EFCC arraigns ex-Customs officer over N40m fraud
(Nigeria) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on
Wednesday, arraigned Chinyere Ekanem, a former Customs Officer and Asuka Ebiye
before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High
Court, Abuja on a 16-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money under false
pretence to the tune of N40 million.
Ekanem, who was in October 2013 declared a deserter by the
Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, had, while in the service, connived with Ebiye to
defraud unsuspecting victims interested in buying some containers and cars,
which she claimed were being auctioned by the Service.
One of the victims, Patrick Ovie, alleged that Ekanem
claimed that she could use her position as a Customs Officer in the office of
the Deputy Comptroller General, Corporate and Support Service Department, to
facilitate the auction of the containers and cars "with attractive returns
on their monies".
It, however, turned out that Ekanem and her accomplice, after
collecting money from them, presented the victims with fake auction documents.
Efforts by the victims to get back their money were futile.
One of the counts reads: "That you Chinyere Ekanem
sometime in 2013 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of
the Federal Capital Territory did with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N6m
from Amos Boleigha under the false pretence of purchasing auctioned goods from
the Nigeria Customs Service, which 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."
Another count reads: "That you Chinyere Ekanem and
Asuka Ebiye sometime in 2013 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the
High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did, with intent to defraud,
obtained the sum of N3.6m from Fola Fadahunsi under false pretence 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."
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when
they were read to them.
In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsel, Onjefu Obe,
therefore, asked the court for a trial date.
In response, the
defence counsel, Shola Adewale, told the court that there was a pending
application for bail.
Justice Anenih adjourned the case to February 8, 2016 for
hearing on the bail application and ordered Ekanem to be remanded in Suleja
Prison, while Ebiye should be remanded in Kuje Prison.
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