The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today, May 10, 2013, arraigned the Company Secretary of E- Barclays Micro Finance Bank Limited, Abuja Oby Onwukeme before Justice Adeniyi Ademola Adetokunbo of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a one count charge of obstructing justice.
Onwukeme was alleged to have willfully declined to furnish the Commission with account information of one of her customers, Chief Paulinus Enendu of Pamadas and Sons Limited who was being investigated for obtaining money under false pretence and issuance of dud cheque to the tune of N4.2 million.
She had, despite repeated appeals and citing of Section 38 (2) (a) of the EFCC Establishment Act which relates to the crime of obstruction, maintained that her client’s lawyer wrote and informed her not to disclose the information to the Commission.
When the charge was read to her, she pleaded not guilty prompting the prosecution counsel, Maryam Aminu Ahmed to ask for a date for trial. However, counsel to the accused person, C.O Achilike presented an oral bail application which was not opposed by the prosecution.
Justice Adetokunbo granted the accused person bail on self recognisance stating that the accused must produce two passport photographs, an ID card and an undertaking signed by the Managing Director of E-Barclays Microfinance Bank, Pastor Kingsley Onuorah to produce her when needed by the court.
The charge read; “that you Oby Onwukeme being the Legal Adviser and Company Secretary of E-Barclays Micro Finance Bank Limited on or about the 21st day of January, 2013, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did willfully obstruct the officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the exercise of their powers to seek and receive information on Account Number 4010074168 belonging to Pamamdas & Sons Limited, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 38 (2) (a) and punishable under Section 38 (2) (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004”.
The case has been adjourned to the 8th and 9th of July, 2013.
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