Four Nigerian brothers, including 34-year-old former Super Eagles player, Efetobore Sodje, have been charged in the UK for alleged fraud by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The others are Bright Sodje, 50, Samuel Sodje, 37, and Stephen Sodje, 42, were charged with fraudulent trading.
They were arraigned on October 21 and were granted bail at the Westminster Magistrates’ court in London. They are to appear on 14th November 2016.
The brothers were arrested on 13 July after a three-year NCA’s investigation into alleged irregularities at the Sodje Sports Foundation.
According to NCA, Sodje Sports Foundation was registered on March 1, 2010 and disbanded on January 22, 2015. The foundation has a motley of clearly unrelated aims, according to its record retrieved UK Charity Commission.
The aims are poverty reduction, advance good health in people through the provision of facilities in playing amateur sports and the promotion of lifelong learning.
Others are promotion of leadership skills and health issues such as HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, and nutrition.
It also claimed to be focused on with human rights violations such as “discrimination, equality and diversity issues (whether relating to race, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation or religion).”
Efetobore, the most prominent of the Sodje brothers, played for the Super Eagles at the 2000 African Cup of Nations.
He also played at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. (NAN)
Photo: The Sodje brothers
