BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE
LAGOS — Three persons were, yesterday, brought before a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, by the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly defrauding one Miss Lora Marire of N65.4 million, by falsely stating that the money would be used for the registration of her company as contractor with Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA.

According to the charge, the accused persons, Kachy Kennedy Okoye, Usong Ibor Matthew and Princewell Arinze Eze (A.K.A. Engr. Chika Eze), also obtained the said sum by falsely representing that the money would aid Marire’s award of a contract to build 100 units of duplex at Lekki, Lagos.

The matter took a different dimension, yesterday, as the prosecutor, Oyedepo Rotimi, filed an amended information, which saw the name of the third defendant in the initial charge (Igberaese Lawry) removed and substituted with Princewill.

Ruling

In a ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Christopher Balogun, discharged Lawry from prison custody and upheld the prosecution’s amended information, but did not take the plea of the defendants.

Justice Balogun held that the prosecution would have to write to the Chief Justice of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, in compliance to the new directive on refreshing a charge.

Adjourned

He ruled: “This matter has to be continued tomorrow (today). In the circumstance as given by the Lagos Chief Judge, this matter is moved to Justice Aishat Opesanwo for the plea of the defendants to be taken.

“This is fast track division and not a criminal division. So this court cannot take the defendants’ fresh plea.”

In the amended information suit no ID/121C/2012, the defendants are to be re-arraigned on a twelve-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences, an offence contrary to Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, Cap. A6, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.