By Davies Iheamnachor, PORT HARCOURT

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has remanded the Director of a Nigerian Gas Company, Charles Epelle, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, pending the determination of his bail application.

Epelle was arraigned on a six-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence and issuance of dud cheques by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the EFCC, an offence contrary to section 1(1) (a) and (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

Although the defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him by the EFCC, the prosecution counsel, K. W. Chukwuma-Eneh prayed the court to remand the suspect in prison custody and fix a date for the commencement of trial.

But, counsel for the defendant, I. A. Imabibo informed the court of the bail application of his client, which was opposed by the prosecution on the ground that he was only just served and needed time to respond.

However, the trial judge, Justice P. Ajoku, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the prosecution’s custody,  pending hearing and determination of his bail application and adjourned till February 6, 2023, for a hearing of bail application and April 26, 2023, for trial.