Businessman Arraigned In Court By EFCC For Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned, a businessman, Charles Ihenetu and his company, V-Choice International CO. Nig. Ltd before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for alleged N26 million fraud.
Ihenetu was docked before the court by the EFCC on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence contrary to sections 8 (a), and 1(1)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, No 14 of 2006.
The defendant was alleged to have obtained the money from his victim under the false pretence that he has a vessel containing Nigeria crude oil.
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendant asked his victim to raise a draft of 20 million naira to invest on the vessel.
The complainant was said to have paid him but he did not get any Vessel nor did he get his money back.
When the case was called on Wednesday, the prosecuting counsel, Zainab Ettu, applied that the charge be read to the defendant to which he pleaded not guilty.
She then urged the court for a trial date and that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.
However, an oral application for bail made by the defence counsel, Jonathan Eziwenke, was refused by the Judge, who ordered him to apply formally.
His request that defendant be reminded in EFCC custody due to his health challenges was also rejected by the court.
Justice Dada subsequently remanded the defendant in prison custody and the matter was adjourned to June 20th for trial.
One of the count reads, “Charles Ihenetu, V- Choice International Company Nigeria Limited, Victor Ezinwoke (still at large), Nonso Anigbogu (now at large) and one Romeo (still at large) sometime in September, 2015 at Lagos within the Lagos Judicial division with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N19, 000,000 (Nineteen Million Naira) from Mr. Osaduwa Amechi through V-Choice International Company Nigeria Limited Zenith Bank Account No. 1011802106 under the false Pretence that the said sum of money represented his investment on crude oil on-board a vessel Kaveri spirit bound for Ghana from Nigeria which Pretence you knew was false”.
