The Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on June 21, 2022, secured the conviction of Illustrious Pharmacy and Store Limited before Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of Edo State High Court, Benin City.
The company was arraigned on a one count charge of issuance of dud cheque through one of its directors, Akin Gbenga Samuel.
The charge reads: “that you Illustrious Pharmacy and Store Ltd through one of your Directors, Mr. Akin Gbenga Samuel on or about 21st day of April, 2021 at No, 18 Upper Ekenwa Road, Ugbiholiho Quarters, Benin City, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did issue a First Bank cheque no: 0060401524 for the sum of N1,000,000(One million naira) to one Francis Ave Ent, for the goods given to you on credit and issued to the said Francis Ave Ent. a cheque to offset the financial obligation, upon presentation in the bank, it was returned unpaid for insufficient funds standing to the credit of the said Illustrious Pharmacy and Store Ltd and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(1)(b)(ii) of Dishonoured Cheques (Offences).Act Cap D11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004”.
The company pleaded guilty to the charge prompting counsel to the EFCC, I.K. Agwai, to ask the court to convict it.
Justice Ikponmwonba thereafter convicted and sentenced the company to a fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000).
In another development, the Benin Zonal Command on June 21, 2022 arraigned one Ajiboye Samson Imafidon on two counts of fraudulent conversion and stealing before Justice Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court.
Imafidon is alleged to have sometime in 2019 fraudulently converted to his personal use the aggregate sum of Seven Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira belonging to different individuals.
One the counts reads: “that you, Ajiboye Samson Imafidon sometime in 2019 in Benin, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did steal by converting to your personal use the sum of Four Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (N4, 700,000) being property of Ugwushiwu Chukwuka Jonas and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 of the Bendel State Criminal Code Law, 1976 (as applicable in Edo State) and punishable under Section 399 of the same Law.”
He pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the EFCC prompting the prosecution counsel, I.M Elodi, to pray the court for a trial date. However, counsel to the defendant, Mrs. B. E. Ambrose, asked the court to grant her client bail as the alleged offences are bailable.
Justice Ikponmwonba granted the defendant bail in the sum of One Million Naira and one surety in like sum.
The surety must be gainfully employed and be resident in Benin, Edo State.
The case was adjourned till August 1, 2022, for hearing.