The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a lawyer, Benjamin Chukwuemeka Nwobodo, before the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu State on a five-count charge bordering on forgery and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N12,000,000.
Count three of the charge read: “That you, Benjamin Chukwuemeka Nwobodo on 15th day of January, 2014 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N9,000,000 from one Wilson Ikeani Igwe under the false pretence of the sale of three plots of land situated at Emene, Enugu State to him, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him in court on Monday, January 27, 2025.
Following his plea, the EFCC counsel, Chikezie Raymond Edozie, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the Enugu State correctional centre.
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However, the defendant, who announced legal representation for himself, made an oral application for bail which the court granted.
The terms of the bail included two sureties in the like sum of N25 million, with one of the sureties being a landed property owner in Enugu metropolis.
The other surety must be a blood relation and must submit three years tax clearance to the court.
Both sureties must depose and submit an affidavit of means and the EFCC is to verify the sureties and their addresses within seven working days of receipt of the sureties details.
The lawyer in addition shall submit to the Deputy Court Registrar his international passport.
The presiding judge, Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo, thereafter permitted the defendant to go home based on self-recognizance but gave him 10 days to perfect the bail conditions or the EFCC shall arrest him and take him to a correctional facility.
The matter was adjourned to May 13 and 14, 2025, for trial.
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