Edo: Court orders imprisonment of businessman for alleged N10m fraud

A businessman named James Bodisowei has been brought before Justice C. A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Benin Zonal command of the Commission has charged Bodisowei with four counts for allegedly deceiving Amah Mathias and obtaining the sum of N10,000,000 under false pretenses. It is claimed that Bodisowei defrauded the victim by pretending to supply him with 1,000,000 liters of automated gas oil (AGO).

One of the counts states that Bodisowei obtained the sum of N5,000,000 from Amah Nchekwube Mathias through his bank account in Sterling Bank, falsely claiming that it was part-payment for the purchase and/or supply of 500,000 liters of Automated Gas Oil (AGO).

Bodisowei pleaded not guilty to the charge, and the prosecution counsel requested a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in the Correctional Service facilities.

The defense counsel has filed a bail application for the defendant, and the court has adjourned to May 2, 2024, for the commencement of the trial, with the defendant to be remanded until the hearing of the bail application on February 20th.