The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned a businessman, Muhammad Lamido, before the Lagos Special Offences Court in Ikeja on Monday for suspected N105m fraud.
The EFCC has charged the defendant and his company, Aliqea Group UAE, with four counts of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, and money laundering.
R. A. Abdulrasheed, the prosecution’s counsel, told the court that the defendants committed the crimes on July 19, 2023.
Abdulrasheed said the defendant conspired to defraud First Right Enterprises of N105m.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendant falsely claimed to have the dollar equivalent of the amount to change for the business organisation, First Right Enterprises.
The anti-graft agency further accused the defendant and his company of money laundering and trying to conceal the sum of N130,200,000 and N173m respectively.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
After the defendant’s plea was taken, his counsel, Emmanuel Ogbeche, urged the court to allow Lamido to remain in the EFCC custody.
He also told the court that the defence had filed a bail application.
But the prosecution counsel, Abdulrasheed, objected to the defendant’s bail application and informed the court of a counter-affidavit opposing the grounds of bail.
Abdulrasheed asked the court to deny the bail application.
He said, “The defendant may not appear in court again regardless of the subject of the health of the defendant as stated by the prosecution.”
The defence counsel, Ogbeche, asked the court to consider his written address, and said, “The defendant has a right to bail.”
Ogbeche said the defendant would attend his court date as he had been receiving medical care at the EFCC facility and under the eyes of the commission.
Consequently, Justice Olubusola Okunuga adjourned the matter to December 13, 2023.