The Lagos State Police Command on Thursday revealed that it has arraigned the managing director of an insurance company, John Ethagbe, before a Federal High Court sitting in the state for alleged N20m fraud.
According to The PUNCH, the state’s special fraud unit of the police brought out charges against Ethagbe for collecting money under false pretenses and engaging in an alleged conspiracy to commit fraud.
Also the prosecutor, Henry Obiaze, informed the court that the offenses were perpetrated in the state sometime in December 2012 by the defendant and a man named Jerome Itepu, who is presently at large.
In his testimony before the court, he stated that the defendant is accused of buying the aforementioned quantity from Felix Ogbe under the premise that they required it to complete a contract that the Federal Government had granted to them.
The offenses were criminal under Section 1(3) of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria because they violated Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Related Offenses Act 2006, according to the prosecutor.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty when brought before Judge Yelim Bogoro.
The prosecutor asked for a trial date after the defendant entered a not guilty plea and urged the court to send the defendant to prison.
However, during the petition for bail, the defendant’s attorney, Sylvanus Ogwemoh (SAN), asserted in front of the court that the alleged occurrence was simply a civil contract between two parties.
He continued by saying that his client received no compensation and that all the client did was connect the parties.
Additionally, Ogwemoh told the court that his client’s name was not on the checks issued in accordance with the arrangement.
He begged the judge to grant bail on self-recognizance for his client, and if the defendant was released, he promised to turn him in on the day of the trial..
The prosecutor asked the judge to refuse the defendant’s plea for bail on self-recognizance in response to the defense attorney’s petition.
Before releasing the prisoner to his attorney and directing him to appear at the next adjourned date, Judge Bogoro listened to both sides.
The case was rescheduled for March 21, 2023, so that the bail application may be heard.
