The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned one Raymond Okemo, a Port Harcourt, Rivers State businessman, before Justice H. A. Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and issuance of dud cheque.
Raymond was accused of inducing a company, Fuidex Nigeria Limited, to confer a benefit on him by delivering some construction materials amounting to N34,960,000 on the pretext that he would pay the sum within 60 days of delivery.
Despite the agreement signed by the parties and the invoice issued to that effect by Raymond on behalf of his company, Glovic Projects Development Company Limited, all efforts to get him to pay or return the goods at the expiration of the 60 days proved abortive according to the EFCC.
One of the counts read to him stated: “That you Raymond Okemo and Glovic Project Development Company Limited sometimes in July 2011 at Port Harcourt within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court with intent to defraud did induce Fuidex Nigeria Limited to confer a benefit on you by delivering Steel plate, Angle Iron and Steel Pipes amounting to thirty four million nine hundred and sixty thousand naira(34,960.000.00) only on the pretext that you are to pay him the said sum sixty day after delivery and invoice, a pretext you knew to be false and cannot be acted upon and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(c)1(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section1(3) of the same Act.”
Raymond pleaded not guilty when the charge was read and his counsel, Igbeke Amachree made an oral bail application for him.
However, the court directed that the bail application be presented formally. The matter was adjourned to 15th January 2014 while the accused is to remain in prison pending the determination of his bail application.
