The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday arraigned one Barrister Odi Okereke Ajike and his company, Natuzzi Nigeria Limited, before a Lagos State High Court on a three-count charge of conspiracy to steal contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Law of Lagos State.
Ajike, 43, was said to have sometime in 2008 with intent to defraud conspired to commit felony by allegedly stealing a N36 million property of Barrister Emeka Nwajiuba.
Ajike was also said to have knowingly and fraudulently issued a Diamond Bank cheque of N4 million to Nwajiuba, which on presentation was dishonoured on the ground of insufficient funds in the account of Natuzzi Nigeria Limited.
Ajike pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge when they were read to him.
Counsel to EFCC, Cosmos Ugwu, asked the court to fix a trial date and also requested that the accused person be remanded in prison custody.
Efforts by counsel to the accused, U. C. Ukebule, to move for bail was refused by the trial judge, Justice Lateefat Okunnu, who said it has to be done properly.
Okunnu then adjourned to June 1 for hearing of the bail application while trial was slated for September 18 and 19.
Okunnu ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.
Ajike’s journey to prison began when N36 million was paid into his account pending its disbursement to the rightful owners by Nwajiuba.
However, when it was time for the money to be refunded, Ajike could not account for the money.
He subsequently issued a cheque of N4 million, which was dishonoured.
In the similar development, the EFCC also on Tuesday arraigned one Wilson Opuwei and his company, Dateline Energy Services, before Justice Habeeb Abiru of a Lagos High Court on a four-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence contrary to Section 1((1)(a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
Opuwei was said to have sometime in April 2011, with intent to defraud, obtained $500,000 through one Chimaobi Anyaso from Prince Donatus Okonkwo under the pretence that the money was for the payment for the allocation of 5,000 metric tons of Dual Purpose Kerosene to him from Petroleum Product Marketing Company.
He was also said to have further defrauded Okonkwo of $50,000 under the pretence that the money represent part payment for the allocation of 5,000 metric tons of DPK from PPMC.
Opuwei, however, pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge.
Abiru adjourned to May 31 for hearing of the bail application while ordering that the accused to be remanded in EFCC custody.