The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the former presidential candidate of Hope Democratic Party, Chief Ambrose Owuru, before a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for allegedly defrauding one Ikechukwu Eze of N60 million. The accused person was docked in Suit No: FHC/PH/151c/2013, on five-count charges bordering on fraud, alteration and forgery of land documents with intent to defraud his client. Chief Owuru, who was arraiagned on Friday, was alleged to have defrauded Eze of the said amount on the pretext that he had sold four plots of land located at Plot 44A, Amadi Layout, Port Harcourt, to him. He was also alleged to have altered a forged Certificate of Occupancy dated March 20, 1990, and Survey Plan also dated December 19, 1989, purportedly approved by the Rivers State Ministry of Land and Survey. When the matter came up in court, the accused person pleaded not guilty to the five-count charges, offences punishable under Section 1 (1) (a) and 1 (3) the Advance Free Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The trial judge, Justice Suleiman Aliu, rejected the oral bail application filed by counsel to the accused person and directed that a formal bail application be made. Justice Aliu also ordered that the accused should be remanded in EFCC custody and adjourned till August 13, for hearing on bail application. Counsel to the EFCC Richard Ewor, while addressing newsmen shortly after the sitting, said that the accused was arraigned by EFCC over charges of fraud, alteration, forgery of land documents. Also, counsel to Chief Owuru, Geofery Joseph, said he made oral application because the EFCC ambushed his client on Wednesday at the State Judiciary premises, after a court sitting. He said further that he was not given the chance to take the necessary legal action before his (Owuru) arraignment 24 hours later.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Aug 2013 22:08:20 +0000
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