Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has ordered the remand of Chinwe Onuoha and Elhcrim Nigeria Limited at a correctional facility over allegations of forgery and fraud.
The Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU) arraigned the defendants before the court on a twelve-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and uttering false documents to defraud the Bank of Industry.
According to the SFU’s charges, the defendants, along with others now at large, allegedly conspired in 2020 to forge a lease agreement dated February 12, 2018.
The forged document was purportedly submitted to the Bank of Industry as part of a scheme to fraudulently secure a loan to the detriment of Ngozi Braide.
The first count accuses the defendants of conspiracy to commit forgery by creating a false lease agreement, contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap. C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The second count alleges conspiracy to utter a false document, stating that the forged lease agreement was knowingly used and submitted to the Bank of Industry as authentic, also in violation of Section 516 of the Criminal Code.
The third and fourth counts focus on forgery of signatures, accusing Onuoha and Elhcrim Nigeria Limited of falsifying the signatures of Ngozi Braide and Titilayo Opeyemi on the lease agreement.
These actions were allegedly carried out with full knowledge that the signatures were fake, intending to use the document as genuine before the bank.
The court was informed that the forged documents posed significant risks to the financial institution and the individuals whose signatures were fraudulently used.
During the arraignment, Chinwe Onuoha pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Representing the police, the SFU’s head of legal, Emmanuel Jackson, requested the court to proceed to trial and sought the defendant’s remand at a correctional facility pending the case’s conclusion.
However, defense counsel Ikechukwu Chiha urged the court to hear the defendant’s bail application, citing the need for adequate preparation for her defense.
After hearing both parties, Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to February 25 for the bail application hearing.