Photos: EFCC Arraign 3 Men For Land Scam

Below is a press statement by EFCC

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, on Monday, February 9, 2015 arraigned Daniels Nat, Dennis Edimoh
and Peter Oko Amadi before Justice Abubakar Mahmud Talba of the High
Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on a four-count charge
bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery and conspiracy.

The accused are alleged to have forged Federal
Government Certificate of Occupancy to plot No 42, Block XIII, Federal
Government Layout, Gwarimpa District, Abuja, which was duly allotted to
one Mr Adekoya Daniel Oladepo.

The trio used the forged certificate as
collateral to solicit investment from Ambifel Services Limited, whom
they swindled to the tune of N7million having promised 30 percent return
on investment after a maturity period of 60 days. Since the release of
the fund, they went underground.

Count two of the charge reads:

“that Daniels Nat, Dennis Edimoh and Peter Oko
Amadi sometime in September, 2012 within the judicial division of the
High Court of the FCT being entrusted with the sum of N7.000,000.00
(seven million naira) only, dishonestly convert same to your own use and
thereby committed breach of trust in respect of the said amount, an
offence punishable under section 312 of the Penal Code LFN (Abuja)
1990”.

The accused pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them.

In view of the plea, the prosecuting counsel,
Faruk Abdallah, humbly applied for a date to enable the prosecution open
its case.

However, counsel to the first accused, N.U
Akpan,  through an oral application pleaded for bail of his client
(Daniels Nat),  stating that bail is a constitutional right.

Counsel to the second accused, M. Igwe, aligned
himself with the position of the first accused counsel in praying for
the bail of his client. He also told the court that the accused had been
on administrative bail and been appearing before EFCC anytime the need
arises.

While relying on Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999
Constitution as amended, Igwe prayed the court to consider his client
for bail saying, “the offence is bailable”.

Counsel to the third accused, L.O Ilechukwu,
also aligned herself with the prayers of the other counsel stating that
the accused has not breached any term granted him by EFCC.

Prosecuting counsel, Abdallah,  raised no
objection to the bail  applications of the second and third accused who,
according to him, honoured the administrative bail terms earlier
granted them by the Commission. However, he objected to the bail of the
first accused on the ground that he had failed to honour the
administrative bail earlier granted him by the Commission.

After listening to the argument of the counsel,
Justice Talba granted bail to the second and third accused in the sum of
N1m and two sureties each in like sum. Sureties must be resident in
Abuja, and not below grade level 13 in the Federal Civil Service. He
refused bail to the first accused and ordered him to be remanded in Kuje
prison pending a formal application for bail.

The case has been adjourned to February 23 and 24, 2015 for commencement of trial.”