An Ikeja High Court in Lagos State on Monday remanded three businessmen in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged N33 million fraud.
Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya remanded Sam Obi, 57; Chidi Ogboko, 63; and Tony Anowa, 50, after their arraignment on Monday.
The men were remanded pending the ruling on their bail applications, fixed for December 20.
The defendants are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences and stealing.
Obi lives at No.1b, Owukoni Crescent, Alaka Estate, Surulere, Lagos, while Ogboko is resident at 12, Oluwasesa Adekoya Street, Ejigbo, Lagos.
Anowa also gave his address as 35, Adedamola Ojomo Street, Surulere, Lagos.
The EFCC counsel, Musa Isah, told the court that the defendants had conspired with others still at large to commit the offences in October 2010 in Lagos.
Isah said they had obtained N33 million from one Robinson Ezejelue, under the pretext of exporting crude oil from Cotonou in Benin Republic to Nigeria.
He said the defendants, after obtaining the money, failed to supply the product, as earlier agreed.
According to him, their offence contravened Sections 1(3) and 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006.
Isah said it also contravened Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.
The offence of obtaining money by false pretences attracts a minimum of seven years imprisonment, if the offender is convicted.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
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