The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 arraigned one Ohaegbuelem Chikodinaka before Justice F.A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence.
The accused allegedly specializes in stealing dividend warrants from unsuspecting shareholders through the Nigeria postal service and claiming the dividends using different bank accounts. Chikodinaka also allegedly impersonates top government officials to defraud contractors under the pretext of giving them non- existent contracts.
Count one of the charge reads; ‘that you Ohaegbuelem Chikodinaka sometimes in October 2013 in Aba, Abia State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N37,736.55, by the means of fraudulent encashment of United Bank of Africa (UBA) Plc divided warrant property of Zedomi Victor Dele, when you falsely represented to officials of the Okaiuga Microfinance bank that you have the mandate and consent of the owner of the dividend warrant to cash same, 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”.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him. Upon his plea, counsel to EFCC, Mainforce Adaka Ekwu, asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the accused in prison custody. Responding, the defence counsel, Uche Igwe, urged the court to admit his client to bail, assuring that he would not jump bail.
Justice Olubanjo adjourned the case to March 11, 2014 for hearing on bail application and April 16, 2014 for commencement of trial.
In a similar development, the EFCC on March 5, 2014 arraigned Anyalebechi Wilson Nwachukwu before Justice F. A. Olubanjo on a 10-count charge of conspiracy, impersonation, forgery and obtaining money under false pretence.
Nwachukwu was arrested by officials of the Department for State Services (DSS) based on complaint from Ecobank officials. The accused allegedly operates different bank accounts with different names but with same passport photograph. The suspect is also alleged to have opened accounts in the name of Nnamdi Clifford Oninna and Alphonsus Onwuna into which he diverted the sums of N702, 483.53 and N506, 391, proceeds of stolen dividend warrants.
Count two of the charge reads; “that you Anyalebechi Wilson Nwachukwu sometimes between January 2013 to March 2013 in Aba, Abia State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud obtained the sum of (N583,359.98) by means of fraudulent encashment of Nnamani Clifford Oninna’s Stanbic IBTC dividend warrant at Ecobank, when you falsely represented yourself at Ecobank as Nnamani Clifford Oninna, which pretence you knew to be false and you 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”.
The accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Justice Olubanjo adjourned the case to April 11, 2014 for hearing on the bail application and ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.
Media & Publicity
6th February, 2014
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