Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the police prosecutor to produce Victor Okeshola, an Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in the case of Precious Chiradza, an international fraudster accused of defrauding Nigerians of over N1 billion through a fake company named QZ Assets Management.
The order was issued during a court session on Wednesday in Abuja.
Justice Omotosho directed that Okeshola be brought to court at the next adjourned date.
An explosive investigation published by SaharaReporters on February 10 revealed a shocking connection between Okeshola, a Nigerian police officer, and Chiradza, a Zimbabwean national.
Chiradza allegedly scammed Nigerians out of over N1 billion through QZ Assets Management and now faces seven counts of criminal charges alongside her South African accomplices before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
What makes the case even more alarming is that Okeshola, who serves with the National Cybercrime Centre (NCC), was the officer responsible for investigating Chiradza’s fraudulent activities.
Despite this, sources told SaharaReporters that Okeshola helped smuggle Chiradza out of Nigeria with the assistance of other police officers — allegedly after receiving millions of naira in bribes.
The court had previously ordered the prosecutor to produce the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in court and threatened to refer all those involved in the alleged conspiracy surrounding the escape and false identities of sureties in the high-profile fraud case to the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
However, SaharaReporters learnt that during the court session on Wednesday, March 12, the prosecutor failed to present the IPO, prompting Justice James Omotosho to express his displeasure. The case involved the escape of the 1st and 2nd defendants, Precious Chiradza and Gugu Manana, who are facing charges related to an alleged N1 billion fraud.
Justice Omotosho had previously issued an order for the arrest and production of Victor Okeshola, the IPO. However, the judge decided to give Okeshola one last opportunity to appear before the court on March 27, 2025.
The judge warned that failure to comply would result in a formal arrest order.
It was learnt that during the hearing, the prosecutor, identified as Prosper, informed the court that the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order to freeze the sureties’ bank accounts had not yet been processed and served on the bank.
The prosecutor also reported progress in tracking down the sureties. He stated that the residence of one surety linked to Chiradza had been located, but tenants informed investigators that the surety had moved to his private house without disclosing the new address. Similarly, the house of a surety connected to Gugu Manana was identified, but only the surety’s wife was found at the location.
Following the prosecutor’s report, Justice Omotosho allowed all counsels present to respond to the developments.
The counsel for Mrs Chinagorom, the second nominal Complainant, Bar. Francis Ochi Bsu Etuk, told the court that their outing “is to further the cause of justice and promote the overriding purpose of the ACJA (Administration of Criminal Justice Act), which is to protect the interest of justice, parties, victim and the Suspect.”
He further told the court that “this Court may choose to give them further time to report,” adding that whatever was the decision of the Court, “we shall abide”.
“The court inclined to oblige the prosecutor further time,” and vowed that he won’t strike out the matter or discontinue same.
Mr. Etuk also reminded the court that during the last hearing, the IPO, Victor Okeshola, was ordered to appear in court, but the prosecutor failed to produce him.
In response, the prosecutor claimed that he had been occupied with other assignments.
“Hence the court ordered initially for his arrest but withdraw the order of arrest and ordered that the Prosecutor should produce him by all means by next date,” the source quoted the court have said.
Justice Omotosho warned that “failure of which further order shall be made against him.”
The court then ordered the police not to arrest the nominal complainant over reports published by SaharaReporters exposing alleged compromises by police officers in the case.
The case was subsequently adjourned to March 27, 2025.