The Makurdi zonal office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Benue State has arraigned a woman before the state’s High Court for issuing a dud cheque to her business partner.
Daily Trust reports that the accused, Anna Ogbole and her company, Henot Global Business Limited are now standing trial on a two – count charge for alleged issuance of dud cheque before Justice S. O. Itodo of the Benue State High Court, sitting in Makurdi.
The court heard that the EFCC in Makurdi received a petition from a complainant against Mrs. Ogbole alleging that he (complainant) entered into an agreement with the suspect to finance a contract she was awarded.
The complainant was also said to have alleged that he made a contribution to the sum of N3,200,000 towards the execution of the project and that the suspect issued him a cheque of the said amount which was returned unpaid.
According to the complainant, he had persuaded the suspect to honour their agreement personally and through several responsible persons but all his effort turned fruitless.
It was based on the fruitless effort that the complainant involved the EFCC which dragged the accused to court for issuing the document with the knowledge that she had insufficient funds in the account of Henot Global Business Limited but yet issued to one Adima Godwin Egbe, a First Bank Cheque No. 19659920 dated 19th November, 2018 for the sum of N3, 200, 000.
The EFCC argued that the said cheque when presented for payment within three months of issuance was dishonoured due to insufficient funds, stressing that the accused thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1) (b) of the Dishonoured Cheques (offences) Act Cap D11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 1 (1) (b) (i) and (ii) of the same Act.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to her.
Prosecution counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua, asked for a trial date and urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody.
But the accused’s counsel, E. C. A. Hundu, told the court that he has a bail application before the court and urged the court to grant his client bail.
Justice Itodo granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The case was adjourned to June 10 and 11 2019 for trial.
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