Enugu Zonal Directorate, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), has arraigned one Paulinus Ani before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Independence Layout, on a one-count charge of obtaining by false pretence N8, 130, 000.
The lone count charge reads: “That you, Paulinus Ani between October 2015 and June 2018 at Enugu, Enugu State within the jurisdiction of this court, with intent to defraud, induced one Severus Ifeanyi Odoziobodo to deliver to you N8, 130, 000 under the pretence that you would sell to him seven plots of land: three plots at Emene Industrial/Residential Layout and four at Independence Layout Phase II, Enugu, which 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 No. 14 of the 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
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Ani pleaded not guilty to the charge.
But, the counsel to the EFCC, Nasir Umar, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the Enugu Correctional Facility.
However, the defence counsel, O. S. Imaji, informed the court about a pending bail application before it and asked that the defendant bail on liberal terms, adding that the defendant had a reliable surety.