For allegedly participating in a N360 million fraud, a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered a Canadian-based Nigerian, Joseph Ifeanyichukwu, to be taken into custody at the Special Police Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.
Judge Daniel Osiagor, ordered his pre-trial detention after pleading not guilty to the charge of alleged conspiracy, obtaining by false pretense and fraud the 360 million naira, held against him by the men of the PSFU.
Prior to his arraignment, the prosecutor, Mr. Emmanuel Jackson, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), advised the court that the accused had been on the run since 2016 when he committed the alleged offence.
Jackson told the court that the defendant, who had refused all police invitations, was apprehended at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, by police when he returned to the country to attend the friend’s wedding ceremony.
In an indictment marked FHC/L/484c/22, the prosecutor told the court that the accused, alongside his companies, Paradox-Akachi Company Ltd and Paradox Group Inc and the duo of Samuel Edu-El and Samuel Kanu, who were allegedly on the run, in 2016 conspired among themselves to fraudulently obtain the sum of N360 million from a certain Ese Avanoma of Brade Consulting Limited.
The prosecutor told the court that the defendant and others collected the money under a false pretense of exchange and sold the sum of $1.7 million for the naira equivalent.
He added that after receiving the $1.7 million, the defendant and others, now at large, converted said sum for their personal use and vanished into thin air.
Their offenses breached Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Charge Fraud and Other Charge Fraud Act 2006. fraud and section 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012.
On the defendant’s plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, as he urged the court to remand him in the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) until the charges are determined. charges brought against him.
However, Mr. Bassey Akpan asked the court to obtain bail from his client.
He told the court that the application had been filed and had been served on the Crown.
He urged the court to admit his client on bail on the most liberal terms.
The prosecutor acknowledged having been served with the request and told the court that since bail was at the discretion of the court, he did not object.
But he urged the court to impose conditions that will ensure the accused’s appearance in court until the charges are determined.
However, while ruling on the lawyer’s submissions, Judge Osiagor granted him bail in the amount of 50 million naira along with bail of a similar amount.
Judge Osiagor ordered that the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and must also own a developed land property with title deeds.
The judge also added that the surety must produce proof of three tax years and the defendant must file his travel documents with the Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) of the court.
The judge then adjourned the case to October 27 for trial and ordered that the accused be placed in the custody of the PSFU until he perfected the bail conditions.
“Evil alcohol lover. Twitter junkie. Future teen idol. Reader. Food aficionado. Introvert. Coffee evangelist. Typical bacon enthusiast.”