The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Tuesday October 11, 2016 arraigned a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Benjamin Benedict Apugo before Justice Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Umuahia Abia State on a three count charge bordering on obtaining N36.000, 000.00 by false pretence.
Apugo pleaded not guilty to the charges prompting the prosecution led by Joshua Saidu to apply for a trial date while praying that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending trial.
But the defence counsel, R.M Udechukwu (SAN) pleaded with the court to allow the accused to continue with the administrative bail granted him by EFCC. He had unsuccessfully argued against the arraignment of his client based on a purported pending appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of court.
The court however granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10, 000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira Only) and two sureties in like sum. The two Sureties, the court insists must be senior civil servants not less than Deputy Director with one of them having a landed property within Umuahia metropolis who must deposit the title documents with the court registrar.
The judge further directed that both counsel, together with the court registrar, shall also verify the sureties and ordered Chief Apugo to be remanded in prison custody pending fulfilment of bail conditions.
Earlier, Apugo had stormed the court with several security vehicles and not less than six armed mobile policemen from the Special Protection Unit of the Nigeria Police, a development prompting the judge to demand that they move out of the court premises citing security concerns.
Chief Apugo’s arraignment was sequel to his arrest on Friday September 30, 2016 by EFCC following a warrant issued by the court which considered his numerous attempts to evade taking a plea on the charge preferred against him. He was alleged to have fraudulently sold six (6) plots of land valued at N36.000,000 (Thirty Six Million Naira Only) belonging to the Nigeria Railway Corporation located at Umunwulari Nkata Ibeku layout, Planning Scheme Umuahia.
The matter has been adjourned to 17th and 18th November for trial.
In another development, the EFCC, on Tuesday October 11, 2016 arraigned one Ikechukwu Onyia Henry before Justice. C.O. Ajah of the State High Court Enugu, on a four count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences and issuance of dud cheques to the tune of N4,500.000.00 (Four million five hundred thousand naira) contrary to Section 1(2)(b) of the Dishonored Cheques (Offences)Act, Cap D11, Laws of the Federation, 2004 and punishable under Section 1(1)(b)(i) of the same Act.
The accused, a former staff of EMEL Group of Companies Lagos and a self styled importer of baby diapers in January 2015, allegedly approached the petitioner for a loan of N3,000,000.00 (Three Million Naira) to boost importation of his stock with an agreement to pay an interest of N1, 500.000.00 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) in return.
Investigation however revealed that the transaction was fraudulently entered into by the accused solely to use the loan obtained to offset debts incurred from his former office which led to his dismissal. It was also discovered that his company Alteal Enterprises was non functional and without any presence in the registered address.
Eze, having failed to pay back the loan and interest thereof, went ahead at various times, to issue six post-dated cheques to the complainant which when presented, were returned unpaid due to insufficient fund in the account.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the four counts charge preferred against him necessitating the prosecuting counsel Muhammad Shehu to apply for a trial date.
However, Justice Ajah granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 and one surety in like sum
The case has been adjourned to November 7, 2016 for trial.
