The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Thursday, July 10, 2014 arraigned the duo of Orum Chinedu and Onyiye Chima before Justice S.M Shaibu of the Federal High Court, Owerri on a 5-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.
The accused persons allegedly obtained the sum of N20, 000,000:00 from one Ekwe Augustine Mark under the pretext that they would help him secure an oil pipeline laying contract in Awa Community in Imo State from oil major, Addax Petroleum.
They allegedly perfected the scam by presenting themselves as staff of the oil company will powers to influence the contract award.
The accused persons however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
One of the counts reads; “that you Orum Chinedu, Ifeanyi Jude Owum, Onyiye Chima, between the 16th day of August, 2013 and 19th day of December, 2013 at Owerri, Imo State, within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of Four Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira from Ekwe Augustine Mark through an Ecobank account number 2351110574 belonging to Nwakama Henson Chinedu under the false pretence that there is an Addax Petroleum contract for laying of ‘4’ inches steel oil pipe with Addax Petroleum for which you will recommend Ekwe Augustine Mark to Addax Petroleum, a pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act”.
The bail application for the accused persons is slated for hearing today, July 11, 2014.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
11th July, 2014