The Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Blessing Webilor Nchelem and her daughter-in-law, Deborah Jack, before Justice P.
I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The duo faces multiple charges related to fraud.
The charges include criminal conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretenses, and retention of proceeds from unlawful activities, amounting to N6 million.
One of the charges reads: "That you, Deborah Jack, Blessing Webilor Nchelem, Chimenem Peter Webilor (now at large) between 15th November, 2022, to 21st March, 2023, at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to defraud did obtain in a single transaction, the sum of Six Million Naira (N6,000,000.00) only from Senibo Richmond Opusunju as consideration for the sale of three plots of land, located at Rumuapu, Rukpokwo Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act."
Both defendants pleaded "not guilty" to the charges. Following their pleas, prosecution counsel E. K. Esien-Otu requested the court to set a trial date and to remand the defendants in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS). Meanwhile, defense counsel S. O. Aburu made an oral application for bail to allow the defendants to prepare for their trial.
Justice Ajoku declined the oral bail application, instructing the defense counsel to submit a formal bail application. In the interim, the judge ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody.
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