Justice Babs Kuewumi of a Lagos Federal High Court, on Monday, ordered the remand of a General Overseer of a Pentecostal Church, Pastor Chris Anyalebechi, over alleged fraud of N58 million.
The accused who is General Overseer of Christ Glory International Gospel Center, located at 16, Lambo Lasunwon, opposite Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Lagos, was arraigned before Justice Kuewumi led-court by the Special Fraud Unit of Nigeria Police (SFU), on a two counts charge of conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence.
The police in a charge marked FHC/L/367C/2016, alleged that the accused person, had sometimes between April 2014 and March 2015, while conspired with some other persons now at large, obtained the said sum from one Nestor Nwankwo of Zicozeen Nigeria Limited, under false pretence of buying used ship, and sell same in parts or scraps on behalf of the company.
The offecnces according to the police are contrary to sections 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences, Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(1)(a)(3) of the same Act.
The accused however pleaded not guilty to the charge. And he did not have any lawyer to represent him.
Upon his plea, the prosecutor, a Chief Superintendent of Police, Asuquo Effiong, urged the court to remand the accused person in Prison's custody, pending trial.
Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, ordered that the General Overseer be remanded in Prison's custody, while adjourned the matter till October 17, for trial.
Count two of the charge against the General Overseer reads: "that you, Pastor Chris Anyalebechi, General Overseer, Christ Glory International Gospel Center, Ikorodu, Lagos, sometimes between April 2014 and March 2015, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N85 million from a company known as Nestor Nwankwo of Zicozeen Nigeria Limited, by representing to the company that you will purchase for the company a used ship or vessel and sell same in parts or scraps on behalf of the company, a representation you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1(1)(a)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences, Act, 2006.