Court Remands Accused Over Alleged N150m Fraud

Justice Mojisola Olajuwon of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has ordered the remand of an accused, Olufemi Onome Esieke, in the Nigerian Correctional Centre facility in Kuje, Abuja, pending when he is able to meet his conditions for bail.

The Inspector-General of Police had dragged the suspect and one other Oshiokhayame Awudu before the court on a seven-count charge bothering on conspiracy, conversion, stealing and perjury.

They were accused of collecting the sum of over N150m from one Mr Olu through Ms Waziri, under the guise of purchasing a property for him.

When the matter came up yesterday, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge brought against them by the police.

She ordered that Esieke should be remanded in prison custody pending when he will meet his bail conditions which included, a surety with landed property in Abuja with evidence of tax clearance and N15m in like sum.

On his part, Oshiokhayame was granted bail on health grounds.

Justice Olajuwon said he should continue to enjoy the administrative bail granted to him by the police based on his health status.

He was said to have been hospitalised, which had stalled the arraignment of the suspects for several months.

The court adjourned the case to October 16 for hearing.

The defendants in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/471/2022 and dated October 8, 2022 were accused of obtaining money to the tune of about N100m by false pretense.

Some of the counts read, “That you Olufemi Onome Esieke on or about the 4th day of May, 2021, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit a felony, viz; OBTAINING PROPERTY BY FALSE PRETENSE, by inducing one Ms Waziri to deliver to you the total sum of N11.000,000 million only which was paid into your Stanbic IBTC Bank Account No. 0032909813 and First Bank Account No. 2038544435 respectively under the pretense that you wanted to pay off a loan owed to one Ms. Lara of Grace Assembly Church and to wade off her threats to your life; you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) and punishable under section 1(3) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act Cap. A6, LFN, 2006.

“That you, Olufemi Onome Esieke sometime between 17” March and 2% June, 2021, in Nigena, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did commit a felony, iz STEALING, by taking from one Mr. Olu the total sum of $130,000.00 (One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars) only into your First Bank (Domiciliary) Account Number. 2038555123 for the purchase of a property which you did not do: you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 117 and punishable under section 118 of Criminal Code Act, Cap. C39, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.

“That you, Olufemi Onome Esieke sometime in September, 2021 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did commit a felony, viz. PERJURY, by knowingly giving false testimony for the purpose of instituting Sust No, LA/12113/MFFR/2021 at Lagos State High Court Registry; you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 117 and punishable under section 118 of Criminal Code Act, Cap. C39, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.

“That you, Oshiokhayaem Awudu sometime in 2021, in Nigena, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did commit a felony, viz RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY, by recering monies which were obtained by means of fraud knowing the same to have been so obtained; you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 437 of Cminate Act, Cap C39, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.