 2018 on an amended 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, uttering false documents, dealing in forfeited property, attempting to pervert the course of justice, and fabricating evidence.
According to the EFCC, the defendants between 2011 and 2012 unlawfully dealt with a property located at Plot Y, Mobolaji Johnson Street, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, despite knowing it had already been forfeited to victims of crime as restitution following an earlier judgment.
The property had been forfeited under a November 18, 2005 ruling by Justice J.O.K. Oyewole of the Lagos State High Court in a case involving Nwude and several co-defendants. The victims subsequently sold the property to Rosaab Industrial Design Limited, which later transferred ownership to G.C. Nweze and Company Limited.
Despite this, the EFCC told the court that Nwude and his lawyers attempted to reclaim and dispose of the property through forged documentation and legal manoeuvres.
All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting a full trial.
During the proceedings, the prosecution, led by Nnaemeka Omewa, presented five witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits, which the court admitted as evidence.
The prosecution closed its case on March 19, 2019, after which the defence filed a no-case submission.
Justice Dada dismissed the application on September 19, 2019 and ordered the defendants to open their defence.
Instead of proceeding immediately, Nwude approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the ruling.
However, the appellate court dismissed the appeal and directed him to return to the trial court to present his defence.
The defence eventually opened its case on February 22, 2021. Nwude testified personally and called three witnesses. His lawyers, Ilechukwu and Kalu, also testified in their defence before closing their case on February 27, 2025.
The matter then proceeded to final written addresses. However, in a dramatic development during proceedings on September 25, 2025, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for Lagos State, Babajide Martins, appeared in court indicating that his office had been instructed to take over the case following a petition written by one of the defendants.
Justice Dada questioned the attempt, noting that the case was already at the stage of adopting final addresses. Martins could not provide a clear justification for the move.
After further proceedings and submissions by the parties, the court finally delivered judgment on March 11, 2026.
Justice Dada found the defendants guilty on 13 counts, including conspiracy, forgery, and dealing in forfeited property. However, the court discharged and acquitted them on two counts relating to making false statements to a public officer.
Each of the three defendants was subsequently sentenced to one year imprisonment.
The case originated from a petition received by the EFCC in July 2017.
Background to the matter dates back to Nwude’s earlier conviction over a high-profile international fraud involving Banco Noroeste S.A. of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Stanton Development Corporation.
In that earlier case, Nwude had entered a plea bargain, agreeing to forfeit several assets, including landed properties, vehicles, shares, and the entire undertaking of his company, Emrus Auto Nigeria Limited, as restitution to victims.
Justice Oyewole subsequently convicted Nwude and his company, sentencing him to five years imprisonment starting from the date of arrest. The court also ordered that the listed assets be forfeited to the victims.
One of those assets was the Oregun property later sold to Rosaab Industrial Design Limited and subsequently transferred to G.C. Nweze and Company Limited.
After completing his prison term, Nwude attempted to reclaim the same property by engaging the services of the two lawyers.
According to the EFCC, he issued a Power of Attorney to Kalu authorising him to recover and sell the property, falsely presenting Mankris Ventures Limited as the rightful owner instead of Emrus Auto Nigeria Limited.
Acting on the document, Kalu filed a suit at a Magistrate Court in Ogba, Lagos, and obtained an order ejecting G.C. Nweze & Co. from the property.
The EFCC further stated that Ilechukwu mobilised court sheriffs and police officers to enforce the order and evict the company from the premises.
G.C. Nweze & Co later returned to the court to challenge the eviction, arguing that the order had been obtained through fraudulent means.
Subsequently, several petitions were written by Nwude and his associates to different police formations and government agencies.
However, investigations by the EFCC led to fresh criminal charges against Nwude and his lawyers in Charge No. ID/6407C/2017, culminating in Wednesday’s conviction.
