WorldStage– The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday arraigned one Victor Azubike Awah, a lawyer, for an alleged N27m fraud before Justice O.A.OKunuga of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
Awah, alongside his company, Sparkan Ives Limited, is being prosecuted on a six-count charge bordering on stealing , obtaining money by false pretence, using false documents and issuance of dud cheque to the tune of N27m.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Victor Azubike Awah, sometime between October, 2024 and February, 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of 27,000.000.00 (Twenty Seven Million) from Mrs. Onwuekwe Chioma Genevieve under the false pretence that you have a plot of land advertised for sale, which pretence you knew or ought to have known to be false thereby committed an offence Obtaining Money by False Pretence contrary to Section 1(1) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.”
The defendant pleaded “not guilty “ to the charges when they were read to him.
In view of this, prosecution counsel,A. M. Dambuwa, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed for the remand of the defendant in a Correctional Centre.
The defendant represented himself during the proceedings.
Justice Okunuga adjourned the case till December 17 and 18, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application and the commencement of the trial.
The judge also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody.
In another case, the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Commission arraigned on Friday, October 24, 2025, one Martins Morakinyo for an alleged N13m theft before Justice R. A. Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
Morakinyo was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on stealing , obtaining property by false pretence and conspiracy to steal to the tune of N13m.
One of the counts reads: “ Martins Morakinyo (Trading under the name and style of Refined Edge Concept) and Tope Afolabi (at large) sometime in 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted the sum of N13,283,750.00 (Thirteen Million, Two Hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira) property belonging to Jawo Technologies and Innovative Solutions Limited.”
The defendant pleaded “not guilty “ to the charge when it was read to him.
In view of this, prosecution counsel, A. A. Usman, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed for the remand of the defendant in a Correctional Centre.
Counsel to the defendant, B.J. Fayemi, prayed the court for a date to move an application for bail on behalf of his client.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the case till November 7, 2025 for the hearing of the bail application and December 9 and 12, 2025 the commencement of the trial.
The Judge also ordered the defendant to be remanded at the Maximum Correctional Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos.
