Yemisi Izuora
The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Thursday, December 12, 2024 arraigned the duo of Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, staff of one of the new generation banks, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State for allegedly selling newly-minted N500, 000. 00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira).
They were arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on currency racketeering to the tune of N500, 000. 00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira).
The lone count charge reads: “That you, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, sometime in October 2024 at Enugu, Enugu state, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did sell a total sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000. 00) mints in Two Hundred Naira Notes (N200) denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria to one Husseini Ibrahim and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same Act”.
The first defendant (Okoronkwo) pleaded guilty to the charge while Onyinye pleaded not guilty.
In view of their pleas, , counsel to the EFCC and Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Rotimi Ajobiewe, prayed the Court for a short date to review the facts of the case, regarding the first defendant. “In respect of the second defendant, we pray for a date for trial to enable the prosecution to prove its case”.
However, counsel to the second defendant, C. N. Agama prayed the Court to remand Onyinye at the EFCC custody, pending the hearing of bail application.
Justice Umar thereafter adjourned the matter to January 15, 2025 for hearing of bail application for Onyinye and for conviction and sentencing of Okoronkwo. They were remanded at the Enugu State Correctional facility.
The defendants were arrested on November 15, 2024 at their workplace located at 18 Okpara Avenue, Enugu State, following actionable intelligence linking them to the sale of Naira mints in Enugu State metropolis.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the defendants allegedly sold a total sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000. 00) mints in Two Hundred Naira Notes (N200) denominations, to one Husseini Ibrahim.