A businesswoman, Titilayo Eboh was on Wednesday arraigned before an Ikeja Special Offences Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on alleged N1.8 billion fraud.
Eboh was arraigned alongside Chayomi Aluminum Ltd and one Abubakar Funtua (now at large) on three count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, stealing and obtaining money by false pretense.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
EFCC Counsel, Mr Nnaemeka Omenwa, thereafter prayed the court that the defendant be remanded in appropriate custody pending the trial date.
Omenwa further told the court that though, the defence counsel sent a bail application from the sister case of the defendant before Justice Rahman Oshodi to his E-mail, saying he needed the clarification from the defence counsel so that he would know the one to rely on before he file his response.
Defense Counsel Mr. Emefo Etudo said he was not a party to what happen before Oshodi.
Etudo added that the prosecution should give him one hour before he would make hard copy of the defendant available to the prosecution.
Etudo thereafter prayed the court to give multiple trial dates while bail application should be given earlier date for hearing inline with his discussion with the prosecution.
Justice Mojisola Dada thereafter adjourned the bail application to 24th March and commencement of trial to May 4.
EFCC alleged in one of the counts that the defendant, with one other still at large, between Dec.2 2020 and Jan. 25 2021 at Lagos with the intent to defraud obtained the cumulative sum N1.8 billion from one Mr. Olamayowa Abdulwasiu-Olabisi and Mr. Adekanmi Adedire of Himark Intertrades Ltd under the false pretense that she have the United States Dollars equivalent of the said sum to exchange for them at the rate of N420 per dollar, a representation he knew to be false.
The anti-graft agency also submitted that the defendants dishonestly converted to your her use the sum of N458.2 million equivalent of $1.9m at the exchange rate of N450 per dollar property of the complainants.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravene Sections 1(1)(a) and 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No.14 of 2006.
The offence also violates Section 278 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.
