The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday November 1, 2012, arraigned one Ibok Bennet Preston before Justice Abebisi Akinlade of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on a ten count charge bordering on forgery and possession of fraudulent document to the tune of $4,500 (Four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars).

The accused is said to have fraudulently issued forged Union Bank of Nigeria Plc receipts, letters and several other documents purportedly obtained from the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), using a fake name: Rev. Christopher Wallace, with intent to defraud unsuspecting individuals over a contrived European Winning Lottery programme.
One of the charge reads: " Ibok Bennet Presto on or about the 3rd of August 2012 at Lagos within the IKEA division with intent to defraud knowingly forged a Union Bank of Nigeria Plc receipt with No. 0003704 and thereafter issued the said receipt in the sum of the One Thousand Five Hundred dollars ($1,500) to you with the name Rev. Christopher Wallace being part payment for the European winning Lottery programme paid on behalf of one M.E Rabmovich and purported the said Receipt to have been issued by Union Bank of Nigeria Plc".

When the charges were read to the accused person he pleaded not guilty.
Counsel to the EFCC, Ben Ubi prayed the court for a short date for the commencement of trial and that the accused person be remanded in prison custody. Counsel to the accused person, J.I Njoku however urged the court to consider his bail application and that the accused person be allowed to remain in the EFCC custody.
Justice Akinlade remanded the accused in the EFCC Custody and adjourned to November 27, 2012 for hearing of the bail application.

Wilson Uwujaren
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
2nd November, 2012