The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, March 19, 2015 arraigned one Jonathan Wallang and Bluehill Hotel Resort Limited before Justice Bello Kawo of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Kubwa, Abuja on a 4- count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheques to the tune of N35,000,000.00 ( Thirty-Five Million Naira).
Wallang, who is the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Bluehill Hotel Resort Limited, allegedly purchased a BMW X6 car for N22, 000,000.00( Twenty-Two Million Naira) and another Mercedes S63 for N28, 000,000.00( Twenty-Eight Million Naira) respectively from one Kefas Ropshik of Kefiano Global Concept Limited in November, 2013.
After making initial cash payment of N14,500,000.00(Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira), he later issued Zenith Bank post-dated cheques totalling N35million (Thirty-Five Million Naira) on December 18, 2013 to the complainant.
However, when the complainant presented the cheques, they were returned unpaid due to insufficient funds in his (Wallang) account.
Count one reads: “That you Jonathan Wallang (Managing Director/CEO of Bluehill Hotel and Resort Limited) and Bluehill Hotel Resort Limited, on or about the 19th day of December, 2013, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with knowledge that you had insufficient funds in your account issued to Kefiano Global Concept Limited a Zenith Bank Cheque No. 00000013 dated 18th December 2013 for the sum of N9,000,000.00 (Nine Million Naira) which was dishonoured due to insufficient funds in your account and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (1) (b) (i) of the Dishonourable Cheques (offences) Act, CAP D11, Laws of the Federation”.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, the defence counsel, Joseph Ochunu, prayed the court to grant him bail.
The prosecution counsel, Halidu M. Mohammed, did not object to the application.
Justice Kawo, therefore, granted the accused bail in the sum of N5, 000, 000.00 (Five Million Naira) with one surety who must have a landed property in Abuja.
The matter was adjourned to April 20, 2015 for hearing.
Media & Publicity
19th March, 2015
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