The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 arraigned the duo of Victor Anasiudu and Olaoye Olanrenwaju Daniel before Justice E. A. Obile of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on five-count separate charges, bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N3,380,000.00 (Three Million Three Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira).
The defendants were arrested by the EFCC following a petition in which it was alleged that sometime in 2019, the defendants approached their victim with a business proposal to supply them 20 pieces of tricycle (Keke NAPEP) and promised to pay him in cash which he agreed to.
The defendants with time called the victim and informed him that the money will be conveyed in a refrigerator through a vehicle coming to Port Harcourt. The victim was later called again and told that he should send N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) which will be used to bribe Nigerian Customs Service officers, whom they claimed were apprehended them on their way to Port Harcourt which he did.
One of the charges reads: “That you Victor Anasiudu, Olaoye Olanrenwaju Daniel, Abdullahi Usain (at large) and Tobenna Godwin Ezeakalue (at large) sometime in September, 2019 at Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court conspired amongst yourselves to obtain the sum of N2,030,000.00 (Two Million and Thirty Thousand Naira) from Donatus Ekemezie, being payment to you under the false pretence that you will purchase tricycle from him which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
They all pleaded not guilty to the charge, following which prosecuting counsel, U.D Asuehizibe, urged the court to fix a date for commencement of trial and for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Service, pending the determination of the case.
Counsel to the first and second defendants, O. C. Samuel and O. O. Orji, however informed the court that there was a pending application for the bail of their clients, which the prosecuting counsel opposed on the ground that the defendants reside outside the court’s jurisdiction and may jump bail.
Justice Obile adjourned the matter to May 20, 2020 and remanded the defendants in EFCC custody.
