By Bartholomew Madukwe

LAGOS—A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday, adjourned to February 8, 2016 for the arraignment of a Navy Captain, Jerry Ogbonna (retd), being accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of stealing and fraudulently converting N45 million, property of Fidelity Bank Plc.

Ogbonna, alongside Obyke System Consult Ltd, are also accused of obtaining N45 million from Diamond Bank Plc by falsely presenting to them that the said money represented the mobilisation fee from the Department of Petroleum Resources of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The arraignment of Ogbonna, which was to take place, yesterday, failed following inability of the prosecution to produce him before the trial judge, Justice Atinuke Ipaye.

It was gathered that the alleged stealing of N45 million from Fidelity Bank Plc and obtaining same amount money from Diamond Bank Plc was committed between April 10, 2012 and August 31, 2012 in Lagos.

Ogbonna and Obyke System Consult Ltd are to be arraigned on a two-count of stealing and obtaining money by false pretense.

The prosecution informed the court that the offence of stealing was contrary to Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011, while obtaining money by false pretense was contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006.