The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday July 9, 2014 arraigned one Monibidor Bassey Ebiowei before Justice Valentine Ashi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, on a seven count charge bordering on fraud and obtaining the sum of Thirteen Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira only (N13, 430,000) by false pretence.
One of the counts reads:“That you, Monibidor Bassey Ebiowei on the 21st day of February, 2011, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High of the FCT, did fraudulently obtain the total sum of N6,000,000.00 (Six Million Naira) from one Martins Ugbini, the Managing DirectorChief Executive Officer of Broad Pack Services Limited, which amount was paid into Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) Account No. 1700601736 via cheque No. 0757568 under the false pretence that you are the National Co-coordinator of the Regional Center for Bio- Enterprise Development (RCDB) and that the said amount represent legal and security fee for the award of a contract to his company for perimeter fencing at the Niger Delta Science, Technology Bio-Industrial Pack, Sagbama, Bayelsa State, worth N42,853.987.00 (Forty Two Million Naira, Eight Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, Nine Hundred Eighty Seven Naira), by the Regional Center for Bio- Enterprise Development and thereby committed an Offence Contrary to Section1 (1) (a) of the Advance Free Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section1(3) of the same Act.”
The accused person pleaded not guilty when the counts were read to him.
In view of the plea of the accused, the prosecuting counsel, I. Diribe asked the court to remand the accused in prison custody and fix a date for trial.
The defence counsel, C.A. Agidi moved an oral application for bail of the accused person which was opposed by the prosecution counsel.
Justice Ashi granted bail to the accused in the sum of ten million naira, two sureties with five million naira each who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.
The case was adjourned to September 6 and 7, 2014.
Media & Publicity
9th July, 2014
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