The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has re-arraigned a legal practitioner, Mike Ikegbunam, before the Federal High Court in Enugu over an alleged N91 million land fraud.
Ikegbunam was docked before Justice M. T. Segun-Bello on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering and obtaining by false pretence.
The defendant, who was initially arraigned on January 31, 2024, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail on self-recognisance, with a directive to deposit his Call to Bar Certificate with the court.
According to the prosecution, Ikegbunam allegedly collected various sums of money from members of the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions of Nigeria under the guise of securing plots of land for them in Anambra State.
One of the counts alleged that he received N25 million on August 16, 2022, while another stated that he obtained N20 million on October 26, 2022, both purportedly for land acquisition in Orumba North Local Government Area.
Counsel to the EFCC, Mainforce Adaka Ekwu, urged the court to fix a date for trial to enable the prosecution to present its case.
However, defence counsel, S. E. Nnonyelu, prayed the court to allow the defendant to continue on the bail earlier granted by the previous judge.
Justice Segun-Bello granted the application and adjourned the case till October 21 and 22, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
The defendant was arrested on July 12, 2023, following a petition by the association’s branch at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, which alleged that its members paid him N91 million for 130 plots of land.
Investigations by the anti-graft agency further revealed that the defendant allegedly refunded N10 million, while about N16.5 million was said to have been used to acquire three plots of land in Awka for personal use.
