The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on October 14, 2013, arraigned one Lebanese, Shahimi Talal, before Justice Alaba Ajileye of the High Court of Kogi State, Lokoja Judicial Division, on a two count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and issuance of dud cheque.

The accused, Managing Director of Lama Cocoa Processing Nigeria Limited, is alleged to have issued three cheques in the sums of N1. 500,000.00, N8, 500,000.00 and N9,000,000.00 respectively which were returned unpaid upon presentation by the duo of Arogundade Adedayo and Dele Kirin Samuel who were said to have jointly invested the sum of N27 million naira with the accused.
One of the charge count reads: "That you, Shaimi Talal, being the Managing Director of Lama Cocoa Processing Nig. Limited and Sharu Dynamics International Ltd. Between May and September, 2008 at Obajana in the Lokoja Judicial Division of the High Court of Kogi State, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N10,000.000.00.(Ten million naira) from one Kirin Dele under the false pretence that you are going to invest the said amount for him in Lama Cocoa Processing Nig. Limited ant to pay him an interest of 10% each monthly on the said principal sum invested, which you knew is false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)a of the Advance Free Fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act".
When the charge was read to the accused, he pleaded not guilty.
The EFCC counsel, Ibrahim Audu, prayed the court to fix a date for trial to enable the prosecution prove its case and also urged that the accused be remanded in prison custody. But counsel to the accused, Yemi George, prayed the court to grant his client bail, having filed the necessary bail application.
Justice Ajileye, while refusing bail to the accused, ordered him to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the matter to November 14, 2013 for hearing of bail application and December 2, 2013, for ruling on the application.

Media and Publicity
14th October, 2013