EFCC Arraigns Onitsha Market Leader for Alleged N6.7m Fraud

The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned an Onitsha market leader, Obinna Calistus Okoli, for obtaining the sum of ₦6,700,000.00 (Six Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira only) under false pretence.

Naija News reports that Okoli was arraigned on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, alongside Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining under false pretence.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Obinna Calistus Okoli (while being Chairman of Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association) and Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association between May 2018 and July 2020 in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud induced one Mr. Joseph Okechukwu Enyiuche to deliver to you the sum of (₦6,700,000.00) Six Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira under the pretence that you would allocate to him four shops in the proposed lock-up stalls/shops to be built at water melon land which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

In view of their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Nuradeen Shehu Ingawa, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the Correctional Centre.

Defence counsel, E. O. Igowe, made an oral application for bail but was vehemently opposed by Ingawa, who reminded the defence counsel that it was a court of records.

The hearing on the bail application was subsequently adjourned until Friday, February 16, 2024, by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, sitting in Awka, Anambra State. The accused were remanded in the custody of the EFCC.

Agents of the EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Command detained the defendant after it was claimed by the petitioner that Okoli had deceitfully taken ₦6,700,000.00 from him to assist in securing four lock-up stores at a planned mall that would be constructed on water melon property in the state of Anambra.

The petitioner claims that upon paying for the stores, he learned that the defendant had no more stores to assign to him and that all attempts to retrieve his money had been unsuccessful.