EFCC Arraigns 5 Family Members For Alleged N242.4m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned five members of the same family before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja for allegedly stealing N242.391 million.

The EFCC docked the family members comprising Chisom Obiakor, Daniel Obiakor, Anthony Obiakor, Precious Nwokemodo, and Ifeanyi Nwokemodo, before Justice Mojisola Dada on a seven-count charge of conspiracy and theft of the money belonging to Just Kings and Real Kings Nigeria Limited.

The anti-graft agency re-arraigned the defendants after the case file was withdrawn from Justice Rahman Oshodi and reassigned to Justice Dada by the court’s Chief Judge.

Police Prosecutor, Anita Imo, told the court that Chisom Obiakor, while employed by the complainant, allegedly stole goods worth N242.391 million and subsequently channeled the proceeds to her father, Daniel Obiakor; brother, Anthony Obiakor; sister, Precious Nwokemodo; and brother-in-law, Ifeanyi Nwokemodo.

Imo also alleged that Chisom’s father received N10 million of the stolen funds, while Precious and Anthony received N24.5 million and N10 million, respectively. Additionally, her brother-in-law, Ifeanyi Nwokemodo, received N400,000.

The Prosecutor further informed the court that the defendants allegedly committed the crimes of stealing and fraudulently obtaining property between January 1, 2021, and September 14, 2022.

The lawyer stated that the offences were contrary to Section 328(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and punishable under the same section.

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

Based on their pleas, the judge granted them bail as requested by their lawyer and allowed them to continue to enjoy the conditions of the previous bail granted by Justice Ijelu, except for the fifth defendant, who was denied bail.

Justice Dada subsequently adjourned the case to November 3 for trial.