The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal Command, has arraigned one Amaka Oranuka before Justice Abdu Dogo of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State.
She was docked on two-count charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N10, 347, 000.00 (Ten Million, Three Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand Naira).
Specifically, Oranuka allegedly offered to sell two IX25 Hyundai SUV cars, worth N15,000,000.00( Fifteen Million Naira) to a petitioner , who claimed that he made a total deposit of N12,293,000.000( Twelve Million, Two Hundred and Ninety Three Thousand Naira) in instalments into her bank account, but after payments, no such cars were delivered to him and all efforts to recover his money proved abortive.
Count One reads: “That you, Amaka Oranuka, on or about the 22nd of May, 2019, at Gboko, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did by false pretences and with intent to defraud, obtained from one Akor John, the sum of Ten Million, Three Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand Naira (N10,347,000.00) only, through Account No. 2084940980 domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc, being operated by you, under the pretext of supplying him two(2) IX25 SUV Hyundai Jeep Cars which you knew was false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
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Count Two reads: “That you, Amaka Oranuka, on or about the 27th day of May, 2019, at Gboko, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did by false pretences and with intent to defraud, obtained from one Akor John, the sum of One Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand Naira (N1,947,000.00) only, by cash, under the pretext of supplying him two (2) IX25 SUV Jeeps, which you knew is false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud related offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
She pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to her.
Prosecuting counsel, M. Yusuf, thereafter, prayed the court for a date for commencement of trial and that defendant be remanded in the Correctional Centre.
However, defence counsel, M. O. Uzor, moved an application for the bail of the defendant, urging the court to grant the defendant bail on most liberal terms.
Justice Dogo thereafter granted Oranuka bail in the sum of N5million with two sureties in like sum, whom must be on grade level 12 and have a landed property in Makurdi. Also the sureties must submit two- recent passport photographs and valid means of identification to the court. They must also swear to an affidavit of means and their residential addresses, as well as original copies of their letters of first appointment be deposited with the Registrar of the court.
The judge adjourned the matter till September 22, 2022 for hearing and remanded the defendant in a Correctional Centre pending the perfection of her bail conditions.