The Federal Government of Nigeria has asked Judge Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Abuja to indict alleged Ponzi scheme operator Michael Ukiye Diongoli and his two companies, UK Dion Group and UK Dion Investment Limited issued criminal summonses, both of which are located at 21 Bukhari Street, Abujalokoma Peace Court Property in Nigeria.

The prosecution filed the application on May 2 after the accused failed to appear in court.

They are accused of defrauding unsuspecting investors of 3.6 billion naira (544.04 million yuan).

In court, Mr. Moshood Adeyemi, a representative of the Federal Attorney-General's Office, requested a summons while asking the judge to set a new start date for the trial.

"Since 31 March 2023, the defendant has been duly served with the court proceedings; I don't know why they weren't in court today."

"I hereby wish to apply for another arraignment date and apply for a criminal summons to secure the appearance of the accused," Mr. Adeyemi, who represents the Federal Attorney General's Office, said in his application.

In the two counts against the suspects, the prosecution team alleges that between 2021 and 2022, while within the jurisdiction of the court, they committed felonies, namely: Conspired with their staff to carry out illegal acts to transfer investment funds to more than N3.6 billion belonging to the investing public, including Basil Onugu, Elizabeth Umenwa Nwankwo, Adetoun Sokoni, Ezeogu Victoria Ndozi and others.

The offence is alleged to be a violation of article 516 of the Criminal Code of the Federal Law of 2004 and is punishable.

"Michael Ukiye Diongoli, UK Dion Group and UK - Dion Investment Limited, all located at Buhari Street Peace Court Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja, It is alleged that between 2021 and 2022, in the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with other staff members, felonies were indeed committed: Transferred over 3.6 billion naira of investment funds belonging to the investing public, Basil Onugu, Elizabeth Umenwa Nwankwo, Adetoun Sokoni, Ezeogu Victoria Ndozi, etc. You are therefore in breach of Section 383(2) F of the Criminal Code, Federal Law of Nigeria, 2004, And punished under section 390(7) of the same Act." "One charge read.

When Justice Abubakar sought to understand why the matter had been referred to Abuja and not Lagos, where the accused was based, the prosecutor said most of the crime victims were residents of Abuja and its surrounding areas.