ICPC arraigns two suspects for alleged fraud and obtaining by false pretence

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Mrs. Patricia Eni Hassan and Mr. Zachaeus B. Gana, before Justice Muawiyah Baba Idris of High Court 36 sitting in Nyanya, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja for alleged fraud and obtaining by false pretence.

The two accused were arraigned before the court on a six-count charge which bordered on fraud, dishonesty, falsification of documents and corruption.

Part of the charges as read in the court stated that sometime between 2014 – 2016 both accused conspired to obtain by false pretence the sum of ten million naira from the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Wealthy Place Parish, Gwarimpa, Abuja to secure land for the church which they failed to do, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1 (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Offences Act of 2006.

They were also alleged to have forged an offer of “Statutory Right of Occupancy” purportedly issued by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The defendants both pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and thereafter their Counsel, Nureni Sulyman who represented the first defendant (Patricia Eni Hassan) and C.C Eze for the second defendant (Zachaeus Gana) made an oral application for bail, which was not opposed by the Prosecution Counsel, Agbili E. Kingsley.

The defendants were granted bail to the sum of five million naira. In addition, they must each produce a surety who shall enter a bail bond of Five million naira with evidence of their ownership of landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

Justice Idris then set the 22nd, 23rd and 29th of November 2021 for commencement of hearing.