The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two bank officials, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, for alleged currency racketeering involving N500,000 in newly minted notes.
According to a statement by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity for the EFCC, the defendants were arrested on November 15, 2024, at their workplace on 18 Okpara Avenue, Enugu, following “actionable intelligence linking them to the sale of Naira mints in Enugu State metropolis.”
Investigations revealed that the alleged transaction involved the sale of N500,000 in N200 denominations.
The suspects, staff of a new-generation bank, were brought before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu, on Thursday, December 12, 2024.
The EFCC alleged that the duo sold N500,000 worth of mint N200 notes to one Husseini Ibrahim, in violation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007.
The charge against them reads: “That you, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, sometime in October 2024 at Enugu, Enugu state, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did sell a total sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) mints in Two Hundred Naira Notes (N200) denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria to one Husseini Ibrahim and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same Act.”
During the arraignment, Okoronkwo pleaded guilty to the charge, while Onyinye entered a not-guilty plea.
Following Okoronkwo’s plea, EFCC counsel Chief Superintendent Rotimi Ajobiewe requested a short adjournment to allow the prosecution to review the facts of the case and proceed with sentencing. Regarding Onyinye, Ajobiewe stated, “In respect of the second defendant, we pray for a date for trial to enable the prosecution to prove its case.”
Counsel to Onyinye, C. N. Agama, urged the court to remand her in EFCC custody pending the hearing of her bail application.
Justice Umar adjourned the matter to January 15, 2025, for the hearing of Onyinye’s bail application and the sentencing of Okoronkwo. Both defendants were ordered to be remanded at the Enugu State Correctional Facility.
