The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought charges against a man, Simon Udeani, and his wife, Dorcas, before Justice M.G. Umar of the Federal High Court in Enugu.
As per the EFCC’s official statement on Tuesday, the couple faced a three-count charge related to allegedly obtaining the sum of N2,750,000 through false pretenses in a case involving land fraud.
One of the charges stated, “That you Udeani Simon Sunday and Udeani Dorcas Amaka, between July 10, 2019, and December 19, 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 N2.7m 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.”
The couple entered a plea of not guilty, and subsequent to their plea, the prosecuting counsel, Nurudeen Ingawa, requested a trial date. Simultaneously, the defense counsel, E.C. Nwauba Esq, applied for bail.
Justice Umar granted bail to the accused in the sum of N5 million with one surety in a like sum, setting the next court date for February 6, 2024.
In a separate case, Johnson Aniekwe faced a three-count charge, including obtaining N9,170,000 by false pretense, forgery, and impersonation. Aniekwe pleaded not guilty, leading to the prosecuting counsel, Nurudeen Ingawa, requesting a trial date. The defense counsel, A.G. Anyigo, sought bail for the defendant.
Justice Cyprian Ajah granted the bail application and adjourned Aniekwe’s case until March 7, 2024.
