Couple arraigned by EFCC in Uyo for fraud
An Uyo based couple, Gabriel Ikpenwa, and his wife, Lillian Ikpenwa, have been arraigned at the Akwa Ibom state High Court by the Uyo zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud.
The couple were arraigned alongside a cooperative society, Easycash Multipurpose, owned by Gabriel, on two counts of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences.
Mr. Gabriel and his spouse came into the long arms of the law after a certain Maria Umana on February 22, 2018, petitioned the EFCC, alleging that in 2013, the couple had deceived her into investing N450,000 in their cooperative society, promising her that she would be paid N67,500 per month as interest accruing to the investment.
The couple, however, defaulted on the terms of the transaction, prompting the victim to file a petition with the EFCC.
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The charges read in part,
“That you, Gabriel Chizoba Ikpenwa, Lillian Nkechi Ikpenwa, and Easycash Multipurpose Cooperative Society, sometime in 2013 at Uyo, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N450,000 only from one Maria Ebong Umana, under the pretext that if the said Maria Ebong Umana invested the sum of N450,000, she would gain interest of N67,000 monthly, the pretences you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence.”
The couple pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
The prosecution counsel, N. Ukoha, prayed the court to set a trial date and remand the couple in custody.
Ruling, Justice Archibong Archibong, adjourned the case till December 9 and 10, 2020, for trial.
