The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Simon Udeani, and his wife, Dorcas, before Justice M.G. Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining the sum of N2,750,000 by pretence in an alleged land fraud.

One of the charges against the Udeanis reads: “That you, Udeani Simon Sunday and Udeani Dorcas Amaka, between July 10, 2019 and December 19, 2019, in Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, induced one Onugu Angela Chinyere to deliver to you the sum of N2.7m under the pretence that you would sell to her a plot of land behind Ebenezer Anglican Church, Ala-Uguaji, along Enugu/Port Harcourt Road, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the same act.”

In a statement, yesterday, the commission added that the couple pleaded not guilty to the charges, following which the prosecuting counsel, Nurudeen Ingawa, prayed the court for a trial date, while the defence counsel, E.C. Nwauba Esq, made an application for their bail.

Justice Umar granted them bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum, while the case was adjourned till February 6, 2024. The statement also added that in a separate case, one Johnson Aniekwe was arraigned before Justice Cyprian Ajah of the Enugu State High Court on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining N9,170,000 by false pretence, forgery and impersonation.

Aniekwe pleaded not guilty to the charges, upon which prosecuting counsel, Nurudeen Ingawa, asked the court for a trial date, while the defence counsel, A.G. Anyigo, prayed the court to grant the defendant bail. Justice Ajah granted the bail application and adjourned the case till March 7, 2024.