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EFCC Arraigns Bank Staff, Others For Alleged Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Sokoto has arraigned a bank staff, Ezeagbor Chijioke alongside two others Anthony Chidiebere Nneji and Ibenegbu Chukwudi Francis.

They were arraigned before Justice Muhammad Muhammad of the Sokoto State High Court on four-count charges on conspiracy, forgery and obtaining money by false pretences to the tune of N1 million.

The agency received intelligence of alleged conspiracy to defraud one Olajide Adeshina Muhammad Misbahudeen under the guise of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Treasury Bill investment.

EFCC said the suspects allegedly forged and issued Misbahudeen a fake certificate.

Count one read: “That you Ezeagbor Chijioke while being the Direct Sales Agent of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc, Anthony Chidiebere Nneji and Ibenegbu Chukwudi Francis of the C. S. Paper Works business center, on or about the 20th day of February 2020 at Sokoto, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud falsely obtained the total sum of N1,000,000 from one Olajide Adeshina Muhammad Misbahudeen under the guise of investing the money in Central Bank of Nigeria Treasury Bills which 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 defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read.

Prosecution counsel, S. H. Sa’ad asked for a date for commencement of trial.

Counsel to the first defendant, Y. Y. Gwazawa, and counsels to the co-accused prayed for time to file bail applications.

Justice Muhammad adjourned the case to September 24, 2020 for trial.

He ordered that the defendants be remanded in the NCS pending the hearing and determination of bail.