CHUKA UBAH
A 45-year old chief priest of the dreaded Okija Shrine located in Okija town, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mmaduabuchukwu Muoghalu Obi, has been sent to prison for allegedly swindling his client, Jeffrey Okoro-Eze, of the sum of N5m.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that it was the order of the Magistrate Court sitting in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State, which has ordered his remand at the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, for alleged advance fee fraud.
The Chief Priest, Obi, was arrested by the operatives from the Ebonyi State Police Command for allegedly defrauding Okoro-Eze of the said sum of money when he visited Obi’s shrine in March 2023 and complained to him that one Enyinnaya Nweze owed him money had refused to repay.
He was said to have asked the chief priest, Obi, to assist him to recover the money from his debtor and assured hom that he would make the debtor, Nweze, to pay back the debt, which later turned out to be a fraud.
The Police informed the Court that after the chief priest, Obi, recovered the N5 million from Nweze and the money was paid into his Access Bank account number 1691300822; he allegedly absconded with the money.
He was said to have disconnected every communication he had with the complainant, who eventually reported the matter to the Police. Obi was then trailed, eventually arrested and detained for interrogation over his alleged criminal conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found him culpable and subsequently charged him before Magistrate Ojemba Isuoko on two count-charge bothering on fraud under the Criminal Laws of the State.
The charge read, “That you Mmaduabuchukwu Muoghalu Obi, aged 45 years, and others now at large, sometimes in the month of March 2023 at Access Bank Abakaliki in Abakaliki Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Advance Fee Fraud and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act Cap A6 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2006″.
“That you Mmaduabuchukwu Muoghalu Obi and others now at large on the same date, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District did by false pretenses and with intent to defraud, obtain the sum of Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) through account number 1691300822 Access Bank Plc under the guise of recovering debt for one Jeffery Okoro-Eze and Enyinnaya Nweze and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) and Section 11 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act cap A6,laws of the federation of Nigeria 2006.”
The Court did not take his plea due to
the nature of the charge and the fact that the Court lacks competent jurisdiction to hear the matter.
The Presiding Magistrate, Isuoko, ordered that Obi be remanded in Abakaliki prison custody.
The matter was adjourned till 28th July, 2023, for mention for report of compliance.