Justice Abimbola Banjoko of the FCT High Court, Gudu, Abuja on Thursday, January 28, ordered that a fake EFCC official, Victor Osita Uwajeh be remanded in prison while fixing February 9 for the adoption of written submission and the hearing of the bail application in the case brought against him by anti- graft agency.

Uwajeh was arraigned on a four count charge of forgery and for parading himself as a staff of the EFCC with the intent to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, an offence contrary to section 363 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, and punishable under section 364 of the same Penal Code Act, PCA.

When the matter came up in court Thursday, Uwajeh pleaded not guilty to the four count charge. But soon after he took his plea, counsel to EFCC, Mike Bul, asked the court to fix a date for the hearing of the case as the Commission has enough evidence to prosecute the matter.

However, attempt by defence counsel, Chris Onwugeonu to move for bail was unsuccessful as Justice Banjoko said the bail application was not ripe as the prosecuting counsel was statutorily entitled to 48 hours to respond, having just been served the application in court. Indeed, EFCC counsel concurred, saying he needed 48 hours to study the motion and respond accordingly.

Justice Banjoko then adjourned the case to February 9 for the adoption of written addresses and hearing of the bail application while ordering that the accused be remanded in prison.

Uwajeh’s road to prison began when he was arrested at his Wuse II, Abuja residence on Wednesday January 13, 2010, following an intelligence report which indicated that he was parading himself as an official of EFCC.

A team of operatives was subsequently mandated to trail and arrest him after a discreet investigation confirmed the initial report. His arrest led to the recovery of incriminating items.

Some of the items recovered from the suspect’s house include a pack of complimentary cards with EFCC’s logo and address bearing the suspect’s name, fake EFCC letter-headed papers, a petition with EFCC acknowledgement stamp, five assorted vehicles including a hummer jeep, Honda jeep, Toyota Land cruiser Jeep and a Hilux jeep.

He was subsequently slammed with a four count charge which reads:

 “That you Victor Osita Uwajeh on or about the 28^th of October 2009 in the Abuja division of the high court of the federal capital territory made a false document caption “RE CERTIFIED TRUE COPIES OF DEED ATTACHED” dated 28^th October 2009 with intent to commit fraud and thereby committed an offence contrary to the PENAL CODE ACT CAP 532 LAWS OF THE FERATION OF NIGERIA (ABUJA) 1990 and punishable under section 364 of the penal code act

 “That you victor Osita Uwajeh on the or about the 28^th of October 2009 in the Abuja division of the high court of the federal capital territory fraudulently used as genuine a forge document captioned “RE: CERTIFIED TRUE COPIES OF DEEDS ATTACHED” dated 28^th October 2009 knowing same to be forged and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 366 of the PENAL CODE ACT CAP 532 LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA (ABUJA) 1990 and punishable under section 364 of the same penal code act.

 “That you victor Osita Uwajeh between the3rd of November 2008 and the 13^th of January 2010 in the Abuja judicial division of the high court of the federal capital territory made false complimentary cards of the economic and financial crimes commission with the intent to commit fraud and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 363 of the PENAL CODE ACT CAP 532 LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA (ABUJA) 1990 and punishable under section 364 of the same penal code act

 “That you victor Osita Uwajeh between 3^rd of November 2008 and 13^th of January 2010 in the Abuja judicial division of the high court of the federal capital territory fraudulently used as genuine forged complimentary cards of the economic and financial crimes commission knowing same to be forged and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 364 of the penal code act.''