NAN-H-53
Fraud
By Wandoo Sombo
Abuja, Jan. 18, 2017 (NAN) The police in Abuja on Wednesday arraigned Festus Obidozie and Magnus Miracle before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged fraud of N627 million.
The suspects pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy to defraud and obtain on false pretext with intent to defraud Cafon Lee Estate, Lugbe in Abuja.
The prosecutor, Mrs Adeola Cole, said that the offences contravened Section 8 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, punishable under Section 1 of the same Act.
Counsel to the first defendant, B.C Igwilo, prayed the court to allow his client to remain on bail based on the conditions he was already enjoying.
Igwilo said that the first defendant had been arraigned sometime in 2013 and had been granted bail, adding that he had since then been cooperating with the prosecution.
Counsel to the second defendant, Ike Njoku, made an oral application for bail for his client but Justice Mohammed refused, saying he would never entertain an oral application for bail.
Mohammed then asked Njoku to file a written application for bail and assured him that he would attend to it as soon as it was filed.
He said the first defendant should continue the bail on the terms he was already enjoying but emanded the second defendant in Kuje Prison, pending trial.
The judge expressed displeasure at the slow pace the prosecution was handling the case and ordered that they opened and closed the case on the next adjourned dates as he adjourned the matter until
Feb. 4, Feb. 14 and March 1. (NAN)
WS/MNA/HA
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Edited by Maureen Atuonwu/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu