The
Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has
arraigned one Ugwu Alexander Chekwube, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of
the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State.
The
defendant was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and
obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N85, 000,000.00 (Eighty-five million
naira only).
One
of the four-count charges reads: “That you, Ugwu Alexander Chekwube and one Ugo
Sunday Onuaguluchi (At large) from 2nd November 2022, to 6th December 2022 in
Enugu, Enugu State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria
with intent to defraud induced one Zod International Developers to deliver to
you the sum of N85,000,000.00 (Eighty-five million naira), under the pretence
that you will help him secure a contract for the construction of six District
Hospitals in Ebonyi State which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and
Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the
same Act”.
The
defendant pleaded “not guilty” after hearing the charges read to him and
following plea, counsel to the EFCC, Nuradeen Shehu Ingawa, prayed the
court for a trial date and the remand of the defendant at the Enugu State
Correctional Centre. Defence counsel, M. C.
Onwuzuruoha,
however, told the court about a pending bail application before it.
Justice
Umar thereafter adjourned the matter till April 17, 2024 for hearing on the
bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at Enugu State
Correctional facility.
Chekwube was arrested by the EFCC for allegedly luring a construction company, Zod International Developers, to pay him N85, 000,000.00 under the pretence that he would help the company secure a contract for the construction of six district hospitals in Ebonyi State.
After collecting the said amount, the defendant neither secured the contract nor refund the money to the petitioner.
