•The defendant, Abdulhamid Isah
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, arraigned one Abdulhamid Isah before Justice I.O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, stealing and retention of proceeds of a criminal conduct.
One of the counts read: “That you, Abdulhamid Isah, sometime in October 2022, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, obtained a total sum of $63,590 (Sixty-three Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety United States Dollars) from Chinedu Ugokwe by falsely representing Chinedu Ugokwe that the money was for the supply of the Dollar equivalent, which pretence you knew to be false.”
Another count read: “That you Abdulhamid Isah, sometime in October 2022, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, obtained and retained the total sum of $63,590 (Sixty-three Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety Dollars) from Chinedu Ugokwe, being proceeds of criminal conduct to wit stealing.”
After the charges were read, the defendant pleaded not guilty, and following his plea, counsel for the EFCC, N.K. Ukoha, prayed the court for a trial date for the prosecution to open its case.
He also prayed that the defendant be remanded at a Correctional Centre.
The defence counsel, E.A. Ogbeche, however, informed the court of the bail application of his client which he said was pending before the Honourable Court.
The defence counsel said that it was summons for bail, while the prosecution had been served.
He thereby moved for the bail application.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Ijelu, who held that it is to ensure future court attendance, granted it to the defendant in the sum of N5 million, with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a blood relation.
The case was adjourned until February 1, 2024, for trial and the defendant was ordered to be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre until the fulfilment of bail conditions.
