The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Port Harcourt zonal command, has charged one Joel Mba Okodi before the Imo State High Court in Owerri.
Okodi appeared before Justice C.C. Okereke on an eight-count accusation of stealing and issuing a forged cheque.
The EFCC announced this in a statement posted on its X account on Thursday, January 18.
Count 8 of the charge reads: “That you Joel MBA Okodi on or about the 12th of September, 2019 at Orlu within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently issued a First Bank Cheque No. 85621949 dated the 12th of September, 2019 in the sum of Ten Million Naira, N10, 000.00 in favour of Pauly Merchandise Enterprises in partial fulfillment of your financial obligation to him in the sum of Fifty Million Naira, N50, 000, 000.00 only, and when the said cheque was presented for payment, it was dishonoured due to insufficient funds standing to your credit. Issuing dishonored cheques is contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and (b) (i) and (ii) of the Dishonoured Cheque (Offences) Act Cap D11 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation) 2007.”
When the accusations were read to the defendant, he pled ‘not guilty’, and in light of his plea, prosecuting counsel M.T. Iko requested a trial date, which was not challenged by defence counsel N.N. Chukwuemeka. He did, however, ask the court to grant the offender bail.
Justice Okereke granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50,000,000, Fifty Million Naira, and two sureties in like sum. The two sureties must swear to an affidavit of means of livelihood and must own a landed property with a Certificate of Occupancy, C of O.
In addition, Okereke requested that the defendant provide a three-year tax clearance for identification.
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The case was then postponed until February 29 and March 7, 2024, so that the trial could begin and the bail application could be heard.
He ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending the fulfilment of his bail condition.
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