The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, arrested Mr Chinenye Duru, a Polaris Bank staff member, in a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The arrest came shortly after Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned an alleged fraud charge filed by the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police against Polaris Bank Plc and Duru until May 14 for adoption.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the I-G had, in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/603/2023, preferred an 11-count money laundering offence against Polaris Bank Plc and Duru, an account officer to Mr Victor Onukogu, the nominal complainant.
They were named in the charge as 1st and 2nd defendants.
NAN reports that Onukogu, also known as “Daddy Hezekiah”, is the spiritual head of Living Christ Mission Church, Onitsha, in Anambra.
In count one of the charge, Polaris Bank and Duru were alleged to have fraudulently withdrawn N16 billion and N500 million from Onukogu Victor Hezekiah’s account numbers: 1040495455 and 1060104735, domiciled with the bank, between Nov. 17, 2017, and Aug. 14, 2023.
The offence, the anti-graft agency said, contravened the provisions of Section 21(a) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
In count four, the defendants were alleged to have, between Nov. 17, 2017, and Aug. 14, 2023, fraudulently withdrawn N75.534 million from Onukogu’s account number: 4010023601, contrary to Section 18 (2) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In count six, they were alleged to have fraudulently withdrawn N13.3 million from Hezekiah University’s account number: 40910106770.
The defendants were also alleged to have fraudulently withdrawn N16.3 million between the same date from Hezekiah University’s account number 411054152 without any authorisation from the account owner to convert same to their own personal use contrary to the Money Laundering Act, among other counts.
Earlier, O S. Kara, who appeared for the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), informed the court that after the office of the AGF took over the case and after reviewing the case, the AGF withdrew the charge.
Related News
Army denies false claims of landmark promotion initiative by Lt. General Oluyede
Rainy Season: Lagos Govt embarks on market, street advocacy for sustainable environment
Mr Chidi Ezenwafor, who represented Duru, disagreed with Kara’s application to withdraw the charge.
Ezenwafor told the court that the request to withdraw the charge was an attempt to re-arrest his client.
He said the charge was filed in 2023, and when Duru was arrested then, he was detained for about two months before he was released after a court order.
The lawyer, therefore, sought to apply in response to the AGF’s request.
Justice Ekwo, who ordered Ezenwafor to file his application and serve the prosecution, directed the AGF lawyer to also respond appropriately.
The judge then adjourned the matter until May 14 for adoption.
However, shortly after Duru and his family members came out of Court 5, where the proceeding was heard, the EFCC operatives, who had laid ambush outside the court, wanted to arrest him, and he ran back into the courtroom.
Although Justice Ekwo was already on another matter, there was confusion in the court as security details attached to the judge blocked the EFCC operatives from arresting Duru inside the courtroom.
Duru’s lawyer, who was still inside the court, called the attention of the judge to their plights.
Ezenwafor, while addressing the court, said the event outside the court had just confirmed his earlier submission.
He said security officers of the anti-graft agency were in and around the court to arrest his client.
He said the action of the EFCC was in contempt of court and amounted to sacrilege, even when the matter was still pending before the court and the matter had just been adjourned for hearing.
Justice Ekwo, who directed Duru to sit down in the courtroom, ordered the EFCC operatives not to arrest him in court.
The judge said if Duru was needed, the commission should formally invite him, and if he didn’t come, that would be a different case.
The judge then told his security detail not to allow anyone to arrest the defendant in court.
After the court sitting and the judge rose, some of the commission’s officers entered the courtroom to engage Duru in conversation, but the court security details did not allow them to take him away.
NAN reports that despite the judge’s intervention, operatives of the anti-corruption commission stood their ground as they positioned themselves on the 3rd floor of the high-rise building where Court 5 is located. (NAN)
