Patrick Shanchi Nwokike and wife, Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike arraigned by EFCC for fraud ...photo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday 15, November, arraigned the duo of Patrick Shanchi Nwokike and his wife Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike along with their company ‘Lets Partner With You Limited’ before Justice Dugbo R. O. Oghoghorie of the Federal High court Enugu, on a four count charge of; Advanced Fee Fraud and Carrying Out Banking Business without valid License, an offence which runs contrary to the provisions of section 2(1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act.

According to a statement released yesterday by the agency, the accused persons pleaded not guilty on all counts of the four count charge preferred against them by the EFCC. The defense counsel, Barr. Orji Nwafor-orizu quickly applied for bail for the accused persons on the grounds that the offence was a bailable one and he prayed the court to grant bail on liberal terms. But the Prosecuting Counsel Barr. S. M. H. Ibekwute immediately opposed the application with a 29 paragraphed affidavit, with two exhibits and two written addresses with a further 15 paragraphed affidavit and other supporting documents.

He then prayed the court not to honor the bail application, but to remand the accused persons in prison custody and fix a trial date. After listening to both counsels, Justice Oghoghorie granted the 1st and 2nd accused persons Let's Partner With You Ltd and Patrick Shanchi Nwokike bail in the sum of N2,000,000.00 (two million Naira only) each with two sureties in like sum.

While one of the sureties must be a Civil Servant with Enugu State Government at a minimum of grade level 12, the second surety must be a landed property owner within Enugu State. Both sureties and their properties must be verified by both the EFCC and the defense counsel.