A businessman, Charles Ihenetu, was on Wednesday remanded by an Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos for defrauding his business partner of N26million.
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Ihenetu allegedly defrauded the business partner, Mr Osaduwa Amechi, in a non-existent oil deal.
The News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ihenetu was arraigned alongside his company, V-Choice International Company Nigeria Ltd.
They face a three-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretenses brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants, however, denied the charges.
Mrs Zainab Ettu, the EFCC prosecutor, said that Ihenetu and his company committed the offences, with others who are at large, in September 2015 in Lagos.
“Ihenetu and his company alongside Victor Ezinwoke, Nonso Anigbogu and one Romeo who are all at large,with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N19million from Amechi through Ihenetu’s company account with number- 1011802106 domiciled at Zenith Bank.
“The money was received under the false pretence that it represented Amechi’s investment on crude oil on board a vessel called Kaveri Spirit that was bound for Ghana from Nigeria.
“The defendants, on another occasion, collected N7million from Amechi as investment in the fraudulent oil deal,” Ettu said.
According to EFCC, the offences contravene Sections 1(1)(3) and 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
Earlier during proceedings, Mr Joseph Eziwenke, Ihenetu’s counsel, made an oral application for the defendant’s bail.
Eziwenke, in his submission, asked the court that the businessman be remanded in EFCC custody because of his health challenges.
“He has spinal cord injury and other ailments,” the defence counsel said.
Justice Mojisola Dada, however, refused the oral application of the defence counsel.
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The judge asked Eziwenke to make a formal bail application and ordered that the businessman be remanded in prison.
She adjourned the case until June 20 for trial.
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