The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned a businesswoman, Titilayo Eboh, before the Ikeja Special Offences Court over an alleged N1.8 billion fraud.
Eboh was docked alongside Chayomi Aluminum Ltd and one Abubakar Funtua, who is currently at large, on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecuting counsel, Mr Nnaemeka Omenwa, urged the court to remand the defendant pending trial. He informed the court that a bail application had been sent to him in relation to a sister case before Justice Rahman Oshodi and said he required clarification from defence counsel before filing a response.
Defence counsel, Mr Emefo Etudo, told the court he was not involved in proceedings before Justice Oshodi and requested multiple trial dates, asking that the bail application be given an earlier hearing date following discussions with the prosecution.
Justice Mojisola Dada ordered the remand of the defendant and adjourned the matter until March 24 for hearing of the bail application.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences were committed between December 2, 2020 and January 25, 2021 in Lagos.
The commission alleged that the defendant obtained N1.8 billion from Mr Olamayowa Abdulwasiu-Olabisi and Mr Adekanmi Adedire of Himark Intertrades Ltd under the pretext that she had the dollar equivalent to exchange at a rate of N420 per dollar, knowing the claim to be false.
The prosecution further alleged that Eboh dishonestly converted N458.2 million belonging to the complainants to her personal use – said to be the equivalent of 1.9 million dollars at an exchange rate of N450 per dollar.
The alleged offences contravene Sections 1(1)(a) and 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, as well as Section 278(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
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