The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Paulinus Ani at the Federal High Court, Enugu, on charges of obtaining by false pretence involving the sum of N8,130,000.
The case, presided over by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, revolves around Ani’s alleged fraudulent land sale scheme between October 2015 and June 2018.
According to the charge, Ani induced Severus Ifeanyi Odoziobodo to pay N8,130,000 under the false promise of selling him seven plots of land.
This action allegedly violates Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, which is punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act. Ani pleaded not guilty.
The EFCC’s counsel, Nasir Umar, requested Ani’s remand, citing the need to curb the rising incidence of land scams in Enugu. O. S. Imaji, Ani’s defence counsel, applied for bail, arguing that the defendant had reliable sureties.
Justice Umar granted Ani bail under strict conditions, including N10 million and two sureties residing in Enugu, each with the same bail sum.
The case originated from a 2021 petition by Odoziobodo, who alleged that Ani, claiming to be a staff member of the Ministry of Land and Urban Development, sold him plots of land already allocated to others. Odoziobodo’s efforts to recover his money led to the involvement of the EFCC.
CREDIT: Allneeds, PUNCH
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