The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Barrister Benjamin Chukwuemeka Nwobodo before Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, sitting in, Enugu State.
Barr. Nwobodo is facing a five-count charge bordering on forgery and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N12,000,000.00 (Twelve Million Naira). This information was released in a statement on Monday, signed by Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity.
Count three of the charge states: “That you, Benjamin Chukwuemeka Nwobodo, on the 15th day of January 2014, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of Nine Million Naira (N9,000,000.00) from one Wilson Ikeani Igwe under the false pretence of selling three plots of land located in Emene, Enugu State, a pretence you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Count four of the charge reads: “That you, Benjamin Chukwuemeka Nwobodo, on the 15th day of December 2014, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00) from one Wilson Ikeani Igwe under the false pretence of selling one plot of land situated in Emene, Enugu State, a pretence you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read. Oyewale said in view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Chikezie Raymond Edozie, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the Enugu State Correctional Facility.
However, the defendant, who announced legal representation for himself, made an oral application for bail, which the court granted on the following terms; Two sureties in the like sum of 25 million Naira. One of the sureties must have a landed property in the Enugu metropolis.
The other surety must be a blood relation and must submit three years of tax clearance to the court. Both sureties must depose and submit an affidavit of means and the EFCC is to verify the sureties and their addresses within seven working days of receipt of the sureties details.
The defendant, in addition, shall submit to the Deputy Court Registrar his international passport. The court thereafter permitted the defendant to go home based on self-recognizance but gave him 10 days to perfect the bail conditions or the EFCC shall arrest him and take him to a Correctional Facility. The matter was adjourned to May 13 and 14, 2025, for trial.
