EFCC arraigns woman, native doctor over alleged N24.3m land scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Josephine Anietie Philip and a native doctor, Effiong Okon, for their alleged involvement in land racketeering and fraudulent financial activities.

The duo appeared before the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, with Justice Chigozie Onah presiding over the case.

The EFCC charged both defendants on Friday, September 27, 2024, with six counts, including criminal conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretenses. They are accused of defrauding victims of N24.3 million through fraudulent land deals.

The charges stem from allegations that Philip and Okon conspired to deceive unsuspecting individuals, facilitating fraudulent land transactions and profiting financially from these illegal activities. The EFCC’s investigation led to their arrest and subsequent arraignment.

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One of the charges against them reads; “That you Josephine Anietie Philip sometime in February, 2024 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently obtain the sum of N16, 300, million from one Ndifreke Godwin Friday under the false pretence of selling a piece of land situated at No.3 Owok Ekong Lane, Mbiabong Anyanya, Etoi, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section i(3) of the same Act.”

Another count reads; “That you, Ime Effiong between February, 2024 and April, 2024 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court used the aggregate sum of N6, 501, 000 million through Account No.

3141617618 domiciled in First Bank and operated by Eno Ime Effiong which money you reasonably ought to know formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit; obtaining by false pretense and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the noney laundering (Prevention and Prohibition Act) 2022, and punishable under section 18(3) of the same Act.”

While taking their pleas, the duo pleaded not guilty to the six count charges.

As a result, the prosecution counsel Joshua Abolarin, prayed the court to remand the accused persons at the Nigerian Correctional Centre and fixed a date for trial to enable the prosecution present witnesses to prove the case against the accused persons.

But the defence lawyer C. I. Odo, swiftly made an oral application for bail.

After listening to both counsels, Justice Onah, upheld the position of the prosecution and ordered that the accused persons be remanded at the correctional centre, Uyo, even as the defence counsel was directed by the court to make a formal bail application for hearing on November 1, 2024.

The accused persons were being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency for allegedly collecting the sums of N16, 300, 000 and N8 million from two different buyers for the same piece of land measuring approximately 932 square meters located at No.3 Owak Ekong Lane, Mbiabong Anyanya, Etoi Uyo Akwa Ibom State.

The court also fixed my November 1, 2024 for bail application and hearing.