The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned Kingsley Chinonye Unije for forgery, obtaining money by false pretence and money laundering to the tune of N340 million.
The suspect was arraigned on Wednesday before Justice M. G. Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu.
Unije was arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on forgery, obtaining money by false and money laundering.
Count one of the charges reads: That you KINGSLEY CHINONYE UNIJE sometime between May and 2022 in Enugu State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N170,000,000.00 from Igwe Cosmas Ezeumeh under the false pretense that you were selling to him two landed property known as plot 81 and 304 at New layout Enugu with the consent of Late Mrs Victoria Unije which pretense you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of 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 KINGSLEY CHINONYE UNIJE sometime between May and June, 2022, in Enugu State, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal high court of Nigeria converted the sum of (120,000,000.00) by purchasing two landed properties in your personal name, and one in the name of Michael Emeka Bernard knowing that the said money formed part of your unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Act and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same act.”
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The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Al’qasim Jaafar, prayed for a trial date and the remand of the defendant in a Correctional Centre.
Meanwhile, the defence counsel, Beatrice Nwatueze, prayed the court for the bail of his client.
After listening to both counsels, Justice Umar remanded the suspect in a Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter to January 30, 2024 for hearing of the bail application.
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