Man gets N5m bail for forgery, fraud

Justice N.K. Nwosue-Iheme of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Wuse Zone 2, has admitted one Ekoh Justin Okezie to N5 million bail for forgery and provision of false information.

Okezie was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on a nine-count charge. The charges include possession of a counterfeit “Offer of Temporary Appointment” letter and an unofficial document purporting to be an appointment letter to the Federal Civil Service of Nigeria as well as providing false information to an officer of the Commission.

He was also accused of unlawfully receiving multiple salary payments from the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture by falsely representing himself as a legitimate staff member of the ministry.

One of the charges against him reads: “That you, Ekoh Justin Okezie, sometime between January and December 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained by false pretence the sum of N638,993.72 as 12 months’ salary, purportedly as a staff of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, a pretence you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

Mr Okezie pleaded not guilty to all nine charges. His counsel, Mr. E.D. Imo filed a bail application, which was not opposed by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Henry Emore of the ICPC.

After listening to the argument of both counsel, Justice Nwosue-Iheme granted bail to the accused person under the conditions that he must present a credible surety with a permanent residence in Abuja and to post a bond of N5 million. The judge later adjourned to January 29, 2025, for further proceedings.