30 Million Fraud: EFCC, Arraigns Enugu Business Man

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, May 7th, 2014

IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu

Nigerian’s anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on tuesday, at the Enugu High Court, arraigned a business man, one Enekwechi Raymond Onyimba, on a two-count charge bothering on fraud and obtaining property under false pretence.

Onyimba, was alleged to have sometime in 2006 in Enugu, fraudulently converted to his personal use, a Statutory Certificate of Occupancy dated August 17, 1990, registered as No 85 page 85 volume 1315 of the Enugu State Land Registry in respect of Plot 622 Trans Ekulu, New GRA, Enugu.

He was accused of inducing the owners of the property, Enyinnaya Igwe and Ezechukwu Chidozie Maxwell, to place under his care and custody, the property worth N30million under the false pretence that the said Statutory Certificate of Occupancy would be released when he fully sells the land.

The anti graft agency also alleged that the accused later, “sold the land to them, in 2006 and instead of releasing the document to them you mortgaged the property and used the Statutory Certificate of Occupancy as collateral to obtain loan for your company, Ojaz Nigeria Limited.

Hear one of the charges: “that you, Enekwechi Raymond Onyimba, on or about August 29, 2006 in Enugu within the jurisdiction of Enugu State High Court, with intent to defraud, induced Diamond Bank Plc to grant to your company, when you falsely represented to the said bank that you are the beneficial owner of Plot 622 Trans Ekulu, New GRA, which you offered as collateral for the said loan which you know to be false.”

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail by the trial judge, Justice Innocent Umezuluike, in the sum of N1million with sureties.

Justice Umezuluike, who is also the chief judge of Enugu state, however, gave an order for accelerated hearing of the case.