Police Arraign Man, 72, Over Alleged N72m Fraud, Issuance Of Dud Cheques

By Aisha Balogun

A 72-year-old businessman, Sonny Allison, has been arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa sitting in Federal High Court, Lagos, for an alleged N72 million fraud and issuance of dud cheques.

The businessman 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 company fraudlently obtained the sum of N72 million, from a company, Sthenic Capital Management Limited, by false pretence of using the money to execute of a contract project, which he had gotten an approved Local Purchase Order (L.P.O) for.

The police accused the businessman of converting the said sum to his personal use, instead of using it for the purpose he obtained it for.

The prosecutor told the court that the defendant committed the offences in May, 2021.

The police lawyer further told the court that the defendant, 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.

He told the court 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,

He also told the court 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.

Following 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. Ndubuisi O, however pleaded with the court to remand his client to be remanded at the police custody till while his bail application will be filed and determination, on age and health ground.

The prosecutor, however told the court that the only condition he will concede to the application, is if the defendant lawyer can responsible for his client’s needs. The condition which the lawyer agreed to.

Consequently, Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered the remand of the defendant in PSFU custody, till June 21, when the bail application would be entertained.