Amen of Force Criminal Investigation Department ForceCID Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos, today, arraigned an alleged fugitive businessman, Ogochukwu Vincent Ofodume, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, on charges bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, N342, 997.00 million and unlawful funds conversion.
The defendant alongside his firms, Big V.I.P. Excallance Limited; V.I.P. Impress Hollywood Limited and V.I.P. Apartments Limited, were arraigned before Justice Alexander Owoeye led-court, on the alleged offences, by Barrister Morufu Animashaun, a legal officer at the legal/Prosecution Section of ForceCID, Alagbon, Lagos.
Arraigning the defendant and his firms, Animashaun told the court that the defendant and his firms committed the offences sometimes in 2023.
Specifically, the prosecutor told the court that defendant fraudulently obtained 1228 bales of wax clothes valued N202,620 million belonging to a Chinese businessman, Zhu Yan Qin, through one Igwe Ejiofor kelvin.
The defendant and his firms were also accused of obtaining the sum of N45.2 million from the Chinese businessman, with the false pretence of using the money to buy a container load of timbers from the Republic of Guinea for onward shipment to China.
He was further accused of using all the monies fraudulently obtained from the Chinese businessman to construct his VIP Apartment.
The prosecutor, Barrister Animashaun told the court that the defendant alleged illegal acts, are contrary to sections 8 (a) and 1(1) (a); of the Advance Fee Frauds and Other Frauds Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of same Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended).
The prosecutor also told the court that th offences contravened sections 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap.C38, Laws of Federation 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
The defendant however denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all the count charge.
Following the defendant’s plea of not guilty, Barrister Animashaun asked for a trial date, while also urged the court to remand the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending trial.
Counsel to the defendant, Felicia Nosike, orally applied for the his bail. But the court ordered her to formally file the application.
Based on the court’s pronouncement, the lawyer asked the court for a short date to enable her filed her client’s bail application.
Justice Owoeye after listening to the parties submissions, adjourned the matter to March 28, for trial. While also ordered that the defendant be remanded pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
Prior to the defendant’s arraigned today, he formerly filed N100 million fundamental rights enforcement suit marked FHC/L/CS/2639/23 against the Inspector General of Police, some of Interpol Officers and the fraud victim, the Chinese businessman, Zhu Yan Qin.
However, the suit was dismissed by Justice Friday Ogazi, sometimes November 2024, for lacking in merit with punitive cost.
Some of the charges against the defendant read’ “That you OGOCHUKWU VINCENT OFODUME (M) sometimes in year 2023 within the Jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, Lagos conspired to commit an Offence to wit: Obtaining Money by False Pretence and thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Frauds and Other Frauds Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of same Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended).
“That you Ogochukwu Vincent Ofodume (M); BiG V.I.P. Excallance Ltd; V.I.P. Impress Hollywood Ltd and 4. V.I.P. Apartments Ltd sometimes in year 2023 within the Jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, Lagos with intent to defraud obtained the delivery of One Thousand ,Two Hundred and Twenty Eight (1228) bales of wax clothes through one Igwe Ejiofor Kelvin valued Two Hundred and Two Million, Six Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira (N202,620,000), property of one ZHU YAN QIN and thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Frauds and Other Frauds Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of same Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended).
“That you Ogochukwu Vincent Ofodume (M); BIG V.I.P. Excallance Ltd; V.I.P. Impress Hollywood Ltd and V.I.P. Apartments Ltd sometimes in the month of July, 2023 within the Jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, Lagos with intent to defraud fraudulently obtained the sum of Fourty Five Million Naira, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N45,200,000) from one ZHU YAN QIN under the pretence of purchasing containers’ loads of timbers from Republic of Guinea for shipment to China and thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Frauds and Other Frauds Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of same Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 (as amended).
“That you Ogochukwu Vincent Ofodume (M); BIG V.I.P. Excallance Ltd; V.I.P. Impress Hollywood Ltd and V.I.P. Apartments Ltd sometimes in the month of July, 2023 within the Jurisdiction of the Honourable Court Lagos dishonestly took collected the sum of Forty Five Million Naira, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N45, 200,000) from one Chen Jin Tao for the purchase containers loads of timbers from Republic of Guinea for shipment to China and with intent to permanently deprive one ZHU YAN QIN converted the sum to your own use in construction of VIP apartments and thereby committed an Offence to and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap.C38, Laws of Federation 2004.”
