A man, Chinedu Ilozumba, was on Thursday docked in a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, for allegedly cheating his business partner of N9 million.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged the defendant with two counts of cheating and issuing dud cheque.
The EFCC Counsel, Mr Musa Gwani, told the court that the defendant obtained the sum of N9 million from one Nnacheta Ikechukwu sometime in 2011.
Gwani alleged that the defendant obtained the said sum under the guise that he owned a semi detached duplex situated in Kukwaba District, Abuja to sell to Ikechuckwu.
The prosecution counsel added that the defendant issued a Diamond bank cheque of N5.7 million in the name of his company, Complete Fone and Gadgets Solution Ltd to B.H.G links dated May, 19, 2013.
He said that when the cheque was presented on the said date, it was returned on grounds of insufficient funds.
The offence, he said, contravenes and is punishable under Sections 1(1)(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud related offences Act 2006.
It also contravenes sections 1(1)(a) and punishable under 1(1)(b)(i) of the Dishonoured Cheques Offence Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty.
The defence counsel, Mr Nnamdi Ekwem, told the court that he had an application for the bail of the defendant dated April 26 which he had served the prosecution counsel.
Ekwem however prayed for the court to grant his client bail.
Justice Asmau Akanbi-Yusuf granted the defendant bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum whom must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
Akanbi-Yusuf also ordered that the prosecution counsel and court officials must verify the addresses of the sureties and adjourned the matter until June 16 for hearing. (NAN)
