Kemisola Oye
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned Abdulhamid Isah at a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over an alleged Sixty-Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Ninety-Nine Dollars ($63,599) fraud.
Isah is facing a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, stealing and retaining proceeds of criminal conduct.
The defendant, before Justice Ismail Ijelu, pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The EFCC prosecutor, Mr Nwandu Ukoha told the court that the defendant had sometime in October 2022, obtained the said sum by false pretences.
Ukoha said that the defendant also stole the said amount belonging to one Chinedu Ugokwe.
He informed the court that the money was given to Isah with the intention to exchange the same for the naira equivalent, which the defendant failed to do.
Also, the defendant was accused of retaining the said amount, suspected to be proceeds of criminal conduct.
Ukoha informed the court that the offences contravened sections 1 (1)(2) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.
Also, 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.
Ukoha, thereafter, urged the court to remand the defendant accordingly, pending the commencement of trial. He also left the decision on the bail application of the defence counsel to the discretion of the court.
The defence counsel, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche moved the bail application, praying the court to grant the application and requested that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
Consequently, the Justice Ijelu granted the application. The court admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties, the court directed, must be related by blood and must reside in Lagos State.
The judge also ordered that the sureties must present evidence of reliable sources of livelihood and that the defendant be produced at every trial date.
He then ordered the remand of the defendant in the Ikoyi Correctional Facility, pending the perfection of bail.
Justice Ijelu thereafter adjourned the matter till 1st February 2024 for trial.
Eighteen-Eleven Media