EFCC arraigns professor over alleged N56m fraud

Ibrahim Lamorde, EFCC Chairman

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday arraigned a university professor, Brimmy Olaghere, before Justice U.P Kekemeke of the FCT High Court sitting in Apo, on a two-count charge of obtaining goods and cars by false pretence.

Mr. Olaghere had allegedly defrauded one Okwosu Chinedu and a company, Joyjoe Global Link Limited, of the sum of N56,032,000.

According to the first count, Mr. Olaghere defrauded Mr. Chinedu of goods worth over N20 million in July last year.

“That you Brimmy Asekhruagbon Uzimeghan Olaghere sometime in July 2014 in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did, with intent to defraud, obtained various goods worth N20,232,0000.

The first count said that the money was collected by the professor from Mr. Chinedu under the false pretence that the said goods were meant for “United Africa States”.

The charge added that Mr. Kekemeke 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.

According to the second count, he collected eight cars worth N35,800,000 from Joyjoe Global Link Limited on pretence that United African Diaspora States, United African States, New Africa’s World Bank and Federated United African States ordered for the vehicles.

“That you Brimmy Asekharuagbon Uzimeghan Olaghere sometime in July 2014 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did, with intent to defraud, obtained eight cars/goods worth the sum of N35,800,000 from Joyjoe Global Link Limited under false pretence,” said the second count.

The false pretence, according to the count, was “that the said cars were meant for United African Diaspora States, United African States, New Africa’s World Bank and Federated United African States, 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.”

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

Following his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Onjefu Obe, asked the court for a trial date to present his witnesses.

The defence counsel, Ochumba Kingsley, however, urged the court to admit his client to bail, assuring that the accused person will be available to face his trial.

Mr. Kekemeke, thereafter, admitted the accused person to bail in the sum of N20 million and two sureties in like sum, the sureties must be senior civil servants and have landed property in FCT Abuja.

The case was adjourned to October 26, 2015 for commencement of trial.