EFCC Arraigns Two For N5.5m Fraud

Kenneth Elele and Duru Patrick Uchenna have been arraigned before Justice Adebimpe Olatoregun of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos on October 26th by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

They were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N5, 500,000 ( Five Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).

The complainant, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, alleged that the suspects were arrested on October 16, 2015 during an inward screening of passengers at the Seme Border for unlawful possession of N3,300,000.00 concealed in a black ‘Bagco’ bag inside a V-boot Mercedes Benz with registration number MUS 121 BX.

The agency also alleged that an undeclared sum of N2,250,000.00 ( Two Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) was also recovered from the suspects in a white cello-taped parcel under the battery of a V- boot Mercedes Benz with registration number MUS 121 BX Lagos.

In view of the pleas of not guilty, the prosecution counsel, S.O. Daji, asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody.

However, counsel the accused persons, U.P.E. Nnaji, told the court that he was served with the charge towards the close of work on Wednesday, October 25, 2017.
He, therefore, pleaded with the court for a short date to respond appropriately.
Consequently, Justice Olatoregun ordered the accused persons to be remanded in Kirikiri Prison, Lagos and adjourned the matter to November 13, 2017, for commencement of trial.