Ugwu Alexander Chekwube has been charged by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in front of Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, which is located in Independence Layout, Enugu State.
The defendant was charged with four counts, two of which involved conspiracy and the other involving the fraudulent acquisition of ₦85,000,000.00 (eighty-five million naira only).
One of the four-count charges reads: “That you, Ugwu Alexander Chekwube and one Ugo Sunday Onuaguluchi (At large) from 2nd November 2022, to 6th December 2022 in Enugu, Enugu State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud induced one Zod International Developers to deliver to you the sum of ₦85,000,000.00 (Eighty-five million naira), under the pretence that you will help him secure a contract for the construction of six District Hospitals in Ebonyi State which pretence you knew to be false and you 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”.
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After hearing the accusations read to him, the defendant entered a plea of “not guilty.” The EFCC’s attorney, Nuradeen Shehu Ingawa, then asked the court for a trial date and the defendant’s remand at the Enugu State Correctional Center. However, M. C. Onwuzuruoha, the defense attorney, informed the court that a bail application was still pending.
Judge Umar then ruled that the defendant be held at the Enugu State Correctional Institution and postponed the case until April 17, 2024 for a hearing on the bail application.
The EFCC detained Chekwube after he was accused of tricking Zod International Developers, a construction company, into giving him N85,000,000.00 on the promise that he would assist the company in getting a contract to build six district hospitals in Ebonyi State. The defendant did not secure the contract or give the petitioner their money back after receiving the stated amount.
