By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The absence of a 47-years-old Munzali Shehu from court on Monday February 12, stalled his scheduled arraignment before Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on charges bordering on alleged fraud of N62.4 million.
When the case was called on Monday for the arraignment of the defendant, his counsel, Mr O.C Aigbangbe, informed the court that the defendant was sick and currently receiving treatment in Kano.
However, the defence counsel informed the court that he will endeavour to furnish the prosecution with the necessary documents evidencing the state of health of the defendant, before the next date.
Based on the information given by the defence counsel Aigbangbe, Justice Akintayo Aluko then ordered the prosecution to investigate the alleged ill health of the defendant.
The defendant, Munzali Shehu is charged by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on four-counts charge bordering on conspiracy, fraudulent conversion, obtaining money under false pretences, and stealing to the tune of N62.4 million.
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Responding to the information given to the court by the defence counsel, the prosecutor, Mr M.A Omo-Osagie, frowned at the situation and informed the court that the defence counsel ought to have made available the evidence of such ill health of the defendant.
But the defence counsel reiterated his pledge to make the document available before the next adjourned date .
The court, consequently, adjourned the case until March 26, for arraignment of the defendant, but ordered the prosecutor to investigate the issue of ill health of the defendant.
The court held that such investigation will enable the court make the necessary orders.
“The learned counsel for the defendant, shall cooperate with the prosecutor to investigate on the state of health of the defendant, and report back to the court at the next date, in order to enable the court to make the appropriate order” the judge said.
In the charge, the defendant, was alleged to have committed the offence on September 9, 2023, at the Agege area of Lagos.
He was alleged to have conspired with one Musa Jamilu who is now at large, to fraudulently obtain the sum of N62.4 million from one Alhaji Isoaka Hassan
The sum is said to be the equivalent of 480,000 Chinese Yuan otherwise known as RMB, which was paid into a Chinese account with name Lyan Ghshan Honghu Automobile Trading Company Ltd.
The defendant was alleged to have converted the said foreign currency which was put in his care, through the chinese account he provided for the electronic transfer, and which was meant for onward remittance to the owner.
The defendant Munzali Shehu and his alleged accomplice were said to have presented themselves as money dealers, who specialised in the transfer and exchange of foreign currencies, knowing same to be false .
The offences contravene the provisions of Sections 1(3), and 11(3( of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act 2004, as well as the provisions of Sections 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap C33, Law of the Federation, 2004.
