Odoziobodo: EFCC arraigns man in Enugu over N8.1m land fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Enugu Zonal Directorate has arraigned Mr. Paulinus Ani before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar at the Federal High Court, Enugu, on October 21, 2024, over allegations of fraud against one Mr. Severus Ifeanyi Odoziobodo.

According to a statement by the EFCC on Monday via X, Mr. Ani faces one-count charge of obtaining by false pretense, involving N8,130,000.

The charge against Ani stated , “That sometime between October 2015 and June 2018 at Enugu, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, with intent to defraud, entice one Severus Ifeanyi Odoziobodo to deliver to you the sum of Eight Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira under the pretence that you would sell to him seven (7) plots of land which you knew the pretense is false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”

Mr. Ani pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Odoziobodo alleges fraud

Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Nasir Umar, requested a trial date and asked for Ani’s remand at the Enugu correctional facility.

In response, the defence counsel, O. S. Imaji, highlighted a pending bail application.

Imaji urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, citing that the defendant had a reliable surety.

However, the prosecution strongly opposed the bail application, citing the rising incidence of land scams in Enugu.

Umar urged the court to deny the bail, emphasising that such crimes needed to be addressed firmly.

After considering both arguments, Justice Umar granted Ani bail with conditions.

The conditions include a sum of N10 million and two sureties of the same amount who are residents of Enugu State.

The defendant was remanded at the Enugu Correctional Facility pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.

The trial was adjourned to January 23, 2025.

The case originated from a petition submitted to the EFCC on January 1, 2021, by Ifeanyi Odoziobodo.

Odoziobodo alleged that in 2016, Ani claimed to be a staff member of the Ministry of Land and Urban Development, Enugu State.

He, thereafter, offered plots of land in Emene and Independence Layout for sale.

Believing the plots were available, Odoziobodo paid N8,130,000 after being shown allocation documents.

It later emerged that the plots had already been sold to others who held valid Certificates of Occupancy.

Attempts by Odoziobodo to recover his money were unsuccessful, leading to the involvement of the EFCC.

EFCC receives petition on alleged million Naira fraud by Pharm

Away from the Odoziobodo saga, one Pharm. Anderson has written a petitioned EFCC against one Pharmacist Abasiama Uwatt.

Pharmacist Uwatt was a former Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria [ACPN].

The alleged fraud reportedly occurred during the latter’s tenure as ACPN State Chairman.

The petition was acknowledged by the anti-graft agency on the same day.

Anderson stated that “despite several attempts to engage her in dialogue regarding the repayment of the misappropriated funds, she has remained uncooperative and unresponsive.”

The petition further alleged that “on the 26th day of June 2020, Pharm. Uwatt authorized and disbursed the sum of one million naira (N1,000,000) to one Reechil Concept Limited.”

“I have reasonable grounds to believe that this disbursement was fraudulent,” he applied.

Anderson noted that the transaction took place during the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown.

That was a period when no official meetings – whether physical or virtual – were convened by the association.

This makes it difficult to understand the rationale behind the disbursement.”

Anderson decried that, “corruption continues to undermine the progress of our society, and it is our collective responsibility to confront it decisively.”

“I hereby formally request the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to initiate a thorough investigation into this matter, to prosecute Pharm. Abasiama Uwatt if evidence of wrongdoing is established, and to assist in recovering the misappropriated funds,” he petitioned.

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