Dredging Firm MD, Female Director Arraign For Alleged Stealing N20.3m

PAUL IYOGHOJIE

The Managing Director of Joe Blessed Dredging and Marine Limited, Captain Richard Johnson and a female director of the firm, Cordelia Ugwuja have been arrested and charged before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly obtaining the sum of N20.3 million from the Managing Director of A.A.Rano Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Aminu Bashir under false pretense.
The arrest of the accused persons, according to a Police source, was ordered by the Commissioner of Police, CP in charge of the Police Special Fraud Unit, PSFU at Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde following a petition by Alhaji Aminu Bashir.
After investigation by SP Ayawa Yusuf and his team, the accused persons were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on a one count charge of felony to wit, obtaining money under false pretense.
Also arraigned with the accused was their firm, Joe Blessed Dredging and Marine Limited.
Police Counsel, CSP E.A Jackson, Officer in charge of Legal section at the PSFU, Ikoyi, Lagos informed the Court in charge No L/69/2017 that the accused persons committed the offense between April and June,2017 in Lagos.
Jackson told the Court that the accused persons approached the Complainant using the name of their company that they were experts in sand filling and reclaiming of land and collected the sum of N20,3 million from the complainant to purchase 25,496,482 cubic meters of sand to sandfill and reclaim a parcel of land for him at Ijegun Waterside, Satellite Town, Lagos.
Jackson said that after the accused collected the money from the complainant, they failed to execute the contract and instead converted the money to their use.
Jackson further said that during investigation, Police discovered with the help of experts in sand filling that only N10m and not N20.3m was required to purchase 8,000 cubic meters of sand to sandfill and reclaim the said land.
The Police Counsel said that the offense the accused committed was contrary to section 312(1)(a) of the criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Law.
The accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the alleged offense in the open court and their Counsel, Harris Onyemaechi prayed the Court to admit the defendants to bail on the most liberal terms because they are responsible people who would not jump bail.
Magistrate A.T Omoyele granted them bail in the sum of N1 million each with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the case till 9 January,2018 for mention.
Omoyele however ordered that the defendants be kept at the Ikoyi and Kirikiri prisons pending when they would fulfill the bail conditions.