Justice F.A Ojo of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja today, June 18, 2014 granted bail to Mary Okoh alias Josephine Williams, a business woman who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for offences bordering on fraud and forgery.

The accused person was granted bail in the sum of N5m (five million naira) and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must have landed properties within the Federal Capital Territory and must swear to affidavit of means. In addition, the accused person is to report to EFCC Head Office on every first and last Monday of every month till the determination of the suit against her.
 
Okoh is being prosecuted by the EFCC on a three count charge of allegedly obtaining the sum of thirty million naira (N30,000,000.00) from Okon Abasi, executive officer, Mutual Alliance Property Development Company Limited, as loan while she deposited the Certificate of Occupancy for her landed property situated at Gwarimpa, Abuja as collateral. She allegedly defaulted in the payment of the loan and also sold the property used as collateral to Lead British Schools, Gwarimpa with another Certificate of Occupancy suspected to be cloned.
 
The defence counsel, Jimoh D. Musa had urgued the court to grant bail to the accused person on liberal terms as the offence is bailable. He told the court that his client is a responsible business woman and a law abiding citizen.
 
In opposition to the application, counsel to EFCC, Abdallah Farouk told the court that the accused had failed to honour the terms of administrative bail granted her by the Commission. He urged the court to refuse the application as accused may jump bail.
 
However, Justice Ojo admitted the accused person to bail and adjourned the case to July 7, 2014 for hearing.
 
One of the counts reads:
“That you, Mary Okoh on or about February 29, 2012 within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of N30,000,000 (thirty million naira only) from Okon Amasi (Director, Mutual Alliance Property Development Co. Ltd) purportedly for the sale of a property at Plot 10, Federal Government Layout, Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja under the false pretence that you own the said property which pretence you knew to be false and 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”.

Media & Publicity
18th June, 2014