The Co-coordinator, Ishielu West Development Centre, Abakaliki, Amaka Emeh and two other officers of the organisation: Oko Emmanuel, Finance Officer and Ugwuoke Paul, Administrative Officer were on Wednesday June 12, 2013 docked before Justice Maureen Adaobi Onyetenu of the Federal High Court, Abakaliki by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 2-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

Emeh and her accomplices were alleged to have conspired and obtained the sum of N6m as overdraft from a bank for the payment of March 2012 salary of the Centre's workers with the understanding that the bank will recover the fund through the centre's monthly allocation. However, the accused persons diverted the cheque for the Centre's monthly allocation to another bank making it difficult for the bank to recover the overdraft facility.

When the bank approached the Centre's Coordinator to recover the fund, he issued a UBA cheque which was returned unpaid due to insufficient fund in the Centre's account.

One of the charges against the accused read; "that you Amaka Emeh (Being the coordinator, Ishielu West Development Centre), Oko Emmanuel (being the finance officer) and Ugwuoke Paul (being the administrative officer) on or about the 19th day of March 2012 at Ohaukwu local government Area of Ebonyi State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, conspired to commit an offence to wit; obtaining money by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.

The second count reads; "that you Amaka Emeh (Being the coordinator, Ishielu West Development Centre), Oko Emmanuel (being the Finance officer) and Ugwuoke Paul (being the administrative officer) on or about the 19th day of March 2012 at Ohaukwu local government Area of Ebonyi State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N6m (six million naira) from Monarch Microfinance Bank as loan purportedly on behalf of Ishielu West Development Centre, Nkalagu, a pretence which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1)b of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act".

When the charges were read to the accused, they pleaded not guilty.

Following their no guilt plea, the prosecuting counsel, A.A. Abutu, asked the court to set a date for their trial as well as remand the accused persons in prison custody.

The counsel to the 1st and 2nd accused, Joseph Eze urged the court to admit his clients to bail.

Justice Onyetenu however remanded the 1st and 2nd accused person in prison custody and fixed 21st of June, 2013 for ruling on their bail application.

The 3rd accused (Ugwuoke Paul) was however granted bail in the sum of N5million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be senior civil servants on grade level 14 and above and must deposit two passport photographs with the court.

The case was adjourned to September 25, 2013 for continuation of hearing.

Media & Publicity Unit

12th June, 2013