The Federal High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja has fixed October 5, 2023, for the arraignment of a businessman, Moses Erih and a firm, Micmerab Resources Nigeria Limited, over alleged property fraud-related offences.
The duo was dragged before Justice Baba Shaini by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a four-count charge of alleged conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences and forgery.
The offences, according to EFCC counsel Richard Dauda, contravened Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
The alleged offences also contravened Sections 363; 366 and 368 of the Penal Code Act, 1990 and were punishable under Section 364 of the same Law,
The defendants’ arraignment was stalled during the week due to the absence of their lawyer, following which the matter was adjourned till October 5, 2023, for arraignment.
One of the counts in the change numbered CR/163/2023, reads: “That you, Moses Erih whilst being a Director in Mecmerab Resources Nigeria Limited and Mecmerab Resources Nigeria Limited, a company registered in Nigeria, sometime in September 2007 at Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain by false pretence property situate at Plot ED 22 Sabon Lugbe East Layout, Abuja via a document captioned ‘Estate Development Agreement between Messrs Uche Okoronkwo, Obi Okoronkwo Company Limited and Mcmerab Resources Nigeria Limited” dated 13th September 2007 purportedly executed by Uche Okoronkwo and Obi Okoronkwo which pretence 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, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.