A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday arraigned Uche Anderson Chiekea, an Agent Network Manager with Nomba Financial Services Limited, and his associate Joy Oluchi Ani over an alleged $50,487 cross-border fraud and money laundering scheme involving Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The defendants were brought before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos.
They are answering questions to a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful funds diversion, altering financial terms, and money laundering.
According to prosecuting counsel, Clifton Onovo, who stood in for Barrister Stanley Afoaku, the alleged offences occurred between February and May 2025.
The prosecution claimed Chiekea and Ani conspired with others still at large to move illicit funds across borders in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The court heard that the defendants allegedly converted and transferred $50,487, knowing the funds were proceeds of illegal activities, and structured the transactions to conceal their origin and evade detection.
The Prosecution further alleged that Chiekea abused his position at Nomba Financial Services to misappropriate company funds entrusted to him.
He was specifically accused of diverting $50,487 for personal use and manipulating service fees and interest charges on agents and customers without company or banking partner authorisation.
The increased charges were allegedly presented as legitimate.
The offences are said to contravene sections 21 and 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022; Section 390(9) and 421 of the Criminal Code Act; Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006; and Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty. Their counsel, E. J. Kachichukwu, moved a bail application which the prosecution did not oppose.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa granted each defendant bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum. The judge ruled that the surety must be a landed property owner within the court’s jurisdiction.
Pending the perfection of bail conditions, the defendants were remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services.
The case was adjourned to May 22 and 25, 2026, for trial.
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