A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo and presided over by Justice Chigozie M. Onah has fixed November 1, 2024, for a bail hearing and trial in a matter involving a woman, Josephine Anietie Philip allegedly involved in land racketeering alongside a native doctor, Effiong Okon who allegedly facilitated her criminal activities and benefited financially from it.
The defendants, Philip and Okon were arraigned on Friday, September 27, 2024, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, on a six-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N24, 300, 000.00 (Twenty-Four Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira only).
One of the charges against them reads; “That you Josephine Anietie Philip sometime in February 2024 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently obtain the sum of N16, 300, 000 [Sixteen Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only] from one Ndifreke Godwin Friday under the false pretence of selling a piece of land and situate at No.3 Owok Ekong Lane, Mbiabong Anyanya, Etoi, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section i(3) of the same Act”.
Another count reads; “That you, Ime Effiong between February 2024 and April 2024 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court used the aggregate sum of N6, 501, 000 [Six Million, Five Hundred and One Thousand Naira Only] through Account No.3141617618 domiciled in First Bank and operated by Eno Ime Effiong which money you reasonably ought to know formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit; Obtaining by False Pretense and thereby Committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition Act) 2022 and punishable under section 18(3) of the Same Act”.
While taking their pleas, the duo pleaded not guilty to the six-count charges, and given their pleas, the prosecution counsel Joshua Abolarin prayed the court to remand the accused persons at the Nigerian Correctional Centre and fix a date for trial to enable the prosecution present witnesses and prove its case against the accused persons. But the defence lawyer C. I. Odo quickly made an oral bail application.
After listening to both counsels, Justice Onah upheld the position of the prosecution and ordered that the accused persons be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Uyo. The defence counsel was instructed by the court to make a formal bail application for a hearing on November 1, 2024.
The accused persons were prosecuted by the Commission for allegedly collecting the sums of N16,300,000.00 (Sixteen Million, Three Hundred thousand Naira) and N8,000,000.00 (Eight Million Naira) from two different buyers for the same piece of land measuring approximately 932 square meters located at No.3 Owak Ekong Lane, Mbiabong Anyanya, Etoi Uyo Akwa Ibom State. None of the victims were, however, allowed to take possession of the land.
