Businessman, Andrew Warri has been arrested for allegedly defrauding GTBank of N125m.
He has been arraigned before Justice Sherifah Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos by the Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a seven count charge bordering on stealing, obtaining by false pretence and issuance of dud cheques.
Andrew was arraigned alongside two companies: A.M. Projects Consultancy Limited and Ranez Medical Consultancy Limited on Friday, June 25.
One of the counts reads:
“Andrew Warri, A.M. Projects Consultancy Limited, sometime in May 2012 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, fraudulently obtained the sum of N125,000,000 from Guaranty Trust Bank Plc under the guise that the proceeds of the Rural Health Care and Referral contract with Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will be domiciled in your account with Guaranty Trust Bank, the said pretense you knew, or ought to have known is false.”
Another count reads:
“Andrew Warri, Ranez Medical Consultancy Limited, on or about 28th October 2018 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, issued a Zenith Bank cheque for the sum of N10,000,000 payable to A.M. Projects Consultancy Limited, in favour of Guaranty Trust Bank, which upon presentation for payment was dishonoured on the grounds that no sufficient funds were standing to your credit.”
After pleading ”Not Guilty” to the charges, prosecuting counsel, Franklin Ofoma, prayed the Court for a date for commencement of trial, as the prosecution was ready to prove its case against the defendants.
Andrew’s Lawyer, Nelson Imoh informed the Court that the bail application for his client was before the Court.
However, Franklin vehemently opposed the application for bail in his oral argument.
He said;
“His arrest was aborted and the EFCC had to watch list the defendant with the DSS, Immigrations, Customs and other local and international law enforcement agencies, just to ensure his attendance,”
