EFCC Arraigns Woman, Herbalist Over Alleged N24.3m Land Scam In Akwa Ibom

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Josephine Anietie Philip, alongside a native doctor, Effiong Okon over their alleged involvement in land racketeering by facilitating fraudulent activities and benefited financially from it.

The duo was brought before the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, presided over by Justice Chigozie Onah.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the defendants, Philip and Okon were arraigned on Friday September 27, 2024 by the EFCC on a six- count charge bordering bothering on criminal conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence the sum of N24, 300 million.

One of the charges against them reads; “That you Josephine Anietie Philip sometime in February, 2024 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently obtain the sum of N16, 300, million from one Ndifreke Godwin Friday under the false pretence of selling a piece of land situated at No.3 Owok Ekong Lane, Mbiabong Anyanya, Etoi, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section i(3) of the same Act.”

Another count reads; “That you, Ime Effiong between February, 2024 and April, 2024 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court used the aggregate sum of N6, 501, 000 million through Account No.
3141617618 domiciled in First Bank and operated by Eno Ime Effiong which money you reasonably ought to know formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit; obtaining by false pretense and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the noney laundering (Prevention and Prohibition Act) 2022, and punishable under section 18(3) of the same Act.”

While taking their pleas, the duo pleaded not guilty to the six count charges.

As a result, the prosecution counsel Joshua Abolarin, prayed the court to remand the accused persons at the Nigerian Correctional Centre and fixed a date for trial to enable the prosecution present witnesses to prove the case against the accused persons.

But the defence lawyer C. I. Odo, swiftly made an oral application for bail.

After listening to both counsels, Justice Onah, upheld the position of the prosecution and ordered that the accused persons be remanded at the correctional centre, Uyo, even as the defence counsel was directed by the court to make a formal bail application for hearing on November 1, 2024.

The accused persons were being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency for allegedly collecting the sums of N16, 300, 000 and N8 million from two different buyers for the same piece of land measuring approximately 932 square meters located at No.3 Owak Ekong Lane, Mbiabong Anyanya, Etoi Uyo Akwa Ibom State.

The court also fixed my November 1, 2024 for bail application and hearing.