EFCC Arraigns Suspected Land Racketeer Over N86m Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, May 18, 2017 arraigned one Ikechucwu Duru before Justice A. O. Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Lugbe, Abuja on one-count charge of obtaining by false pretence.
Duru is alleged to have sometime between 2012 and 2013 by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N86million from Alhaji Aliyu Idris Shuaibu under the pretext of re-instatement of a plot No 4 Cadastral Zone C10 located at Wumba District and allocation of a new plot of land.
When the charge was read to him, he pleaded not guilty.
Prosecuting counsel, Mukhtar Ahmed, thereafter asked for adjournment and a date for hearing. He also urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody pending trial.
But defence counsel, Micheal Eleyinmi, countered and moved for bail application.
His words: “I urge the court to grant bail to the applicant on liberal terms since he is on administrative bail by the EFCC”, Eleyinmi said.
After listening to the arguments, Justice Otaluka granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N2million with one surety in like sum. The surety, who must be a civil servant in Abuja on grade level 14, must show evidence of being in the service for the next five years.
The judge ordered that the defendant be remanded in Kuje prison pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions, and adjourned to June 5, 2017 for trial.
EFCC
