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Nkechi Mercy Ikogwe, of Elites Finance Investment Limited and Efinc Global Investment Limited was brought before Justice E.A Obile of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on a three count charge bordering on Conspiracy and Obtaining Money by false Pretence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Port Harcourt’s Zonal office had on Monday, July 20, 2020 arraigned the defendants who pleaded “not guilty” when the charges.
One of the counts read: “That you Nkechi Mercy Ikogwe, Elites Finance Investment Limited and Efinc Global Investment Limited sometime in 2019 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N179,326,386.62 by inducing unsuspecting members of the public to invest with your companies: Elites Finance Investment Limited and Efinc Global Investment Limited, assuring them under a false pretence of making 15% interest on all investment made, a representation you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.
In view of the plea by the defendants, prosecuting counsel, K. W Chukwuma-Eneh prayed the court to fix a date for commencement of trial.
But counsel to the defendants, G. N Godwins moved an oral application for the bail of the defendants which was opposed by the prosecution on the ground that the application must be in writing, and properly addressed to the court.
Justice Obile ordered that the 1st defendant be remanded in prosecution’s custody and adjourned the matter till October 19, 2020 for determination of the bail application.
It was learnt that Mercy ran into trouble when the Commission received a report about the defendant and two others, accusing them of inducing their victims into participating in a fraudulent investment scheme with a fake promise of 15 percent return on investment.
Over N15,000,000.00 was paid by the unsuspecting ‘investors’ into the defendant’s accounts, Nkechi Mercy Ikogwe with account numbers 2087478165 domiciled in Zenith Bank and Miss Joy Okari Ibiala
2099253758 domiciled in UBA.
Further investigation revealed that the defendant spent a total sum of N139,704,097 collected from subscribers to play sport betting and also paid tithe of N1m to a leading Pentecostal church in Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Office, on Monday, July 20, 2020 arraigned nine suspected Illegal oil dealers and a Vessel, M. V. Laida, before Justice Muslim S. Hassan of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on three-count charges bordering on conspiracy and illegal dealing in 351 metric tonnes of Automative Gas Oil, (AGO ).
The defendants: Stephen John Degbe; Bode Shofela; Emmanuel Esalet; Aderibigbe Jeje; Peter Atijere Ekpe; Dayang Nantok Ibrahim; Adewunmi Oguntifa, Samuel Alabi were arrested alongside the vessel by the Nigeria Navy and subsequently handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
One of the counts read: “That MV. Laida, Stephen John Degbe, Bode Shofela, Emmanuel Esalet, Aderibigbe Jeje, Peter Atijere Ekpe, Dayang Nantok Ibrahim, Adewunmi Oguntifa, Samuel Alabi on the 30th December 2019, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, without appropriate licence attempted to export 351 metric tonnes of petroleum products and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(17) of the miscellaneous offense Act, CAP M17, Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
They pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges preferred against them.
In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsel, Barrister Ebuka, prayed the court for a trial date and also asked that the defendants be remanded in Nigeria Correctional Service, (NCS).
Consequently, the defence counsel, W. Amao Olasunkami Wasiu prayed the court to grant the defendants bail on most liberal terms.
However, Justice M.S. Hassan granted the prayers of the defence counsel and granted all the defendants bail in the sum of N10million each, with a surety in like sum. The surety must own a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The judge ordered the defendants to be remanded in prison custody, until their bail conditions are met and adjourned the matter till October 20, 2020, for continuation of trial.
