Police re-arraign pastor over alleged N58 million fraud

The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force, yesterday, re-arraigned a pastor, Chris Anyalebechi, before Justice Mohammed Idris of the federal High Court, Lagos, over alleged N58 million fraud.

Anyalebechi, who is the General Overseer of Christ Glory International Gospel Center, situated at Lasunwon, opposite Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Lagos, was arraigned before the court on atwo count-charge bordering on conspiracy to defraud and obtaining under false pretence.

The accused was earlier arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the same court sometimes in September 5, on the same count charge.At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, SFU’s prosecutor, Mr. Effiong Asuquo, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), informed the court that the accused had earlier been arraigned before Justice Kuewumi when the court was on vacation, and urged the court to allow the charge to be reread to the accused for his plea to be properly taken.

Justice Idris granted the prosecutor’s request, and ordered that the charge be read to the accused.However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the two count-charge.

The accused in the charge marked FHC/L/367C/2016, was alleged to have sometimes between April 2014 and March 2015, while conspiring with some other persons now at large, obtained the said sum from one Nestor Nwankwo of Zicozeen Nigeria Limited, under false pretence of buying used ship, and sell same in parts or scraps on behalf of the company.

The offecnces according to the police are contrary to sections 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences, Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(1)(a)(3) of the same Act.

Upon his not guilty plea, counsel to the accused, Mr. George Ibekwe, informed the court about his client’s bail application.Ibekwe also informed the court that the affidavit in support of the bail application was deposed to by the wife to the accused person, Mrs. Ada Chris Anyalebechi, and urged the court to grant the bail application.

The prosecutor, CSP Asuquo, did not opposed the bail application, saying that he had earlier been granted bail by a Lagos Magistate court.
Consequently, the trialjudge, Mohammed Idris, admitted him on bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in the same like sum, and adjourned the matter to November 28, for trial.