Mohammed Shosanya
A serving Deputy Director in the Enugu State Water Cooperation, Emeka Edoh, has been arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Enugu North Magisterial District over alleged false pretence with intent to defraud some residents of Enugu the sum of N150,000.
He was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Joseph Agu, Tuesday.
The charge sheet marked MEN/240/C/2024 was read out to the 56-year old defendant and level 15 civil servant, who, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Water Corporation’s Deputy Director one-count charge read: “That you Edoh Emeka ‘M’ on the 23rd day of April, 2024, at No 144 Banks Avenue, in Enugu North Magisterial District, did by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtain the total sum of one hundred and fifty ( N150, 000) thousand naira from Chinyere Ogbonna, Onyinye Ugwu and other members of the neighborhood with the pretence to rrectify their Enugu State Water Corporation bill, which you know to be false, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 386 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30 Vol 11, reversed Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria”
A bail application for the Defendant made by his counsel, Barr. E.E. Ezekwe, who argued that it was a bailable offence was opposed by a Senior Legal Officer from the Office of the Attorney-General of Enugu State, Barr. Onyinye Ugwu.
Ugwu argued that the offence for which Mr. Emeka Edoh was charged was a serious one.
After hearing the arguments of both parties, Magistrate Agu granted Mr. Edoh bail in the sum of N500,000. He is also to provide a surety, who must be a Staff of the Enugu Sate Water Corporation of Grade Level 14 or above.
