THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a lawyer, Alexander Uchenna Ozougwu, before the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for allegedly defrauding his clients of N1.323 billion through a fake foreign exchange investment scheme.
CrimesChronicles reports that Ozougwu, a legal practitioner, was charged with six counts of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
The charges alleged that he collected millions of naira from his victims, claiming he would help them fund their betting accounts, but instead diverted the funds to various betting platforms.
COUNT ONE OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM READS:
“That you Alexander Uchenna Ozogwu sometime in September 2024 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did take possession of the total sum of Two Hundred and Sixty Eight Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only (-N=268,850,000) through a bank account with account name- STARLIGHT ATTORNEYS which you knew formed proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: obtaining money by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act’.”
COUNT TWO READS:
“That you Alexander Uchenna 0zougwu sometime in July, 2024 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did take possession of the total sum of Two Hundred and Thirteen Million Naira Only (=N=213,000,000) through a bank account with account name- STARLIGHT ATTORNEYS which you knew formed proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: obtaining money by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the money laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act’.”
