By Samuel Onyekwere
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Abdulhamid Isah before Justice I.O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on three-count charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, stealing and retention of proceeds of a criminal conduct.
One of the counts reads: “Abdulhamid Isah, sometime in October 2022, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, obtained a total sum of $63,590 (Sixty-three Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety United States Dollars) from Chinedu Ugokwe by falsely representing Chinedu Ugokwe that the money was for the supply of the Dollar equivalent, which pretence you knew to be false.”
Another count reads: “Abdulhamid Isah, sometime in October 2022, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, obtained and retained the total sum of $63,590 (Sixty-three Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety Dollars) from Chinedu Ugokwe, being proceeds of criminal conduct to wit stealing.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
Following his plea, counsel for the EFCC, N.K. Ukoha, prayed the court for a trial date for the prosecution to open its case. “We also pray that the defendant be remanded at the Correctional Centre,” he said.
The defence counsel, E.A. Ogbeche, however, informed the court of the bail application of his client. “We have an application pending before the Honourable Court. It is a summons for bail, and the prosecution has been served,” he said. He, thereafter, moved the bail application.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Ijelu held that “bail is to ensure future attendance”. The Judge, therefore, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N5million, with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a blood relation. The case was adjourned till February 1, 2024, for trial and the defendant ordered to be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
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