GMC Logistics MD docked over alleged N72m fraud, issuance of dud cheques
By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
A 72-year-old businessman and Managing director of Global Mercantile & Corporate Logistics, Sonny Allison, was on Thursday arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for alleged N72 million fraud and issuance of dud cheques.
The businessman/company boss was arraigned alongside his company, Global Mercantile & Corporate Logistics Limited (GMC), by the officers of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos, before the court presided over by Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa.
The prosecutor, Mr. Elliott O. Ejie, who stood in for Justine Enang, told the court that the defendant with his company fraudulently obtained the sum of N72 million, from one company, Sthenic Capital Management Limited, by false pretence of using the money to execute a contract project, which he claimed had gotten an approved Local Purchase Order (L.P.O).
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The police accused the defendant of converting the said sum to his personal use, instead of using it for the purpose which he obtained it for.
The prosecutor told the court that the defendant committed the offences in May, 2021.
According to the charge, the defendant was alleged to have on February 17, 2022 issued two Sterling Bank Plc’s Cheques numbered 00104770 and 00104772, valued N10 million and N820, 819, 10, 00 respectively, and when the cheques were presented for withdrawal, they were rejected and returned for lack of adequate funds.
It was further stated in the charge that the offences committed by the defendant and his company, contravened Sections 8(a) and 1(i)(a) punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006,
Furthermore, the prosecution submitted that the offences are contrary to Section 15(2){b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act, 2011) (as amended) in 2012. And Section 1(a)(i) of the Dishonoured Cheques Act, Cap 011, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him and his company.
In view of his ‘not guilty’ plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, while also urged the court to remand the defendant in the correctional center of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), till the determination of the charges against them.
Counsel to the defendant, Mr. O. Ndubuisi pleaded with the court to remand his client at the police custody till when his bail application will be filed and determined, citing the age and health of the defendant as his grounds.
But the prosecutor, submitted that the only condition he will concede to the application, is if the defendant’s counsel can be responsible for his client’s needs. The counsel agreed to the condition given by the prosecutor.
Consequently, Justice Allagoa ordered the remand of the defendant in PSFU custody, till June 21, when the bail application would be entertained.