Photo: EFCC arraigns Lawyer for N30m fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on Thursday, October 11, 2018, arraigned a lawyer, Victor Nwadigo, before Justice Olusola Williams of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a one-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N30,000,000.00( Thirty-Million Naira).

The defendant, who is an ex-solicitor to Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), allegedly short-paid AMCON after the sale of a property to the tune of N30, 000, 000. 00

The charge reads: “That you, Victor Nwadigo (trading under the name and style of Kings House Solicitors), sometime in January, 2017 at Ikeja within the Ikeja Judicial Division, dishonestly took the sum of N30, 000, 000. 00 (Thirty Million Naira), property of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria and committed an offence contrary to Section 278 (1) (a) and (b) and Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.”

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, G.C. Akaogu, prayed the court for a trial date and asked that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.

The defence counsel, Sola Abidakun, however, informed the court that he was briefed about the matter yesterday( Wednesday, October 10, 2018) and that he had already filed an application for bail on behalf of his client.

He, therefore, asked for a short date for hearing of the application and also prayed that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the determination of his bail application.

The prosecution counsel, Akaogu, acknowledged receipt of the application and asked for a short date to enable him file his response.

He also opposed the prayers of the defence counsel seeking his client’s remand in the EFCC custody.

Akaogu argued that the EFCC detention facilities were over-stretched and that the custody was for detaining of suspects for a short period and not over a long period.

Justice Williams adjourned the matter to October 25, 2018 for hearing of the bail application and ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.