The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on December 11, 2019, arraigned Okoye Kenneth Chinedu before Justice I. B Gafai of the Federal High Court, Awka, Anambra State on a five count charge of forgery, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretense to the tune of N66,250,500.00 (Sixty Six Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Five Hundred Naira).
Okoye pleaded not guilty to charges preferred against him.
The defendant, posing as a land agent, allegedly conspired with his accomplices to defraud the complainant the sum of N66, 250, 500.00 on the pretext of purchasing several plots of land situated as follows: Four plots of land at Commissioners Quarters, Awka at the cost of N14,000,000.00, and another twenty five plots of land at Agu-Awka Industrial Layout at the cost N55,000,000.00 .
Investigation by the EFCC revealed that the land in question belong to a serving judge in one of the State High Courts and a former senator respectively. It was also discovered that Okoye, had forged some documents, broke security keys at the entrance to the said land and removed all the beacons in a bid to convince his victims that he was the bonafide owner of the said plots of land.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Onome Marshal Umukoro asked for a trial date while the defense counsel,Henry Onugwu moved a motion for the bail of his client.
The court granted Okoye bail with two sureties who must be civil servants within the jurisdiction not below grade level 13. The sureties must be verified by the EFCC. Justice Gafai ordered Okoye to be remanded in the Correctional Centre, pending the perfection of his bail conditions while the matter was adjourned to 14 January, 2020 for trial.