The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two bank staff, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, for allegedly selling newly minted Naira notes worth N500,000.
The arraignment took place on Thursday, December 12, 2024, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State.
According to Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity, the duo was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on currency racketeering.
The charge reads: “That you, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, sometime in October 2024 at Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did sell a total sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) mints in Two Hundred Naira Notes (N200) denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria to one Husseini Ibrahim and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 21 of the same Act.”
Okoronkwo pleaded guilty to the charge, while Onyinye pleaded not guilty.
Counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Ajobiewe, prayed the court for a short date to review the facts of the case regarding Okoronkwo. For Onyinye, Ajobiewe requested a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case.
Counsel to Onyinye, C. N. Agama, prayed the court to remand his client at the EFCC custody pending the hearing of the bail application.
Justice Umar adjourned the matter to January 15, 2025, for the hearing of Onyinye’s bail application and the conviction and sentencing of Okoronkwo. The defendants were remanded at the Enugu State Correctional facility.
The EFCC arrested the defendants on November 15, 2024, at their workplace located at 18 Okpara Avenue, Enugu State, following actionable intelligence linking them to the sale of Naira mints in Enugu State metropolis.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the defendants allegedly sold a total sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) mints in Two Hundred Naira Notes (N200) denominations to one Husseini Ibrahim.
