An alleged notorious land racketeering kingpin, Moses Erih and a company, Micmerab Resources Nigeria Limited, have been charged before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja, for alleged offences of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences and forgery.
Moses and the company were brought before Justice Baba Shaini, on the alleged offences on Tuesday, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The offences according to the prosecutor, Richard Dauda, are contrary to 1(1) (a) of the Advance fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
The offences also contravened section 363; 366 and 368 of the Penal Code Act Cap, 532 LFN (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 364 of the same Law.
The prosecutor said the prime suspects, Moses Erih and Micmerab Resources Nigeria Limited, were culpable of obtaining money by false pretences.
Though, the defendants’ arraignment was stalled due to the absence of their lawyer, and the matter was adjourned to October 5, 2023.
Speaking after the court session, Counsel to the nominal complainant, Barrister RemyAgu, said the case was been pursued to end the menace of land racketeering.
He enjoined all stakeholders to have a common synergy in other to fight the monster called land racketeering in FCT.
The charges numbered CR/163/2023, against the defendants read: “That you, Moses Erih whilst being a Director in Mecmerab Resources N’geria Limited and Mecmerab Resources Nigeria Limited, a company registered in Nigeria, sometime in September, 2007 at Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain by false pretence property situate at Plot ED 22 Sabon Lugbe East Layout, Abuja via a document captioned ‘Estate Development Agreement between Messrs Uche Okoronkwo, Obi Okoronkwo Company Limited and Mcmerab Resources Nigeria Limited’’ dated 13th September, 2007 purportedly executed by Uche Okoronkwo ond Obi Okoronkwo which pretence you knew to be false and thereby commitied an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
“That you, Moses Erih And Mecmeras Resources Nigeria Limited, sometime in September, 2007 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, forged a certain document, to wit; ‘Estate Development Agreement between Messrs Uche Okoronkwo and Obi Okoronkwo Company Limited and Mecmerab Resources Nigeria Limited’’ with intent to cause Uche Okoronkwo and Obi Okoronkwo to part with their property lying and situate at Plot ED22 Sabon Lugbe East Layout, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 363 of the Penal Code Act Cap, 532 LFN (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 364 of the same Law.
“That you, Moses Erih And Mecmerab Resources Nigeria Limited, sometimes in September, 2007 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, fraudulently used as genuine a certain document, to “Estate Development Agreement between Messrs Uche Okoronkwo, Obi Okoronkwo Company Limited and Mecmerab Resources Nigeria which you knew to be a forged document and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 of the Penal Code Act Cap. 532 LFN (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 364 of the same Law.
“That you, moses Erih and Mecmerab Resources Nigeria Limited, sometimes in September, 2007 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly had in your possession a forged document; Estate Development Agreement between Messrs Uche Okoronkwo Obi Okoronkwo Company Limited and Mecmerab Resources Nigeria, with an intending that same shall fraudulently be used as genuine and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 368 of the Penal Act Cap. 532 LFN (Abuja) 1990.”
