Alleged N185m Fraud, Forgery: Businessman, Chief Joseph Umezugha Remanded At Ikoyi Correctional Centre

A Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, presided over by Justice Abimbola Awogboro, on Tuesday, ordered that a businessman, Chief Joseph Umezugha, be remanded at the Ikoyi Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS).

The judge arrived at the decision after Chief Joseph Umezugha was arraigned for allegedly being involved in forgery, giving false information to the police and obtaining a sum to the tune of N185 million by false pretence.

In specific terms, Justice Awogboro ordered that Chief Joseph Umezugha be remanded at the NCoS until Friday, November 15, 2023, when his bail application would be heard.

While arraigning the suspect, a private prosecutor, Mr Ibunkunoluwa Olu-Jacobs, who has the fiat of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to prosecute Chief Joseph Umezugha, insisted that the businessman committed the offence on November 24, 2021, and fraudulently obtained the sum of N185 million from some individuals.

The prosecutor further contended that Chief Joseph Umezugha defamed some fraud victims and also gave false information to the police about them, adding that the offence contravened Sections 125(a); 375 and 467 of the Criminal Code Act, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, and Section 1(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act. 

But Chief Joseph Umezugha pleaded not guilty to the charge, making the prosecutor pray to the court for a trial date.

Olu-Jacobs urged the court to remand the defendant until the determination of the charge.

However, the lawyer to the defendant, Professor D. O. Okafor, informed Justice Awogboro that his client had filed a bail application and that the same had been served on the prosecutor.

The defence lawyer prayed to the judge to admit the businessman to bail in the most liberal terms. 

In responding, Olu-Jacobs, who revealed that he was only served in the courtroom, added that he needed time to file his counter to the application.

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