Ex-Anambra Poly Director Arraigned Over N27m Fraud

…Suspect Promised Victims N1bn Contract

A Senior Lecturer in the Department of Architecture, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, Pius Ezeokafor, was on Tuesday, arraigned before Justice O. A Ezeoke of the State High Court sitting in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

Ezeokafor, a former Director of Physical Planning at the institution, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a three count bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and gratification to the tune of N27 million.

One of the charges read: “that you, Arc. Pius Ugochukwu Ezeokafor sometime between the year 2011 and 2012 at Oko, Aguata Local Government Area within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Anambra State, did commit felony to wit: with intent to defraud, obtained by false pretense the sum of N27, 000,000.00 (Twenty Seven Million Naira) from one Emerson Associates Limited and Dr. Okechukwu Enemuo (being Managing Director of Emerson Associates Limited), when you represented to them that you would help them get a contract of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) upon payment of facilitation fee, which pretense you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence”.

EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, said the “defendant allegedly met the petitioners on site at the polytechnic where they were executing two construction contracts and offered to use his office as Director Of Physical Planning to swing a billion Naira contract for them, if they would pay him a N27million facilitation fee.”

Uwujaren further said the defendant, after receiving the payment, neither facilitated the promised contract nor refunded their money.

According to him, the suspect, upon arraignment on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to the three counts preferred against him by the anti-graft agency.

In view of the plea of the defendant , the prosecuting counsel, Fortune Amina I. Asemebo, asked for a trial date while the defence counse,l Lucius Ogbuagu, moved a motion for the bail of the defendant.

Justice Ezeoke, after hearing from both counsels, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10m with one surety in like sum, who must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

The surety must be recommended by a legal practitioner or town union president, and must show evidence of tax clearance for the past three years.

The court adjourned the matter till 14th, 21st October and 5th November, 2020 for trial.