The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a man Simon Udeani, and his wife, Dorcas before Justice M.G. Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu.

According to a statement posted on the official X handle of the EFCC on Tuesday, they were arraigned on three-count bordering on obtaining the sum of N2,750,000 by false pretences in an alleged land fraud.

One of the charges against the Udeanis read, “That you Udeani Simon Sunday and Udeani Dorcas Amaka, between July 10, 2019 and December 19, 2019 in Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, induced one Onugu Angela Chinyere to deliver to you the sum of N2.7m under the pretence that you would sell to her a plot of land behind Ebenezer Anglican Church, Ala-Uguaji along Enugu/Port Harcourt Road, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the same act.”

The statement added that the couple pleaded not guilty to the charges, following which the prosecuting counsel, Nurudeen Ingawa, prayed the court for a trial date, while the defence counsel, E.C. Nwauba Esq made an application for their bail.

Justice Umar granted them bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum, and the case was adjourned till February 6, 2024.

The statement added that in a separate case, one Johnson Aniekwe was arraigned before Justice Cyprian Ajah of the Enugu State High Court on three-count charges bordering on obtaining N9,170,000 by false pretence, forgery and impersonation.

Aniekwe pleaded not guilty to the charges, upon which prosecuting counsel, Nurudeen Ingawa asked the court for a trial date, while the defence counsel A.G. Anyigo prayed the court to grant the defendant bail.