The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Enugu Zonal Command has arraigned Ukwueze Chidera Matthew before Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court in Enugu State.
The culprit was charged with two counts of conspiracy and theft totaling N11,458,597.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Ukwueze Chidera Matthew, Chijioke Stephen Thomas (At large) and Chibuike Ignatius Okoli (At large) sometime between 30th March 2022 and 8th June 2022 in Enugu, Enugu State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria retained the sum of N11,458,597.53 (Eleven Million, Four Hundred and Fifty-eight thousand, Five Hundred and Ninety-Seven Naira, Fifty-Three Kobo) which you stole from Keystone account number 1012123695 belonging to Ajogwu Blessing Ukamaka which you knew or ought to have known to be proceed of your unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 20 (b) of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.
He pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to him.
B. Ajogwu, counsel for the EFCC, petitioned the court for a trial date and the defendant’s remand at the Enugu State Correctional Facility.
However, Defence Counsel G. O. Ugwuoke told the court of a pending bail application.
Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo then adjourned the case to March 12, 2024, for the hearing of the bail motion, and June 26 and 27, 2024, for trial. The defendant was remanded in Enugu State Correctional Facility.
The anti-graft agency also revealed that the defendant was arrested after allegedly withdrawing N11,458,597.53 from the petitioner’s bank account without her approval.
It was also found that the defendant, who belongs to a fraud syndicate, stole the petitioner’s Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card and used it to hack into her bank account, diverting the funds.