BY PETER OKUTU
ABAKALIKI – A middle-aged man, Ndukwo Ogbuja, described as a fake lawyer who allegedly swindled unsuspecting citizens was, yesterday, remanded in Abakaliki prisons as the case against him was transferred from Magistrate's Court 1 to High Court for further hearing and prosecution.
According to Charge No. MAB 574, Commissioner of Police versus Ndukwo Ndukwo Ogbuja and Ogbuja Ndukwo Ogbuja, the accused person was remanded in custody on a two-count charge of obtaining by false pretences and intent to defraud one Chinedu Nweke of N16.5 million with the pretence of selling Gbujas Bureau de Change Ltd.
Vanguard gathered that Ogbuja, former Managing Director of Gbujas Bureau de Change Ltd. on June 8, 2011 transferred the ownership of his company to Nweke for N16.5m but later reneged on the Agreement of Transfer which was signed by him and his wife, Mrs. Ogbuja.
In his ruling, Magistrate Job Orude, having listened to counsel to the prosecutor, ASP Cyprian Abunze and counsel to the defendant, C.A. Aiyamekhue, said the court lacked the jurisdiction to handle the matter.
Orude, however, rejected Ogbuja's bail application and directed that he be remanded in prison pending when the matter would be brought before the High Court for further hearing.
Reacting to the court's decision, Ogbuja said when the business transaction with Nweke failed, he refunded N17 million to him.
Ogbuja said: "What the court said today is that it lacked jurisdiction. So, the High Court is the right court of competent jurisdiction. The Magistrate has directed that I be remanded in prison and that I take it in good faith. When the matter will be reopened we will know who the fraudster is?"
Vanguard