By our Reporter
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, March 16, 2023, arraigned an Indian, one Chandra Prakash Singh, before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a seven-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of over Two Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($200,000).
One of the counts reads: “ That you, Chandra Prakash Singh, on or about the 16th December, 2020, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, removed from monies from an account number 3002518278 domiciled in UBA Nigeria to account number 0003 domiciled in Citibank N.A, New York United States of America, the sum of $90,000.00 (Ninety Thousand Dollars), which sum you reasonable ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activity, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.”
Another count reads: “ That you, Chandra Prakash Singh, on or the 2nd of December, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court removed monies from an account number 3002518278 domiciled in UBA Nigeria to account number 0003 domiciled in Citibank N.A, New York United States of America, the sum of $78,000 (Seventy-eight Thousand Dollars), which sum you reasonable ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activity, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 18 (3) of the same Act.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the offence.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, B.B. Bala, asked for the defendant’s remand and a date for trial.
However, counsel to the defendant, Efe Solomon Izokor, appealed to the court for an oral application for bail.
Bala objected to the submission made by the defence, insisting that “a written bail application be brought before the court” to enable her to respond accordingly.
Justice Oweibo remanded the defendant in the correctional facility and adjourned the matter till June 27, 2023 for the commencement of trial.