EFCC Arraigns Lawyer For Alleged N91m Land Fraud In Enugu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned a Nigerian lawyer, Mike Ikegbunam, before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Enugu State, for alleged land fraud.

Ikegbunam was arrested on 12th July 2023, when the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi Branch complained to EFCC that the accused defrauded its members.

The association alleged that its members paid N91 million to the lawyer for the purchase of 130 plots of land at Umuagu, Ozu Ndiukwuanu Town, in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Investigations by the EFCC showed that the lawyer refunded N10 million to the Association, but allegedly used N16,500,000 suspected to be part of the money to buy three plots of land for himself at Dubai Estate, Phase 2 in Awka, Anambra State.

He was then arraigned by the Enugu Zonal on Wednesday, on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N91,000,000.00.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Mike Ikegbunam on 16th August, 2022 in Umuagu Ozu Village, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud, induced the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions of Nigeria to deliver to you, the sum of N25,000,000.00 under the pretence that you are capable of acquiring some portions of land for their members at Umuagu Ndiukwuanu Town in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State which pretence 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”.

The lawyer had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges read to him, and this prompted the EFCC Counsel, Nuradeen Ingawa, praying for the court to fix a trial date.

He also asked for the defendant to be remanded at the Correctional Centre, but the defence counsel, A. G. Anyigo prayed the court to admit his client to bail adding that “the defendant is a very responsible personality in the society.”

However, contrary to this, Ingawa vehemently opposed the bail application based on the gravity of the offence. He urged the court to dismiss the bail application.

Justice Umar granted the defendant bail on self recognizance being a legal practitioner on the following conditions:

That the defendant must deposit his Call to Bar Certificate with the court and make available one surety, who must be his cousin.

The defendant was remanded at the EFCC custody pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, and the matter was adjourned to 21st March 2024 for trial.