A Self-acclaimed Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, Janet Onyekachi Ngwaka, was today arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly defrauded a company of the sum of N320 million.
The defendant was arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Alexander Owoeye, on charges bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence, by Barrister Morufu Animashaun of the Legal/prosecution Department of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos
The defendant, according to the prosecutor, Barrister Animashaun, committed the alleged offences sometimes in March, 2024 at FL505 Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos.
She was alleged to have conspired with Chinedu Ngwaka and others now at large.
To commit the alleged fraud, the prosecutor told the court that the defendant and other at large, fraudulent obtained the money from Casco Electronics Company Limited and Mr. Tochukwu Samson Unachukwu, under the pretence of providing them United States’ dollars equivalent.
The prosecutor told the court he t that the defendant’s action contravened sections 8 (a) and 1 (1) Of the Section 8 (A) of the Advance Fee Frauds And Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 1(3) Of The Same Act.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when it was read to her.
Based on the defendant’s an not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand her at the Kirikiri facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) pending trial.
Efforts by her lawyer, E. T. Okoye, to orally move her bail application was vehemently opposed by the prosecutor, who urged the court to compel the counsel to file proper application before the court.
Justice Owoeye after listening to parties submissions, ordered that the defendant be remanded at the ForceCID’s custody pending the hearing of the bail application.
The judge, thereafter adjourned the matter to February 19, for trial.
Prior to the defendant’s arraignment, the prosecutor informed the court that the first defendant in the charges, Chinedu Ngwaka, is being evasive an thereby urged the court to strike out his name from the charge. The prosecutor’s request was granted by the court.
Charges Against The Defendant Read: “That you Chinedu Ngwaka ‘M’, Janet Onyekachi Ngwaka ‘F’ and others (now at large) sometime in March, 2024 at FL505 Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos conspired amongst yourselves to commit an Offence in defrauding Casco Electronics Company Limited and Mr. Tochukwu Samson Unachukwu and thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Frauds And Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 1(3) Of The Same Act.
“That you Chinedu Ngwaka ‘M’, Janet Onyekachi Ngwaka ‘P’ and others (now at large) sometime in March, 2024 at FL505 Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos with intent to defraud, received the sum of N320,000,000 (Three Hundred and Twenty Million Naira), from one Casco Electronics Company Limited and Mr. Tochukwu Samson Unachukwu on false representation that you operate Bureau de Change and that you will pay the equivalent amount of 200,000 USD (Two Hundred Thousand US Dollars) on his behalf to Felicity Company Limited (a manufacturing company in China) a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 1 (1) Of The Section 8 (A) of the Advance Fee Frauds And Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 (As Amended).”