By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two persons on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, retention of proceeds of crime and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N382,336,955.
The anti-graft agency’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
TheFact Daily gathers that Onuaguluchi Ifeakanwa Chris and Izuchukwu Shedrack David, were brought before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State.
According to one of the counts, the defendants allegedly swindled one Mackombo Omoila, Managing Director/CEO of Architekon Nigeria Limited of N331,376,000 for a purported non-existent World Health Organisation contract to construct six Unity Houses for hospitals in six local government areas in Ebonyi State. They were arrested on January 31, 2024 in Anambra State.
The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them. In view of their pleas, counsels to the EFCC, Michael Ani and Blessing Obasi, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded at Enugu State Correctional facility.
However, defence counsel, E. C. Chinenyeze and C. I. Enechionyia, informed the court about pending bail applications before it. They moved the said applications and prayed the court to grant their clients bail on liberal terms.
Ani and Obasi vehemently opposed the applications on the ground that if granted bail, the defendants might jump bail considering the gravity of the offence.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to June 6, 2024 for ruling on the bail applications while the defendants were remanded at the Enugu State Correctional Facility.
