The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, made a significant move on Wednesday by arraigning Abdulhamid Isah before Justice I.O. Ijelu of the state High Court in Ikeja. The charges brought against Isah were related to obtaining money by false pretense, stealing, and retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, amounting to a total sum of $63,590.
According to Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Isah allegedly obtained the aforementioned sum from Chinedu Ugokwe by falsely representing that the money was for the supply of the Dollar equivalent, knowing fully well that this representation was deceitful. Additionally, Isah was also accused of obtaining and retaining the same sum from Ugokwe as proceeds of criminal conduct, specifically stealing.
During the arraignment, Isah pleaded “not guilty” to the charges as they were read to him. Following his plea, the EFCC’s counsel, N.K. Ukoha, requested a trial date for the prosecution to open its case and urged the court to remand the defendant at the Correctional Centre. Conversely, the defense counsel, E.A. Ogbeche, presented a bail application for his client.
In response to the bail application, Justice Ijelu emphasized that “bail is to ensure future attendance” and subsequently granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N5 million, with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a blood relation. The trial was scheduled to commence on February 1, 2024, and the defendant was ordered to be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre until that time.
