Ex-Banker, Spare Parts Dealer Re-arraigned Over Alleged N66.6m Scam

A former banker with First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Seun Awosanya and an auto spare parts dealer, Amechi Osita, were Thursday, re-arraigned before the Federal High Court, Lagos, by the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), on charges bordering on fraud and stealing of the sum of N66, 450,000 million.

Awosanya and the spare parts dealers’ rearraignment was sequel to the transfer of the matter to a new judge, Justice Abimbola O. Awogboro, who is hearing the charges against them for the first time.

The two defendants were first arraigned on August 22, 2016, before Justice Abdulaziz Anka, who is now sitting in another jurisdisction of the court.

Following Justice Anka’s transfer to another jurisdisction of the court, the defendants’ matter was transfered to Justice Saliu Saidu, who recently retired from the Bench. 

At the resumed hearing of the charge on Thursday, the prosecutor, Mr. Daniel Apochi, asked the court to retake the plea of defendants since the matter is coming up for the first time before the new judge.

The submissions, were unopposed by Mr. Victor Nwachukwu and Opeyemi Adekoya, who were counsels to the defendants.

Following that, the court ordered that the charge be read to the defendants for their plea to be retaken.

Upon reading the charge, the defendants maintained their not guilty.

Following the defendants’ not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked for a trial date. While their counsel, pleased with the court to allow their clients to continue with the bail terms earlier granted them by Justice Anka.

In her ruling, Justice Awogboro, while adjourning the matter till November 1 and 2 for commencement of defendants’ trial, also granted their Counsel’s request on the bail application.

PSFU in charge numbered FHC/L/339c/2016, alleged that the defendants on or before March 2015, conspired among themselves with one Okoli Chigozie Kingsley, said to be at large and fraudulently obtained the sum of N66,450,000 million, from a company, Logicvantage & Trust Limited, under the false presentation that the money will be converted to the United States of America’s Dollars.

They were also alleged to have stolen the said amount after it was converted to $300,000 USD.

It was gathered that the offences were committed when the first defendant, Awosanya, was still working as a banker with FCMB, where he secretly and unofficially change the currencies for Okoli, who is said to be at large.

The PSFU had told the court that the offences contravened section 1(1)(a)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences, and Section 15((1)(ii)(3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2004, as amended.