The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Friday, May 31, 2024 arraigned the duo of Nweke Daniel Kelechi and Iroude Chibuzor before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State.
They were arraigned on a lone-count charge bordering on operating a bureau de change business without requisite licence and currency racketeering.
The lone count charge reads: “That you, Iroude Chibuzor, Nweke Daniel Kelechi and Anichebe Chioma Grace (now at large) sometime in May 2024 at Amadeo Event Centre, Oatlands Hotel in Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria did hawk the total sum of Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N850, 000. 00) in Five Hundred Naira (N500.00), Two Hundred Naira (N200. 00) and One Hundred Naira (N100. 00) denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21 (4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same Act”.
They pleaded “not guilty” when the charge was read to them. In view of their pleas, Counsel to the EFCC, Michael Ikechukwu Ani prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded at Enugu State Correctional facility.
However, defence counsel, Nnaedozie Emmanuel informed the court about a pending bail application for his clients but could not move the said application, as it was not ripe for hearing.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to June 6, 2024 for hearing of bail application while the defendants were remanded at Enugu State Correctional facility.
The defendants were arrested by members of the Special Task Force attached to the Enugu Zonal Command of the EFCC on Sunday, May 26, 2024 during a sting operation around United Bank for Africa (UBA), ESBS, Enugu State, following days of surveillance and actionable intelligence.
During the sting operation, Chibuzor was initially arrested but thorough investigations revealed that he was working for Kelechi, who authorised him to sell new Naira notes.