The Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Heart Chidozie Obum before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on a five-count charge of obtaining money under false pretenses and theft. Obum is accused of defrauding a petitioner of N72,689,000 and £31,200 by falsely promising to secure a certificate of sponsorship for overseas travel.
One charge alleges that Obum, in 2023, obtained £31,200 from Peace Asonye Udochukwu under the pretense of arranging the sponsorship certificate. Another count accuses him of dishonestly taking N72,689,000 from Udochukwu for the same purpose. Obum pleaded not guilty.
Prosecuting counsel T.J. Banjo requested an adjournment to build the case and called for Obum’s remand in a correctional facility. Defense counsel O. Oluwashewu submitted a pending bail application for Obum, prompting Justice Oshodi to adjourn the bail hearing to December 3, 2024, and set trial dates for February 19 and 20, 2025. The judge ordered Obum’s custodial remand until trial.
