Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Obinna Calistus Okoli, the Chairman of the Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association, over the alleged fraud of N6.7 million.
Mr Okoli was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on fraud allegation and he is to face trial before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State. His arrest for allegedly obtaining the sum of N6.7 under false pretence on Tuesday.
The count charges read: “That you, Obinna Calistus Okoli (while being Chairman of Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association and Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association between May 2018 and July 2020 in Onitsha, Anambra State,
“Within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud) induced one Mr. Joseph Okechukwu Enyiuche to deliver to you the sum of N6,700,000.00 under the pretence that you would allocate to him four shops in the proposed lock-up stalls and shops to be built on watermelon land, which you knew to be false.
“Thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.“
The petitioner stated that upon completing payment for the shops, he later found out that the defendant had no remaining shops to allocate to him. Despite making several attempts to retrieve his money, he was unsuccessful.
According to the report shared on the EFCC X handle, both alleged suspects pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Nuradeen Shehu Ingawa, in view of their pleas, counsel to the EFCC begged the court for a reschedule trial date and asked the defendants to be remanded at the Correctional Centre.
However, defence counsel E. O. Igowe sought bail orally, but Ingawa vehemently opposed it, reminding the defence that the court was a record-keeping institution.
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Furthermore, Justice Dimgba subsequently adjourned the case until Friday, February 16, 2024, for the hearing of the bail application.
The defendants have since then been remanded in EFCC custody.
