A Federal High Court Lagos, has ordered the remand of an unregistered Bureau de Change (BDC) operator, Christiana Charity Uche, over alleged crimes raging from conspiracy, forex scam, forgery, money laundering, obtaining by false pretence, stealing, giving false information, fraud of N83,650,000 million, cybercrime and unlicensed financial operations.
Justice Musa Kakaki, ordered that the defendant be remanded at the facility of Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS), after she pleaded not guilty to the eight counts charge made against her by the operatives of Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police, Onikan, Lagos, on Wednesday.
At the defendant’s arrraignment, the prosecution was represented by Barrister Omonyimenle Eliot Ijie, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), while the defendants were represented by the duo of , O. Okibe Robert K. Nwoke and the nominal Complainant was represented by Barrister Festus. O. Oladimeji.
Arraigning the defendant, the prosecutor who is also an Assistant Director/ Head, Directorate of Legal Services of Legal department of the Command, informed the court that she committed the offences alongside her company, Trapez Next Investments Limited and others now at large sometimes in 2024.
Barrister Ijie specifically told the court that the defendant, Christiana Charity Uche, and her company, Trapez Next Investments Limited, conspired in 2024 to defraud Pastor Moses Eduora Agu, through a foreign exchange transaction which upon investigation was fraudulent.
The prosecutor alleged that the accused persons collected a cumulative sum of N83.650 million from the complainant on September 19, 2024, under the pretext of converting the funds into $50,000 and transferring the amount to a printing machine supplier in Italy.
He also informed the court that the defendant falsely claimed that the money was paid into a Providus Bank account bearing the name Trapez Next Investments Limited, but upon investigation, the said transfer to the Italian supplier was never done and that the money was not refunded to the complainant.
The defendant was also alleged to had subsequently transferred or converted the money. While she was also accused of forged electronic transfer advice slips on September 23 and 24, 2024, purportedly showing that $50,000 had been transferred in favour of Camporese Macchine Grafiche S.P.A through Banca Monte Dei Paschi Di Siena in Italy. Investigators claimed the transfer documents were inauthentic and intended to deceive the complainant into believing the international transaction had been completed.
The defendant and her company were also alleged to have issued several dud cheques, which were returned/rejected due to insufficient funds, when they were presented at the bank.
The alleged offences according to the prosecutor contravened Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.; Section 18 (2)(b), Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.; Section 383 (1), Criminal Code, CAP. C38, LEN, 2004 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Same Law; Section 5 (1)(2)(b), Bank and other Financial Institutions Act, 2020 and punishable under Section 5(7)(S) of the same Act.; Sections 13, Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015; and Section 125A(1), Criminal Code, CAP. C.38, LFN, 2004.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when it was read to her.
Following her not guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to remand her pending trial, while also prayed the court for a trial date.
But her lawyer, O. Okibe leading with Robert K. Nwoke, prayed the court for a short date, to enable them bring their client bail application before the court.
In his ruling, Justice Kakaki ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Services NCoS facility pending when her bail application shall be heard and determined.
The judge thereafter adjourned the matter to October 12, 2026, for trial.
Parts of the charges against the defendant read: “that wou Christiana Charity Uche ‘F’, Trapez Next Investments Limited, sometime in 2024, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, did conspire with others at large, to commit felony, to wit: obtaining money from one Pastor Moses Eduora Agu under false, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a), Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
“That you Christiana Charity Uche ‘F’, Trapez Next Investments Limited, on 19th September, 2024, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain cumulative sum of eighty-three million, six hundred end fifty thousand naira (N83, 650, 000.00) from Pastor Moses Eduora Agu, via Providus Bank account number: 1305201716, Account Name: Trapez Next Investments Limited, under the pretence of exchanging the sum for fifty thousand United State dollars ($50,000) and forwarding seme to his printing machine supplier in Italy, a representation you knew to be false or reck.ess, as the dollars were neither forwarded to the supplier in Italy nor the money refunded to Pastor Moses Eduora Agu, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(C), Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
“That you Christiana Charity Uche ‘f’ Trapez Next Investments Limited, and others at large, sometimes in 2024, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with inter to defraud, did transfer/ convert the sum of Eighty-Nine million, six hundred and fifty thousand naira (N83, 650,000 00), fraudulently obtained from Pastor Moses Eduora Agu, which you knew of ought to have known, represents a proceed of an unlawful act, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(b), Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you Christiana Charity Uche ‘f’, TRAPEZ Next Investments Limited, sometime in 2024, at Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, did conduct “business of other financial institution” to wit’ Bureau de change and international money transfer services, Without being a holder of a valid license to such operate in Nigeria, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5 (1)(2)(b), Bank and other Financial Institutions Act, 2020 and punishable under Section 5(7)(S) of the same Act.
“That you Christiana Charity Uche ‘F’, on 21st July, 2025 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, did make a false statement to the Investigating Police Officer at Police Zone ‘2’ Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos that the Eighty-Nine million, six hundred and fifty thousand naira (N83,650,000 00) you fraudulently obtained from Pastor Moses Eduora Agu was transferred into bank account numbers supplied by Ikenna Udeh as: Apex Goldwell Trust Limited 6600019094 Fidelity Bank, and Amarachi Favour Nwachukwu 6505034081 Providus Bank, in tranches of N20,000,000 00, N20,000,000 00 and 43,300,000 00, which you knew to be false, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 125A(1), Criminal Code, CAP. C.38, LFN, 2004.”
