The hide and seek game between the police hierarchy and the controversial brother In – law to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and proponent of the Police Equipment Foundation; Chief Kenny Martins ended this morning as he was arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on a 4-count charge of advance fee fraud popularly known as "419".
Chief Martins, according to the charges, allegedly "falsely presented" himself as an official of the Federal Government with the sole aim of defrauding an American Business Group of various sums of money in hard currency.
It would be recalled that last Tuesday at a Magistrate Court in the Wuse District of Abuja that the controversial businessman was involved in a hide and seek game with officers of the Nigerian Police who capitalized on Martins appearance in court to effect an arrest warrant declared against him by the Inspector General of Police; Mr. Mike Okiro.
Attempts by Martins to frustrate his imminent arrest fell like a park of cards as he was finally arrested and has been in the custody of the Police from where he was brought to court this morning.
The arraignment was to have taken place last Friday but for the absence of the Judge who, it was learnt, had gone for prayers at the Mosque.
Chief Martins was alleged to have, in various parts of the United States of America; New York, New Jersey and the state of Delaware, within the year 2007, under the false pretence of representing the Federal Government, conned Calvary Group to the tune of $400, 000.00. He was also alleged to have entered into series of agreements, under false pretence, for the right of benefit of accessing a loan facility to the tune of $97, 500,000.00.
The former President’s In-Law was also alleged to have presented himself as a representative of the Nigerian Government to procure a loan of $97, 800.00 from the EXIM Bank.
Attempts made by Chief Akin Olujimi and Chief Mike Ozekhome, counsels to the controversial businessman, to secure his bail failed to sail through as the counsel to the Nigerian Police; Barrister V. C Nwadike requested for a short adjournment to respond to issues of law raised by Chief Kenny Martin’s legal team.
The presiding judge, Justice Adamu Bello, adjourned till Tuesday (tomorrow) for further deliberations on the bail application.
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