One Nura Amadi was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, May 12, before Justice Olasumbo O. Goodluck of the FCT High Court, Abuja on a 5 count charge bordering on misappropriation of funds and issuance of dud cheques.
Amadi, a former staff of Balis Bureau de Change Limited, Abuja sometime in 2014 was allegedly entrusted by his company with money to the tune of N24.4million including $20,000USD for the purpose of trading for the company, but dishonestly converted same to his personal use.
In a bid to refund the money, he, twice issued cheques that were returned unpaid when presented at the bank due to insufficient funds in his account.
Efforts by the company to recover the money were futile.
One of the counts reads:
“That you, Nura Amadi, a staff of Balis Bureau de Change LTD sometime in
October, 2014, at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory being entrusted with the sum of N15,000.000 (fifteen million naira only) given to you by Balis Bureau de Change Ltd for the purpose of trading, did dishonestly convert to your own use the said sum and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 2004.”
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.
In view of his plea, counsel to EFCC, Raymond Ezekiel urged the court to fix a date for trial to commence.
But, counsel to the defendant, E. U. Anaele prayed the court to admit the accused to bail adding that his client had been on administrative bail granted him by the EFCC and had not breached its terms.
Justice Goodluck admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N5million and two sureties in the sum of N2.5million each. The sureties must not be less than grade level 12 in either the state of federal civil service. Both sureties
must be resident in Abuja. The defendant must deposit his passport to the court registrar until the final determination of this case.
The case has been adjourned to July 13 and 14, 2016 for hearing. [EFCC]
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