Court Remands BDC Operator in Custody over $950,000 Fraud

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

A federal High Court sitting in Awka and presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba has remanded in prison custody a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, Chibueze Ojeh over allegation of $950,000 fraud.

Ojeh will stay in prison, pending the perfection of his bail conditions. He was arraigned yesterday for obtaining money through fraudulent means from a businessman.

Also granted bail and released to their lawyers after perfecting other bail conditions were two other ex-bankers – Obinna Nwosu and Emeka Njoku, who were also involved in the matter.

The trio had a case of advanced fee fraud, conspiracy to commit felony and obtaining by false pretence preferred against them, and some companies by the Inspector General of Police.

In the matter, with Charge No FHC/AWK/ C/25/2020, Simon Lough, Prosecuting Counsel, from the Legal Prosecution Section, Police Headquarters Abuja through Augustine Oboh told the court that: “The three suspects, Chibueze Ojeh, Obinna Nwosu, Emeka Njoku, and the two companies, Castle Equipment & Logistic Limited and a commercial bank had on between April 3, 2013 and June 31, 2013, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court while acting in concert and with intent to defraud Chief Nnamdi Ezenwa MD/CEO of Vinna Investment Limited, conspired together to commit felony to wit: obtaining money to the sum of $950,000.00 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) from
him.”

In the three count charge, the prosecuting counsel alleged that the trio acted in concert and deceitfully induced Ezenwa of Vinna Investment through an agreement and collected the said $950,000 presently valued at about N551 million from him on the pretext to transfer the money to his customers in Italy and never did but rather converted same to their personal use.

The offences according to the prosecutor are contrary to sections 8(a) and 1(1) and punishable under sections 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

The three defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charges and following the bail application and pleas of their lawyers, the court admitted the first defendant on bail with the sum of N100 million and two sureties, who must be landed property owners within Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt or Anambra in combined like sums of N300 million and to remain in prison custody pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions.

The 2nd and 3rd defendant were also granted bail of N50 million and N10 million in like sum with two sureties, all of whom must be civil servants of not less than grade 12 in either the state or federal civil service.

Though released to their lawyers, they have five days grace to perfect the bail conditions or be remanded in prison custody too. The matter was adjourned till March 16, 2022 for trial.