The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, July 6, 2017 arraigned one Jonathan Isikwei before Justice M. B. Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a 15-count charge bordering on possession of counterfeit currencies to the tune of CAD $17,500 (Seventeen Thousand Five Hundred Canadian Dollars) and USD $14,300 (Fourteen Thousand, Three Hundred American Dollars).
The defendant, Isikwei, was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on September 18, 2015 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for unlawful possession of 448 pieces of traveler cheques, while he was aboard a Lufthansa airline to Brussels, Belgium.
He was subsequently handed over to the EFCC for investigation and prosecution.
One of the counts reads:
“That you, Jonathan Odu Isikwei on or about the 18th day of September, 2015 at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court had, in your possession, negotiable instrument of Postbank Frankfurt with registration number 29734, knowing it to be counterfeit and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 5 (1) (b) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, Cap C35, Vol.4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
Another count reads:
“That you, Jonathan Odu Isikwei, on or about the 18th day of September, 2015 at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court had, in your possession, negotiable instrument of Gunnebo Canada Inc., with registration number 152501 and value of CAD $3, 500 (Three Thousand, Five Hundred Canadian Dollars), knowing it to be counterfeit and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 5 (1) (b) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, Cap C35, Vol. 4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, George G. Chia-Yakua, asked the court for a date to commence trial.
In response, Isikwei’s counsel, Oludare Falana, while moving a motion dated June 28, 2017, urged the court to admit his client to bail.
Falana also prayed the court to remand his client in the EFCC custody pending the ruling on the application.
The prosecuting counsel, in a counter- affidavit dated July 4, 2017 opposed the application and urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody.
Justice Idris adjourned to July 7, 2017 for ruling on the bail application and ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody. - EFCC
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