The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a woman, Chinwendu Fidelia Ohanebo, before the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja over an alleged N42.3m fraud.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Ohanebo was arraigned on Wednesday by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences and stealing by conversion.
The defendant was accused of obtaining N42,345,000 from one Musa Muhammed Jidda in 2025 under the pretext of supplying 45 litres of Premium Motor Spirit at N941 per litre.
The EFCC alleged that Ohanebo subsequently converted the money to her personal use.
When the charges were read before Justice M.A. Lawal, the defendant pleaded guilty to the first count and not guilty to the second count.
The first count alleged that Ohanebo obtained the money from Jidda “under the false pretence” of supplying Premium Motor Spirit.
The second count alleged that she “dishonestly converted” the N42,345,000 belonging to Jidda for her personal use.
The offences were said to contravene provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Following her plea, the prosecution counsel, H.U. Kofarnaisa, asked the court for an adjournment to commence trial on the second count.
Justice Lawal adjourned the matter for a review of facts on the first count and commencement of trial on the second count.
The judge subsequently ordered that Ohanebo be remanded in a correctional facility pending the continuation of proceedings.
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