The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 arraigned the duo of Victor Anasiudu and Olaoye Olanrenwaju Daniel before Justice E.A.Obile of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. They were arraigned on 5 count separate charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of Three Million Three Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira (N3,380,000.00).
One of the counts reads: “That you Victor Anasiudu, Olaoye Olanrenwaju Daniel, Abdullahi Usain(At large) and Tobenna Godwin Ezeakalue (at large) sometime in September, 2019 at Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to obtain the sum of N2,030,000.00 (Two Million and Thirty Thousand Naira) from Donatus Ekemezie being payment to you under the false pretence that you will purchase tricycle from him which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charge. In view of their plea, prosecuting counsel, U.D Asuehizibe, urged the court to fix a date for hearing.
“While applying for a date for hearing, I will be asking for the defendants to be remanded in the Correctional Service pending the determination of the case,” she added.
Counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants, O.C. Samuel and O.O.Orji did not oppose to the prayers of the prosecuting counsel.
They however informed the court that there is a pending application for the bail of the defendants.
But prosecuting counsel told the court that she had a counter affidavit in opposition to the defendants’ bail application “My Lord, i am opposing on the basis that the defendants live outside this jurisdiction, they may jump bail, she said.”
Attempt by counsel to the 1st defendant to respond orally to the counter affidavit was rejected by court. Justice Obile adjourned the matter to May 20, 2020 and remanded the defendants in EFCC custody. The defendants were arrested by the EFCC following a petition.
The petitioner alleged that sometime in 2019, the defendants approached him with a phony business proposal to supply them 20 pieces of Tricycle ( Keke NAPEP) and promised to pay the money in cash which he agreed to.
It was also revealed that the defendants called the victim that the money will be put in a refrigerator and put in a car coming to Port Harcourt but he was called again and told that he should send Two Million Naira (N2,000,000.00) which will be used to settle Nigerian Customs officers as they were apprehended on their way to Port Harcourt which he did.
It was further revealed that the defendants called the victim to pay another sum of money but he did not oblige them.
Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow Africa Update Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!