EFCC Arraigns Onitsha Plastic Market Chairman Over Alleged N6.7m Fraud

The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Obinna C. Okoli, Chairman of Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association, over alleged N6.7m Fraud.

Okoli had been arrested after a petitioner alleged that he fraudulently obtained N6.7m from him under the guise of helping him secure four shops at a proposed mall in Anambra State.

The petitioner alleged that after making payment for the shops, he discovered that the defendant had no shops left to be allocated to him, and all efforts to get his money back proved abortive.

Okoli was arraigned alongside the Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, sitting in Awka, Anambra State, for obtaining under false pretence to the tune of N6.7m.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Obinna Calistus Okoli (while being Chairman of Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association) and Onitsha/Odekpe Plastic Market Association between May 2018 and July 2020 in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud induced one Mr. Joseph Okechukwu Enyiuche to deliver to you the sum of N6,700,000.00 Naira under the pretence that you would allocate to him four shops in the proposed lock-up stalls/shops to be built at water melon land 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”.

They pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them and in view of their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Nuradeen S. Ingawa, urged the court to fix a date for commencement of trial while seeking remanded of the defendant at a correctional centre.

However, the defence counsel, E. O. Igowe, made an oral application for bail, but was opposed by Ingawa.

Justice Dimgba thereafter adjourned the matter till February 16, 2024, for hearing of the bail application while ordering the defendant’s remanded by the EFCC.