The Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 arraigned the duo of Okwuchukwu Charles and Saamuman Caleb Terungwa before Justice Moris Ikpambese of the Benue State High Court, Makurdi for alleged conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N5 million.
Count one of the charge reads, “That you Okwuchukwu Charles and you Saakuman Caleb Terungwa sometime in April, 2021, in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves and took the sum of N5, 523,000.00 (Five Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand Naira) only belonging to Cosmic Intelligence Labs Limited without its consent thereby committed an offence contrary to section 97 and punishable under section 288 of the Penal Code cap. 124(Revised Edition), Laws of Benue 2004″.
Count two reads,” That you Okwuchukwu Charles sometime in April, 2021, in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did dishonestly take the sum of N4, 523,000 (Four Million Five Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand Naira only) belonging to Cosmic Intelligence Labs Limited without its consent, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 287 and punishable under section 288 of the Penal Code cap. 124(Revised Edition), Laws of Benue 2004″
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, which prompted the prosecution counsel, George Chia-Yakua to ask the Court for a date for trial to commence. But counsel to the defendants, U. T. Urongo and Tom Uja, urged the court to admit their clients to bail on most liberal terms, noting that the defendants have been on EFCC’s administrative bail.
Justice Ikpambese admitted the defendants to bail in the sum N2,000,000.00 each with one surety in like sum.
The surety, the judge said, must show evidence of tax payment for three years, and must be on salary Grade Level 12 and above and be resident in Makurdi,
The case was adjourned till October 20, 2021 for trial to commence.