The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, on Tuesday May 3, 2016, arraigned
Obiageli Funmilayo Nwagu on a six count charge of Obtaining Money by
False Pretence and Issuance of Dud Cheques before Justice C. O Ajah of
the State High Court, Enugu.
The accused person pleaded not guilty on all counts.
In view of the
accused person’s plea, the defense counsel, O.A.U Onyema prayed the
court to grant the accused bail. But the prosecuting counsel, M.A Shehu
opposed the bail application and immediately drew the attention of the
court to two separate applications for bail by the defense. The defense
counsel immediately withdrew the earlier application, which the court
granted.
The EFCC counsel
then prayed the court to adjourn the case to enable the prosecution
respond to the bail application. “Filing two different motions for bail
for the same accused person in the same court is an abuse of court
process hence I could not respond to any of the motions. I therefore
pray the court to adjourn to allow prosecution file its counter to the
motion.” Shehu said.
The court granted
the prosecutions’ plea, and then adjourned to June 6, 2016, for hearing
of the motion for bail and commencement of trial, while the accused
person continued to enjoy the administrative bail granted her by the
EFCC.
Nwagu allegedly took a loan of N8, 433,547.00 from a
licensed money lender, and further introduced seven others who jointly
took loans from same lender, with Nwagu standing as guarantor. The
monies borrowed plus accrued interest amounted to a total sum of N25,
859,031.00, for which all seven borrowers and Obiageli issued cheques of
different banks which when presented for payment were returned unpaid
as the various accounts were not funded.
One of the charge
reads: “That you, Obiageli Nwagu trading under the name and style of
Pizzaz Enterprises on or about the 2nd day of December, 2013 at Enugu
within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Enugu State issued a First
City Monument Bank Plc cheque No: 01952241 dated 2ndDecember, 2013,
valued at N3,800,000.00 to Chinwe Uzakah, the said cheque when presented
for payment within three months was dishonored on the grounds that
insufficient funds were standing to the credit of the account upon which
it was drawn and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)
of the Dishonored Cheque (Offences) Act, Cap D11, Laws of the Federation
2004 and punishable under Section 1(1) (b) of the same Act”.
Wilson UwujarenHead, Media & Publicity
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