Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Abdulhamid Isah before a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, over alleged $63,599 fraud.
He was arraigned before Justice Ismail Ijelu on a three-count charge bordering on stealing, obtaining money by false pretence, and retaining proceeds of a crime.
Prosecution counsel, Nwandu Ukoha, told the court that the defendant, sometime in October 2022, obtained $63,599 by false pretence. He said Isah stole the amount, which belonged to one Chinedu Ugokwe.
Ukoha told the court that the money was given to Isah, with expectation that he (Isah) would exchange the same to naira equivalent. The defendant, however, failed to do so.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened the provision of Sections 1 (1)(2) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006; Section 278 (1) (b), (2) (1) and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No. 11 of 2011; and Section 17 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following his plea, Ukoha prayed the court to remand the defendant, pending trial. He did not oppose a bail application, saying he was leaving that decision to the discretion of the court.
The defendant’s counsel, Emmanuel Ogbeche, prayed the court to move the bail application. He also urged the court to remand the defendant in EFCC’s custody.
Justice Ijelu, therefore, granted him bail of N5 million, with two sureties in like sum. The court ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relation and must be resident in Lagos State.
The judge further ordered that the sureties must present evidence of a reliable source of livelihood and that the defendant should be produced at every trial date.
He ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, pending the perfection of bail, and adjourned trial till February 1, 2024.
