An oil and gas tycoon, Emmanuel Morah, has been arraigned before an Ikoyi Federal High Court. His arraignment is coming a few months after being granted a pardon by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The oil and gas Merchant was taken before the court, presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko, for another charge that touches on alleged fraud and issuance of dud cheques, by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi.
Morah, whose companies are: Rocky Nigeria Limited; Rocky Oil Limited and Rocky Energy Limited, was among the convicts recently granted amnesty by the Federal Government (FG) on health grounds, but is yet to be released from the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS).
The oil mogul was earlier convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment by the High Court of Lagos State sitting in Ikeja, presided over by Justice Lateefah Okunnu on January 26, 2018, on fuel subsidy fraud, amounting to N789. 6m million.
He had appealed his conviction and sentencing which was thrown out on October 26, 2018, by Justice Shagbaore Ikyegh, who led a panel of three justices of the Court of Appeal sitting in Igbosere, Lagos.
However, he was granted amnesty by President Buhari in 2022, on health grounds.
At the point of him being arraigned at the Ikoyi Federal High Court on charges of obtaining the sum of N24 million from one Alhaji Kayode Kasumu, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Beauty & Fragrance International Limited, under a false representation that he will use the money to complete property at No. 10 Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, within two months, the defendant was alleged to have issued a cheque dated October 2, 2016, with a monetary value of N10 million, with the account name, Rocky Energy Limited, in favour of Beauty and Fragrance International Limited, which upon presentation for payment was rejected and dishonoured on grounds of insufficient funds in the account.
The alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (1)(a), (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, Section 1(1) (b), (2), and Section 2 of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, CAP D11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, according to the prosecutor, Justine Enang,
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges, which made the prosecutor ask the court for a trial date. Enang also prayed the court to remand Morah in the custody of NCoS.
After entertaining arguments from parties, Justice Aluko admitted bail to the defendant in the sum of N10 million, with one surety in like sum.
Justice Aluko ordered that the surety must be a resident and a property owner within the court’s jurisdiction, who must be sworn to an affidavit of means.
The court added that both the defendant and the surety must deposit their two recent passport photographs with the court and that the prosecutor must be part of the verification team. The judge also said the surety must be recognized by a cleric.
Justice Aluko directed that Morah be remanded in prison custody until the perfection of the bail terms.
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