The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned two alleged fraudsters, Sunday Olakunle Ogunkeye and Gaji Adewale Emmanuel, before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja,.
The suspects were arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing to the tune of N11,136,000.00(Eleven Million, One Hundred and Thirty-six Thousand Naira).
In a statement on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, by the spokesman of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren, the defendants were arraigned alongside a company, Zhi Jiang/ Homax Logistics Nigeria, for allegedly conspiring and using false documents to purchase 48,000 litres of diesel from one Justina Beatrice.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Sunday Olakunle Ogunkeye, Gaji Adewale Emmanuel and Zhi Jiang/ Homax Logistics Nigeria., sometime between 19th and 22nd February 2014 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, by fraudulent means, tricked Justina Beatrice and Johnson Nigeria Ltd to deliver 48,000 litres of diesel worth N11, 136, 000. 00, (Eleven Million, One Hundred and Thirty-six Thousand Naira) and committed an offence contrary to Section 321(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
They pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Godwin Akhanolu, prayed the court for a trial date and also asked that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS.
Counsel to the defendant, Abubakar Danjuma, however, sought to move an oral application for bail, which was disallowed.
Justice Solebo adjourned the matter till December 2, 2020, for the commencement of trial and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the NCoS.
