The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Enugu Zonal Office on Wednesday, arraigned Pastor Obianwu Kingsley and Okoloagu Ejiofor Anthony before Justice I.N Buba of the Federal High Court, Enugu, Enugu State for Fraud.
While Pastor Obianwu was arraigned on a one-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence to the tune of 720thousand naira,Okoloagu was arraigned on a two count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of 4,320million naira.
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The charges read: “That you Obianwu Kingsley (Trading Under the name and style of Union Global Express Assurance Company Nig) between the 1st day of May 2016 to the 1st day of May 2019, at Nsukka, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N720,000.00(Seven Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira) being the aggregated premiums for Free Life Insurance Cover, from one Mrs Onovo Amaechi Nonyelum, when you falsely represented to her that your company is onto insurance business, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section1 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
He pleaded not guilty to the charge, prompting prosecution counsel, Innocent Mbachie to request for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Service.
The judge granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N5 million with a reliable surety in like sum. The surety along with the defendant will swear to an affidavit and deposit their recent passport photographs with the court. Additionally, the bail condition must be met within 24 hours else the defendant will be remanded in prison custody.
One of the charges read: “That you Mr Okoloagu Ejiofor Anthony, between January and March 2016, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with the intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N4,000,000 ( Four million Naira ) from one Mrs Chinyere Michael Anionovo and Ozidi Standard Aluminium Products Limited under a false pretence that you will procure United States Dollars (USD) for them, a representation which you knew was false and 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.”
He pleaded not guilty to the charges, upon which prosecution counsel, N.S Ngawa requested for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Service.
He was granted bail in the sum of N10 million with a reliable surety in like sum. The surety, the judge said, must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and will swear to an affidavit of means. The defendant is also to perfect the bail conditions within 24 hours or be remanded in prison custody.
The matter was adjourned till October 14 and 15, 2020.
