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By Akin Kuponiyi
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the remand of one Solomon Ejiofor in a correctional centre after he was arraigned over N307 million tax fraud.
Ejiofor was arraigned before Justice Deinde Dipeolu on a four-count charge of intent to defraud by the police.
Police prosecutor, Barrister Augustine Nwabueze told the court that the suspect allegedly presented himself as a Tax Manager with Forvis Mazars to Lotus Travels Services Limited and collected the sum of N307 million disbursed to him through his bank account for the settlement of taxes with the Nigerian Revenue Services, NRS, but diverted the said sum into his personal use.
When the charges were read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following the defendant’s plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre pending hearing and determination of the charge.
However, counsel to the defendant told the court that why he was not opposed to a trial date, he has a motion for the bail filed on behalf of Ejiofor.
The defence counsel also told the court that he had served the prosecution with a copy of the application for bail and that he is ready to move the said application
However, Barrister Nwabueze told the court that the motion was served on him a day before the arraignment and that he would need time to study and respond to it properly.
After listening to the two parties, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the matter till October 26, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and for trial to commence.
The four counts charge against the defendant as filed before the court read:
COUNT 1
That you, SOLOMON EJIOFOR male and others still at large, between January 2020 — September 2025, at Number 202 — 204 Zaeed Mall Ikeja & at 15 Kudirat Adenikan Street Ejigbo, Lagos State, in the Lagos Judicial Division of this Honourable Court knowingly, with Intent to defraud, did present yourself as a Tax Manager with FORVIS MAZARS ON BEHALF OF LOTUS TRAVELS SERVICES LIMITED, with intent to defraud, collected the total sum of Three Hundred and Seven. Million Naira (N307,000,,000.00) disbursed to you through your Bank Account for the settlement of Taxes with the Nigerian Revenue Services (FIRS, SIRS), but diverted the said several fund into your personal uses without remittance to the NRS, and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Sections 1(1), 1(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2016.
COUNT I1
“That you, SOLOMON EJIOFOR ‘male’ and others still at large, between January 2020 — September 2026, at Number. 202 — 204 Zaeed Mall Ikeja and at Number. 15 Kudirat Adenikan Street Ejigbo, Lagos State, in the Lagos Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently at intervals obtained the sum of Three Hundred and Seven Million Naira
(N307,000,000.00) from LOTUS TRAVELS SERVICES LIMITED for the settlements of company taxes, which you failed to remit to the appropriate Nigeria Revenue Services, but converted same to your personal uses incurring huge debts and liability for the Travels Company, and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 419 (A)(1)(a)(b) of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
COUNT III:
That you, SOLOMON lEJZOFOR ‘male’ and others still at large, between January 2020 — September 2026, at No. 202 — 204 Zaeed Mall Ikeja and at Number 13 Kudirat Adenikan Street Ejigbo Lagos State, in the Lagos Judicial division of this Honourable Court, did knowingly at intervals steal the sum of Three Hundred and Seven Million Naira (N307,000,000.00) from LOTUS TRAVELS SERVICES LIMITED for the payment settlements of company taxes being property of Lotus Travels Services Limited which have incurred huge debt & liability for the company, and thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under section 390 Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
COUNT 4
That you SOLOMON EJIOFOR ‘male’ and others now at large, between January 2020 — September 2026 at No. 202 — 204 Zaeed Mall Ikeja and at NO. 15 Kudirat Adenikan Street Ejigbo, Lagos State, in the Lagos Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, did conspired among yourselves to gain unauthorized fund meant to be remitted into the National Revenue Services with intent to manipulate financial records, disrupt revenue flows, sabotage and destabilize Nigeria’s economic structure and avoid payments/remittance of taxes, and thereby, committed an offence punishable under section 27 (1) (a) (b) (2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act 205 (as Amended 2024).
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