The Economic and financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, March 25 ,2015 arraigned one Dickson Simon Obasi and Frank Emmanuel Orngu before Justice Binta Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi on a 3-count charge bordering on money laundering offences.
Dickson and Frank were arrested following a complaint from one Fatima Justina Agada and Samuel Abuwal that the duo conspired and fraudulently swap their “Automated Teller Machine”, ATM cards, in one of the old generation banks which they used to swindle them of several thousands of naira.
One of the Counts reads:
“That you Dickson Simon Obasi and Frank Emmanuel Orngu sometime in Sept 2014 in Makurdi within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court agreed amongst yourselves to do an illegal act to wit: money laundering and thereby committed an offence contray to S.18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and punishable under Section 15 of the same Act”
The accused pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
In view of their pleas, counsel to EFCC, Msuur Denga prayed the court to fix a date for trial to commence.
However, A. Abdulkarim and S. O Okpale representing the first and second accused through a formal application pleaded for the bail of the accused persons.
In response, the prosecuting counsel countered the defence’s application on the ground that, she was served in court and would need time to respond.
Justice Nyako, while ordering the accused to be remanded in Makurdi prison custody, adjourned the case to Tuesday, March 31, 2015 and Tuesday, May 19, 2015 for hearing on the bail application and commencement of trial respectively.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicit
