Court remands Nwaoboshi in prison over alleged N806m fraud

• Again, adjourns Innoson’s arraignment
A Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday ordered the remand of Mr. Peter Nwaoboshi, senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, in Ikoyi Prisons, over alleged N806 million fraud.

Justice Mohammed Idris ordered his remand after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him alongside his two companies, on charges bordering on the alleged fraud.He will be in detention till Friday when ruling on his bail application would be delivered.

The companies arraigned with him are Golden Touch Construction Projects Limited and Summing Electricals Limited.In the charge, the EFCC alleged that the senator had committed the offence between May and June 2014.The suspects were alleged to have conspired and acquired a property described as Guinea House, Marine Road, Apapa-Lagos for the sum of N806 million.

According to the anti graft agency, the suspects ought to have reasonably known that the sum of N322 million, cut of the purchase price transferred to the vendors by Summing Electricals Limited formed part of the proceed of an unlawful act.Meanwhile, the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has fixed May 24, 2018 for arraignment of the Chairman of Innoson Motors Nigeria Limited, over alleged forgery.

The trial judge, Justice Mojisola Dada, fixed the date following the failure of Innoson and his company to be present in court for arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court had on February 9, 2018 issued a bench warrant against Innoson following his failures to appear in court on three proceedings to take his plea.When the matter was called yesterday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Bertram, informed the court that the defendants have six fresh applications.He said: “The defendants this morning served me with six fresh applications. The business of the day is for the arraignment of the defendants, but as it is, they are not present in court. 

“The proposed arraignment can proceed, but we are still waiting for the decision of the judge based on the petition. The commission is making efforts to get the defendant, but bringing him here without the judge making a decision on the petition would be an exercise in futility.” Responding to why his client was not in court, counsel to Chukwuma, George Uwechue (SAN) became visibly angry and threatening to quit the bar.

Uwechue in a loud voice told Ozioko to sit down. EFCC counsel (Ozioko) replied, “You cannot order me to sit down, I represent the Federal Government of Nigeria and only the Judge can order to me to sit down. The trial judge, Justice Mojisola Dada intervened and told the SAN (Uwechue) to calm down. The Judge adjourned the matter till May 24 for possible arraignment.