Francis Iwuchukwu 
A couple, Austin and Nnenna Mbonu, charged with N32.5 million fraud were yesterday discharged and acquitted by a Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos. The court, presided over by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, set the couple free, saying that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants committed the alleged fraud under false pretence.
The judge specifically held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and similar bodies should stop acting as debt recovery agencies. Justice Taiwo directed that the complainant and all parties involved should proceed to a civil court for settlement.
The judge equally held that false pretence had not been proven as there was enough evidence that the defendants applied for a loan for their legitimate business. It would be recalled that the anti-graft agency had on January 24, 2018, arraigned the couple alongside their companies; Global Steno Nigeria Ltd. and Nestins Global Links Ltd.
