MICHAEL AKINOLA
A business woman, Clara Anthony, has been arrested and charged before Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly swindling traders of the sum of N625.8m under the false pretence of supplying them bags rice, which turned out to be a scam.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the woman was arraigned alongside her company, Flourish Clear Concept, for allegedly obtaining the money in question under the guise of supplying the bags of rice to some of her business partners.
They were arraigned on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretences, stealing, fraud and conversion under the Criminal Laws of the State.
The prosecutor, Mr. S. A. Ogala, told the Court that the defendants conspired and committed the offences sometime between June 2022 and December 2023, in the Oregun area of Lagos.
He alleged that the defendants obtained the sum of ₦56 million from one Chinemerem Eweremadu, under the pretence of supplying rice to him. The prosecutor said that in June 2022, the defendants obtained the sum of ₦36 million from another complainant, one Ifenyinwa Eweremadu, under the same guise of transacting rice business with her. Ogala said that between October and December 2023, the defendants obtained the sum of ₦58.5 million from one Mary Nwagodigwe and others, under the pretext of supplying rice to them.
He also alleged that sometime in May 2023, the defendants fraudulently obtained the sum of ₦20.5 million from one Amarachi Orakwe, under the same false pretences.
Ogala said between November 2022 and October 2023, the defendants fraudulently obtained the sum of ₦3.2 million from one Ebele Iwuchukwu. He added that sometime in October 2023, the defendants obtained ₦410 million from one Nkechi Andy and others, under the guise of supplying rice to them.
The prosecutor said sometime in September 2022, the defendants also defrauded one Ejiro Nwamadi and others of the sum of ₦6.1 million.
“In July 2022, the defendants fraudulently obtained the sum of ₦54 million from one Immaculate Nwosu.
“The defendants did not supply rice to any of the complainants but dishonestly converted the total sum of ₦625.8 million to their own use,” he said.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 1 (1) of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act 2006 as well as Section 390 of the Criminal Code, 2004.
However, she pleaded not guilty when she was arraigned.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Ibrahim Kala, granted her bail for ₦2 million with two sureties in like sum. He ordered that the defendant be remanded in Police custody pending the perfection of her bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned till 22nd January, 2025, for trial.