
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Enugu Zonal Command, has dragged Onuaguluchi Chris and Izuchukwu David before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu over alleged contract fraud.
New Telegraph reports that the defendants were charged with five counts of conspiracy, retention of criminal proceeds, and acquiring N382,336,955 by false pretence.
According to the anti-graft agency, the suspects reportedly defrauded one Mackombo Omoila, Managing Director/CEO of Architekon Nigeria Limited, of the aforementioned sum for a supposedly non-existent World Health Organisation contract to build six Unity Houses for hospitals in six Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Mr Izuchukwu Shedrack David, Mrs Onuaguluchi Ifeakanwa Chris and Chief S. C. Ugwuanyi (Now at large), sometime between 4th May 2023 in Enugu, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretences and with intent to defraud, obtained from Architekon Nigeria Limited, an aggregate sum of Three-hundred and Thirty-one Million, Three-hundred and Seventy-six Thousand Naira (331, 376, 000. 00), paid into account number 1534670390, with account name Izuchukwu Shedrack David, domiciled in Access Bank Plc by falsely representing that the money is meant for counterpart fund for a contract to construct six unity houses for hospitals in six Local Government Areas in Ebonyi State as approved by World Health Organisation, a pretext you knew to be false and 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”.
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When the defendants heard the charges, they pleaded not guilty.
In light of the defendant’s pleas, EFCC counsel Michael Ikechukwu Ani and Blessing Obasi urged the court to set a trial date and detain them in the Enugu State Correctional Facility.
However, defence counsels E. C. Chinenyeze and C. I. Enechionyia briefed the court of pending bail applications, moved the aforementioned applications, and begged the court to grant their clients bail on liberal terms.
Given the seriousness of the crime, the EFCC counsels opposed the applications, claiming that if granted release, the accused would jump bail.
The case was then adjourned to June 6, 2024, for a decision on the bail applications, while the accused were held in the Enugu State Correctional Facility.