The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Monday November 26, 2012, arraigned Daniel Edet alongside his Company, Daneve Engineering Limited before Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar of the FCT High Court sitting in Abuja, on a two count charge bordering on fraud and issuance of dud cheque.

Count two of the charge reads; "that you Daniel Edet and Daneve Engineering Limited on or about the 4th of June 2010 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory with intent to defraud knowingly and fraudulently issued a Unity Bank Plc cheque no. 00000003 dated the 4th of June, 2010 for the sum of N9,505,072 (Nine Million Five Hundred and Five Thousand, Seventy Two Naira ) payable to Global Royal Int'l Concepts Ltd of which the cheque on presentation was dishonored for insufficient funds in the account and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 1(1) of the Dishonored Cheques Act, Cap D11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004".

The arraignment of Edet followed a petition by Sunday Thomas, alleging that Edet issued him a local purchase order, LPO, to supply various office furniture and electronics to his Company, Daneve Engineering Ltd which he did. That the accused issued a Unity Bank Cheque for the sum of N9, 505, 000.00 (Nine Million Five Hundred and Five Thousand Naira only) in his Company , Global Royal International Concept Ltd which, upon presentation at the Bank, was dishonoured due to insufficient funds in the account.
The accused pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him. C.A. Nwachukwu, defence counsel, moved oral bail application which was opposed by the prosecution counsel, Cosmos O. Ugwu who urged the court to rather grant accelerated trial as stipulated in section 19 of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004.

Justice Umar adjourned the matter to November 28, 2012, for ruling on the bail application and fixed January13, 2013, for commencement of trial.
He further ordered that the accused person be remanded in EFCC's custody.

Wilson Uwujaren
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
26th November, 2012