Hon. Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, ordered the remand of an agent network manager with Nomba Financial Services Limited, Uche Anderson Chiekea, and his associate, Joy Oluchi Ani, in a correctional facility over an alleged $50,487 fraud.
The defendants were arraigned by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID), Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, over an alleged cross-border fraud and money laundering scheme between Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
They face a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful diversion of funds, alteration of approved financial terms, and money laundering.
The prosecutor, Mr Clifton Onovo, who appeared for Mr Stanley Afoaku, told the court that the defendants allegedly conspired and committed the offences between February and May 2025.
He alleged that the defendants collaborated with others still at large to move illicit funds across borders, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The prosecution further stated that the defendants converted and transferred $50,487, knowing the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities, with the intent to conceal their origin. The transactions were said to have been structured to evade detection within the financial system.
Chiekea was also accused of abusing his position within the company by misappropriating funds entrusted to him and diverting $50,487 for personal use.
He was further alleged to have manipulated the company’s service fees and interest charges imposed on agents and customers without authorisation from the company or its banking partners, presenting the increased charges as legitimate.
According to the prosecutor, the alleged offences contravene Sections 21 and 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022; Sections 390(9) and 421 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria; Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006; and Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their plea, defence counsel, Mr E. J. Kachichukwu, who led two others, informed the court that bail applications had been filed and served on the prosecution.
The prosecutor confirmed receipt of the applications and stated that he did not oppose them.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa admitted each defendant to bail in the sum of N10 million, with one surety each in like sum. The surety must be a landed property owner within the court’s jurisdiction.
The judge, however, ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned to May 22 and May 25, 2026, for trial.
In this article