A man identified as Paulinus Ani has been arraigned before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at the Federal High Court in Independence Layout, Enugu State.

According to a statement by the EFCC on Monday via X, Ani faces a one-count charge of obtaining by false pretence, involving N8,130,000 (Eight Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira).

The charge against Ani states, “That you, Paulinus Ani, sometime between October 2015 and June 2018 at Enugu, Enugu State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, with intent to defraud, induced one Severus Ifeanyi Odoziobodo to deliver to you the sum of N8,130,000.00…under the pretence that you would sell to him seven (7) plots of land…which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”

The statement noted that Ani pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Nasir Umar, requested a trial date and asked for Ani’s remand at the Enugu Correctional Facility.

In response, the defence counsel, O. S. Imaji, highlighted a pending bail application and urged the court to grant bail on “liberal terms,” citing that the defendant had a reliable surety.

However, the prosecution strongly opposed the bail application, citing the rising incidence of land scams in Enugu. Umar urged the court to deny bail, emphasising that such crimes needed to be addressed firmly.

After considering both arguments, Justice Umar granted Ani bail with conditions, including a sum of N10 million and two sureties of the same amount, both required to be residents of Enugu State.

The defendant was remanded at the Enugu Correctional Facility pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions. The trial was adjourned to January 23, 2025.

The case originated from a petition submitted to the EFCC on January 1, 2021, by Ifeanyi Odoziobodo.

Odoziobodo alleged that in 2016, Ani, claiming to be a staff member of the Ministry of Land and Urban Development, Enugu State, offered plots of land in Emene and Independence Layout for sale.

Believing the plots were available, Odoziobodo paid N8,130,000 after being shown allocation documents. It later emerged that the plots had already been sold to others who held valid Certificates of Occupancy.

Attempts by Odoziobodo to recover his money were unsuccessful, leading to the involvement of the EFCC