Court Remands Bizman In Prison Over Alleged N10m Fraud

Justice Ibrahim Kala of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday remanded an America-based Nigerian businessman, Lanre Smith, at the Ikoyi Center of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) over his alleged involvement in a N10 million fraud.

Justice Kala ordered that Smith be kept behind bars till February 5, when his bail application will be heard and determined by the court.

The defendant was arraigned before the court by men of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) on a four-count charge of conspiracy and fraud.

The prosecutor, Mike Enejere, informed the judge that the defendant and others, now at large, had, sometime in August 2016, conspired among themselves and conducted a financial transaction which involved proceeds of unlawful activity.

Enejere also told the court that the defendant deceived Lindy Drake into depositing $26,000, which was paid into Well Fargo Account No. 1788790317 with Account name Wilok Limited, operated by one Okwudili Okeke.

He  claimed that the defendant obtained the sum of N10 million from Okwudili Okeke with the pretence that he had deposited a genuine sum of $26,000 into his United States of America’s Wilok Limited account, a pretence he known to be false, as such funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.

The prosecutor maintained that the offences are contrary to sections 8(a), 7(1)(a), and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 7(2)(b) and 1(3) of the same Act.

The businessman, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Based on his plea, Enejere urged the court to remand the defendant in prison, claiming that he had been evasive since the charge was filed; he also asked the court for a trial date.