The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, arraigned one Solomon Idiareh Oboh and his firm, Aruo Maritime Services Limited, before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a six-count charge bordering on dishonoured cheques, Advance Fee Fraud and obtaining money under false pretext to the tune of N32.3million and $8, 355.80.

The defendant allegedly collected the sums from one Tony Chukwura, assuring him that he would deliver three containers of frozen fish imported from the United States of America to him.

The defendant, however, allegedly reneged on his promise, after obtaining the money from the complainant.

One of the counts reads: "That you, Solomon Idiareh Obah and Aruo Maritime Services Limited, sometime in February, 2018 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N32, 340, 189 (Thirty Million, Three Hundred and Forty Thousand, One Hundred and Eighty-Nine Naira) from one Tony Chukwura under the false pretext that you had a license to import three containers of frozen fish from the USA, which pretext you knew to be false."

The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.

In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody pending the determination of the case.

Counsel to the defendant, S.O. Saliu, told the court that a bail application had been filed and served on the prosecution.

He, therefore, urged the court to grant his client bail.

However, the prosecution counsel, Buhari, objected to the bail application as he said that the defendant is a flight-risk.

“My Lord, he has shunned invitations on several occasions sent to him by the EFCC,” she further told the court.

Justice Taiwo admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50million with two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must be a landed property owner within the jurisdiction of the court and verification of the titled documents must be done by the EFCC and the court’s Registrar.

Justice Taiwo adjourned the case to May 28, 2019 for commencement of trial and ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail conditions.



Media & Publicity

April 10, 2019