A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of freight agent, Basil Nwolisa, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) over an alleged N58.7 million fraud.
The court, presided over by Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala, made the order after the defendant pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, fraud, stealing, and money laundering.
Nwolisa was arraigned by the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Onikan, Lagos, on allegations that he defrauded a businessman, Chinedu Emmanuel Obi, in December 2024.
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Superintendent of Police Omonyimenle Eliot Ijie, the defendant allegedly obtained N54,955,000 from the complainant under the pretext of supplying two 40-foot containers purportedly purchased through a Customs auction.
The prosecutor told the court that the representation later turned out to be false, as the containers were neither supplied nor the money refunded.
The police further alleged that the defendant transferred and converted N3,805,000, part of the funds said to have been fraudulently obtained, between 2024 and 2025. He was also accused of stealing the same sum.
The offences, according to the charge, contravene provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006; the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022; and the Criminal Code Act.
Following his not guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant in the custody of the NCoS pending trial.
On his part, the counsel for the defence, Abdulmalik, requested a short adjournment to enable him to file a bail application for his client.
He also appealed to the court to allow the defendant to remain in police custody pending the hearing of the bail application.
However, Justice Kala declined the request, citing relevant legal authorities, and ordered that Nwolisa be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services.
The matter was adjourned to March 17 for the hearing of the defendant’s bail application.
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