Florence Onojame, the Chief Executive Officer of Emee Oil and Gas Nig. Ltd, has found herself in a legal quagmire, facing allegations of defrauding Access Bank to the tune of N4.4 billion.
The charges were brought against her and her company by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They stand accused of three counts: conspiracy, theft, and receiving fraudulently-obtained property.
In a court appearance at the Ikeja Special Offences Court on a Thursday, the defendant, Florence Onojame, firmly asserted her innocence, pleading not guilty to all charges.
Subsequently, EFCC’s counsel, Fatai Mohammed, made a formal request to the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendant.
Mohammed told the court the defendant committed the offences with four others at large, sometime in February 2022 in Lagos.
The counsel said that the defendant stole N4.4 billon which she fraudulently transferred via Primus Plus, an electronic banking platform of Access Bank, using her company’s login details.
He added that the defendant further transferred the sum into several accounts domiciled with the bank.
The prosecution counsel further submitted that the defendant retained the control of N100 million in her Access Bank account with the name of her company and transferred the sum from Total Energy Nig. Ltd. account, knowing same to be proceeds of criminal activities.
Defence counsel Williams Onate, however, informed the court that a bail application for his client had been filed before the court and served on prosecution.
“We will be praying for a short adjournment for hearing of the bail application and that the defendant be ordered to remain in the custody of the EFCC,” Onate said.
According to EFCC, the alleged offences contravene Sections 278, 326 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Justice Mojisola Dada ordered that the defendant should be kept at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, pending hearing of her bail application.
Dada adjourned the case until October 10 for hearing of the bail application.
