By Robert Egbe
A Federal High Court in Lagos has rescheduled till January 29, 2020, the arraignment of a businessman, Kenneth Ndubuisi Amadi and his firm Idid Nigeria Ltd, for an alleged N2.9billion fraud fraud.
The defendants were for arraignment last Thursday by the Federal Government, but the proceedings could not go on before Justice Mohammed Liman following the ongoing court vacation.
The court registrar fixed a new date of January 29, 2020.
Amadi and Idid Nigeria Ltd were originally scheduled for arraignment by the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the Federation on November 27, 2019, but when the case was called, neither defendant was present.
A Chief State Counsel from the Federal DPP, Mr A. K. Alilu, told the judge that it had been very difficult to serve the defendants a copy of the charge.
Responding, Amadi’s counsel Mr Emeka Etiaba SAN, said the defendants were not opposing their arraignment and trial.
He told Justice Liman that he had made an arrangement with the prosecutor to receive a copy of the charge on the defendants’ behalf.
Thereafter, the prosecutor served him the five-count charge and the proceedings were adjourned.
Read Also: Alleged Fraud: Maina’s ill-health stalls trial
In the charge, Amadi of No 31A, Providence Street, Lekki, Lagos and Idid of No 26, Osisiogu Crescent, Utako, Abuja, were accused of committing the offence sometime in September 2016 in Lagos.
They allegedly obtained the money belonging to Eunisell Nigeria Ltd from A-Z Petroleum, by false pretence and with intent to defraud.
The prosecution alleged that Amadi “did utter forged documents to wit: invoices and waybills to A-Z Petroleum Ltd with intent that they may be acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of Eunisell Nigeria Ltd.
“Amadi sometime in 2016, while serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Eunisell Nigeria Limited at Lagos… did knowingly and without the authority, depress data in respect of the financial transfer you made to Eunisell Nigeria Ltd with intent to confer economic benefits on yourself…”
Count four and five read: “That you Kenneth Ndubuisi Amadi….sometime in 2016, at Lagos, while being trustee of the sum of Two Billion, Nine Hundred Million Naira belonging to Eunisell Nigeria Ltd did convert same without authority to create sufficient deposits to promote the credibility of your own company (Idid Nigeria Limited)…
“That you Kenneth Ndubuisi Amadi, while serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Eunisell Nigeria Ltd did receive the sum of Two Billion, Nine Hundred Million Naira belonging to Eunisell Nigeria Ltd and, with intent to defraud, omitted from making full and true entry thereof in the books and accounts…”
According to the government, the alleged offences contravened sections 1(1)(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2004.
They also offended Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2004, Sections 434 and 435 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004, Section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.
Leave a Reply