Man docked for obtaining $8,000 under false pretence
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, on Monday November 28, 2016, docked one Okwara Victory before Justice I.B Gafai of the Federal High Court, Awka, in Anambra State, for charges bothering on obtaining by false pretense to the tune of $8,674USD.
When the charge was read to the accused, he pleaded not guilty on all three counts. In view of his plea, the Defense Counsel Barr. Emma Onyibor applied for bail for his client, arguing that that his client has been on administrative bail granted by the EFCC, and had not defaulted. “He has always reported regularly to the EFCC whenever he was needed,” he submitted.
But prosecuting counsel, Barr Habila Jonathan, informed the court that he was served the motion for bail, shortly before court proceeding and needed time to study and respond.
The court upheld the argument of the EFCC counsel as the Judge was yet to study the bail application which the defense also served the court shortly before proceedings.
The court then ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody, while the case was adjourned to December 6, 2016, for hearing and consideration of bail.
One of the charges against the accused person reads: That you, Okwara Victory, sometime in the month of April 2016, at Onitsha, within Awka Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, did obtained the sum of N1,332,420 being the naira equivalent of $4,190 from one Ekweaba Oyemechi, when you falsely presented yourself to him that your girlfriend who lives in America will send you $4,190 meant for your return ticket to America, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section1(1)(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
