The trial of the Chief Executive Officer of Onome Global Market Resources Limited and Lexicon Multi-concept Media Limited, Osabohein Alex Ologbose, and his wife, Hope Onome Oghelemu, continued before Justice Ekerete Akpan of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, with a prosecution witness narrating how she was allegedly defrauded in an investment scheme linked to the defendants.
According to an official signed statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Dele Oyewale, the defendants and their two companies are facing a seven-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, conversion of funds and money laundering involving about N740 million.
At the resumed hearing, the first prosecution witness, Mrs. Chinyere Okoroafor, a civil servant, told the court that she invested N58.1 million in a purported bitter-kola export business after being introduced to the scheme by Alice Ayeni Alade, a staff member of NEXIM Bank.
The witness explained that Alade presented the venture as a lucrative export business involving the shipment of bitter-kola to China, Hong Kong and Indonesia, where the produce was allegedly used for pharmaceutical purposes.
According to her testimony, Alade assured her of attractive returns on investment and informed her that the business was owned by Hope Oghelemu and Osabohein Ologbose through Onome Global Market Resources Limited.
“She introduced me to an investment business for the exportation of bitter-kola to China, Hong Kong and Indonesia and, because she was working with NEXIM Bank and we were discussing exportation, I trusted her and believed she knew what she was talking about,” the witness told the court.
Okoroafor stated that investors were promised returns within eight weeks, with two weeks allocated for sourcing the produce, four weeks for shipment and another two weeks for processing payments from foreign partners.
She disclosed that she subsequently transferred a total of N58.1 million into Alade’s bank account for the investment.
However, when the investment matured, she said no returns were paid. Instead, she was informed that payments had not been received from the defendants.
According to the witness, repeated demands for her money were met with various explanations, including claims of flooding in China, fire outbreaks in Hong Kong and freight-related challenges.
She further told the court that the defendants participated in meetings and WhatsApp discussions where they repeatedly appealed for patience, assuring investors that payments would soon be made.
As doubts about the legitimacy of the business grew, Okoroafor petitioned the EFCC for investigation.
The witness testified that Alade later confirmed receiving the N58.1 million and provided evidence showing that the funds had allegedly been transferred to the defendants. She added that she was also shown corporate documents, profiles and registration records relating to Onome Global Market Resources Limited.
She further informed the court that during a meeting facilitated by pastors of Living Faith Church, Sunny-Ville Estate, Abuja, the third defendant, Hope Oghelemu, allegedly pleaded with investors and promised that all outstanding payments would be made within two weeks.
According to the witness, it was later discovered that there was no genuine investment arrangement and that the defendants allegedly had no business relationship with the foreign companies they claimed to be dealing with.
“Till date, I have not received any return on investment from the defendants. I have not received the principal sum that I invested, and I have not had any communication with them,” she told the court.
Earlier, defence counsel, Peter Femi Joseph, sought an adjournment on the grounds that his team had recently taken over the case and had not received all relevant documents from previous counsel. However, the court declined the request and directed that the trial proceed.
Justice Akpan subsequently adjourned the matter until July 1, 2026, for cross-examination of the witness.
