The suspects
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Enugu Zone, has arraigned two bankers, Ekpe Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, both staff of a new generation bank, for alleged currency racketeering.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Enugu, for allegedly selling newly-minted naira notes amounting to N500, 000. 00.
They were arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on currency racketeering.
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”.
While the first defendant, Okoronkwo, pleaded guilty to the charge, the second defendant, Onyinye, pleaded not guilty.
In view of their pleas, EFCC counsel and Chief Superintendent of 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.
The duo were subsequently remanded at the Enugu Correctional Service facility.
Justice Umar thereafter adjourned the matter to January 15, 2025 for hearing of bail application for Onyinye and for the conviction and sentencing of Okoronkwo.
