Statement sent out to the press. Read below...
Plans are underway for the extradition
of a British citizen, Deepak Khilnani
back to Nigeria for prosecution on
financial crimes against a Nigerian
Company in which he is a director. Mr
Khilnani, who is a chartered accountant
and an ex-convict of the British Crown
Court at Blackfriars, United Kingdom
(UK) is wanted in Nigeria in
connection with US$8, 776, 862 fraud
charge. The Crown Court conviction
certificate dated 13th November 1998,
which is in possession of the publisher
reads: continue...
“DEEPAK KHILNANI was upon his own
confession convicted upon indictment of
TRADING WITH INTENT TO DEFRAUD
CREDITORS, FALSE ACCOUNTING AND MAKING
FALSE STATEMENT TO AUDITOR”.
Mr Khilnani, who is of Indian descent was then
sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by the
British court in 1998 and was also disqualified
under section 2 of the UK Company Directors
Disqualification Act 1986 and ordered to pay
GBP15, 000.00 prosecution costs. Investigation
revealed that about nine years after his
conviction in the UK, Mr Khilnani alongside
Sushil Chandra, allegedly scammed some
Nigerian businesses.
Trouble started in 2013 after the local partners
petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP)
accusing the duo of financial crimes. According
to the petition, the complainants had in 2008
opened Letter of Credit in favour of Khilnani’s
firm, Gentec Energy Plc. UK, for the purchase of
equipment for the local partnership. The
petition led to Mr Khilnani’s arrest and
interrogation by the police, but he was
immediately granted bail with his lawyer,
Chris Okunowo, standing as his surety, while
investigation into the alleged crime lasted for
about a year.
Upon completion of investigation, a six count
criminal charge was subsequently filed by the
police under sections 323(1), 285(8), 321(1) and
312 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011. But on
4th July 2014, the day Mr Khilnani was to be
produced before a Senior Magistrate at the
Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, the police
prosecutor, Inspector Stephen Molo, informed
the Presiding Magistrate that Mr Khilnani
reportedly jumped administrative bail granted
by the police and fled to the UK.
Efforts to bring Mr Khilnani to face his trial
have been unsuccessful, however, the Lagos State
Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice
took over the case from the police and directed
the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to
have further conduct of the proceedings.
Investigations by the publisher revealed that
in a letter addressed to the Assistant Inspector-
General of Police, Zone 2 Command
Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, the DPP wrote
that:
“After a careful consideration of the facts
contained in the duplicate case file, this
Office is of the opinion that the available facts
establish a prima facie case of Conspiracy to
Commit a Felony, Cheating, Stealing and
Making False Statements contrary to Sectionns
422, 421, 390 (7) and 436(a) respectively of the
Criminal Code Law, cap. C. 17, Vol. 2, laws of
Lagos State, 2003 against the Suspects; Deepak
Khilnani and Suchil Chandra.” The publisher
also learnt from investigation conducted at the
High Court of Lagos State that in mid-May 2015,
the Lagos Attorney General filed criminal
charges against the Mr Khilnani at the Ikeja
Judicial Division of the High Court of Lagos
State in Charge No./ID/1544/15 – The State of
Lagos v. Deepak Khilnani & Sushil Chandra.
However, with the foreigners now outside
Nigeria, we hope that the law enforcement
agencies and institutions in Nigeria,
including the Interpol will collaborate with
their counterparts abroad to have the British
national and his co-defendant extradited to
Nigeria to face prosecution.
Recently, four Nigerians were executed in
Indonesia for drug trafficking. The Federal
Government of Nigeria under the leadership of
President Jonathan only condemn the act –
nothing more! There are several Nigerians
languishing in jails around the world and
particularly in the UK; and very recently , on
Monday, 4th May 2015, Justice E. S Chukwu of
the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama,
Abuja, ordered the extradition of Emmanuel
Okoyomon, a former managing director of the
Nigerian Security Printing and Minting
Company [NSPM] to the UK to face charges of
corruption and money laundering.
The collaboration between Nigeria and the UK
in fighting crime and management of
offenders is pivotal. Earlier in May 2015, the
UK repatriated three Nigerians in UK prisons
under the prisoners exchange agreement signed
by the two countries.
There are indications that more prisoners will
be transferred under this agreement. Therefore,
in view of the collaboration and bilateral
extradition policy between the two countries,
we hope that proper standards will be applied
by the authorities in Nigeria and UK in the
extradition and prosecution of Mr Khilnani
and his co-defendant for economic crimes
committed in this country against our own
people.
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