By Advocatenewsng.com
A Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos will on Wednesday, today, May 28, 2025 continue the hearing on the criminal charges brought against the United Bank for Africa, UBA Plc, three of its former staff, Emeka Njoku, Onyinyechi Oraegbunem and Pamela Onaga, now at large, a firm, Castle Equipment and Logistics Ltd, and the managing director/chief executive officer of the firm, Chibueze Ojeh, probing them on how they all conspired with the bank to dupe a businessman and the managing director/chief executive officer of Vinna Investment Limited, Chief Nnamdi Vincent Ezenwa of his hard-earned money, amounting to N294,150,000 with the pretence to sell dollars to him worth $1,850,000 at the rate of N159 per dollar in 2013.
When they allegedly and deceitfully collected N294,150,000 from their victim, which is the equivalent of $1,850,000, through his bank account domiciled with UBA, they fraudulently transferred $900,000 only to his Italian customers, the equivalent of N143,100,000, and converted $950,000, equivalent to N151,050,000 to their use, thereby committed the offence contrary to Section 1(1), and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006.
The five-count charge against the suspects was raised by the Inspector General of Police, and filed on his behalf by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCP), Simon Lough, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, from the Legal/Prosecuting Section of the Police Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja.
At the court session holding at Ikoyi, Lagos, before Justice Dipeolu, the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charge last year when it was read to them informing them that: You, Chibueze Ojeh, ‘M’, 40 years; Obinna Nwosu, ‘M’, 45 years; Emeka Njoku, ‘M’ 41 years, Castle Equipment & Logistics Ltd; and United Bank for Africa, UBA,Plc; Onyinyechi Oraegbunem, ‘F’, and Pamela Onaga, ‘F’, now at large, are charged with a five-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence.
One the the charges reads: That you Chibueze Ojeh, ‘M’, 40 years, MD/CEO of Castle Equipment & Logistics Ltd of Lekki County Homes, Westend Estate Road 4, House 4, Lekki, Lagos State; Obinna Nwosu, ‘M’, 45 years of No. 1 Shofidiya Close, Adegoke Estate, Masha Roundabout, Surulere, Lagos; Emeka Njoku, ‘M’, 41 years, former staff and marketer with UBA Plc, of No. 3 Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt; Castle Equipment & Logistics Limited and United Bank for Africa Plc; Onyinyechi Oraegbunem, ‘F’, former branch manager of UBA, Aba branch and Pamela Onaga,’F’, (now at large), former staff of UBA, Aba branch/account officer to Chief Nnamdi Vincent Ezenwa, between 3rd April, 2013 and 30th June, 2013 in Lagos and Aba within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, while acting in concert and with intent to defraud Chief Nnamdi Vincent Ezenwa, MD/CEO of Vinna Investment Limited deceitfully induced Chief Nnamdi Vincent Ezenwa that you have dollars to sell to him at a lower rate of N159 per dollar and deceitfully collected a total sum of N294,150,000 equivalent to$1,850,000 from him on the pretence that you will transfer the dollars equivalent to his customers in Italy. But having collected the total sum of N294,150,000, you transferred only $900,000, equivalent to N143,100,000 and converted $950,000, equivalent to N151, 050,000 to your use, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section1(1) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
