Forgery: EFCC Arraigns Lawyer, Fraudster, Other to Courts

Forgery: EFCC Arraigns Lawyer, Fraudster, Other to Courts

A legal practitioner, Barrister Ezidi Fabulous and Mercy Atata( a.k.a Homa Odum) were on Monday, November 4, 2019 arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Port Harcourt Zonal Office, before Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on three- count charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery and utteration contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act, 2007 and punishable under the same Section.

Specifically, they were docked for allegedly presenting a forged deed of conveyance to secure the bail of a defendant at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt.

One of the charges read: “That you Mercy Atata (a.k.a Homa Odum), Barr. Ezidi Fabulous and one Barr. King Gabriel (now at large), Mr. Bob Manuel (now at large), on or about the 14th day of February, 2019, at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of the Honorable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to forge a document titled: DEED OF CONVEYANCE between one SIR. CHIEF J.B ORJI and MISS. HOMA ODUM, in order to perfect the bail conditions of one NZE NAT CORNELIUS NWOGA a defendant in charge no. FHC/PH/75C/2018 between THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA v ANGELA CHARLES & ORS. knowing same to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M 17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act 2007 and punishable under the same Section.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to charges when read to them.

In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsel, C. Okorie, prayed the court for a date of commencement of trial.

Defence counsel, C.C. Uchegbu and A.D Odili for the 1st and 2nd defendants, prayed the court for an adjournment to be able to formally file bail applications of their clients.

Justice Mohammed adjourned the matter to November 13, 2019 for commencement of trial.

The two defendants ran into trouble when the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt petitioned the EFCC alleging that they conspired to forge and utter a deed of conveyance, which they tendered to secure the bail of a defendant before the court.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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EFCC Docks Suspected Internet Fraudster in Makurdi

The Makurdi Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, November 4, 2019, arraigned 26-year-old suspected internet fraudster, James Kuve Sughter in Federal High Court, Makurdi, Benue State, presided over by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon.

Sughter was docked on two-count charges, bordering on fraud and possession of documents containing false pretences.

One of the charges reads: “That you James Kuve Sughter, between January and October 2018, in Makurdi within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did dishonesty make use of an electronic unique identification of another person to obtain the sum of N534,971 (Five Hundred and Thirty Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy-one Naira) only, from one Asiwaju Dada and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention Etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”

He pleaded not guilty to the charges, setting the stage for prosecution counsel, G. G.Chia-Yakua to ask the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in prison custody. The defence counsel, however, moved an application for his bail on liberal terms.

Justice Olajuwon granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) with one surety in like sum, who must be a public servant or civil servant on grade level 12 and above, and must reside in Makurdi, own a landed property, and must also present a letter of identification to the court, show evidence of tax clearance and submit two recent passport photographs of his.

The judge adjourned the case till December 9, 2019 for commencement of trial, and ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional center, pending the perfection of his bail condition.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity