A couple, Dorcas Amaka Udeani and Simon Sunday Udeani, has been arraigned before Justice M.G. Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu for land fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said that the suspect was arraigned by its Enugu Zonal Command on three-count charges bordering on obtaining the sum of N2.75 million by false pretence in an alleged land fraud.
One of the charges against the Udeanis read: “That you Udeani Simon Sunday and Udeani Dorcas Amaka, between 10th July 2019 to 19th December 2019 in Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, induced one Onugu Angela Chinyere to deliver to you the sum of Two Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Naira (N2,750,000.00) under the pretence that you would sell to her a plot of land behind Ebenezer Anglican Church, Ala-Uguaji along Enugu/Port Harcourt Road, which pretence 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.”
They pleaded not guilty to the charges, following which prosecuting counsel, Nurudeen Ingawa prayed the court for a trial date, while the defence counsel, E.C. Nwauba Esq made an application for their bail.
Justice Umar granted the defendants bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum.
The court said that the surety must be a civil servant not below grade level 10 and residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
The case was adjourned till February 6, 2024.
In a different case, Johnson Aniekwe was arraigned before Justice Cyprian Ajah of the Enugu State High Court on three-count charges bordering on obtaining N9.17 million by false pretence, forgery and personation.
One of the charges against him reads: “That you Johnson Aniekwe sometime in August 2019 in Enugu, Enugu State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, induced one Aneke Kanayo to deliver to you the sum of N9,170,000.00 (Nine Million, One Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira) under the pretence that you will allocate two plots of land, situated at Valley View Estate Extension and Golf Estate, which pretence 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.”
He pleaded not guilty to the charges, upon which prosecuting counsel, Nurudeen Ingawa asked the court for a trial date, while the defence counsel A.G. Anyigo prayed the court to grant the defendant bail.
Justice Ajah granted the bail application and adjourned the case till March 7, 2024.