JUSTICE Salisu Garba of the FCT High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday, ordered that one Marshal David Umoh be remanded in Kuje Prison.
David and his company, Dihoen Consult Limited are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an eight-count charge bordering on breach of trust and forgery.
David had earlier fled to Ghana when he realized that the EFCC was investigating his fraudulent activities, prompting the Commission to declare him wanted in the media.
Ghana soon became inhospitable to David as his employers in the country read the publication. And he had to flee back to Nigeria.
He was apprehended on his return in the country in April, 2019 by the EFCC and was arraigned today, after investigations have been concluded.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Marshall David Umo and Dihoen Consult Limited, on or about the 27th of May, 2009, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, while being entrusted with certain property to wit: the sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) by Alhaji Abba Musa Rimi for the purchase of 400,00.00 units of shares of Nigerian Flour Mills did commit criminal breach of trust by dishonestly converting the said sum to your own use and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Penalty Code Cap 532 laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 2004 and punishable under Section 312 of the same act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges. In view of his not guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, I. G. Odibo, asked the court for a trial date and that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.
However, the defense counsel, Abel Adaji, told the court that he had an application for his client’s bail, which the prosecution counsel protested because it was served the court same morning and he needed time to respond to it.
Consequently, the defence counsel asked for a short adjournment and prayed that the defendant be remanded in EFCC’s custody. The prosecution counsel objected to the prayer, preferring a remand in prison custody hence the defendant was already in court.
Justice Salisu Garba adjourned the matter to Friday, May 17, 2019 for hearing of the bail application and ordered the defendant to be remanded in Kuje Prison.
