A lawyer, Victor Azubike Awah, has been arraigned before a Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, over an alleged N27 million fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

The anti-graft commission arraigned Awah alongside his company, Sparkan Ives Limited before Justice O.A.Okunuga on a six-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, using false documents and issuance of a dud cheque to the tune of N27million.

The EFCC alleged that sometime between October 2024 and February 2025 in Lagos, with intent to defraud, Awah obtained the sum of 27 million from Mrs Onwuekwe Chioma Genevieve under the false pretence that he had a plot of land advertised for sale.

His offences contravened Section 1(1) and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud-related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to all counts of the charge when it was read to him. Following his plea, the prosecution counsel, Mr A. M. Dambuwa, prayed the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre.

The defendant, who represented himself during the proceedings, informed the court that he had filed his bail application. Justice Okunuga subsequently adjourned the case to December 17 and 18, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application, commencement of trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody.