EFCC arraigns female architect over N45m fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Thursday arraigned Nwanne Emeh of Dunnel World Wide Limited before the Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja for allegedly obtaining various sums of money amounting to over N45million from Uche Kennedy of Natuhab Consultants Limited.

Ms.Emeh, an architect, was arraigned on a s 16-count charge bordering on stealing before Justice Olabisi Akinlade. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The prosecution counsel, G.K.Latona, has asked the court for a date for the commencement of trial. The defense counsel, Odu Hycinth, pleaded with the court to order that the accused be remanded in EFCC custody, instead of a prison facility claiming that she suffered multiple complications due to series of surgical operations she had last year.

In response, Justice Akinlade ordered that Ms. Emeh be remanded at the Kirikiri prison while adjourning the case to May 23, 2012.

Ms. Emeh’s road to prison began when Natuhab Consultant Limited was given a N200, 481,894 contract by the Nigerian Army to construct multiple housing units in Abuja.

Ms Emeh is an ex- staff of Natuhab Consultants Limited and was working with one Dunnel World Wide Limited a company she claimed is owned by her husband. Based on a relationship between her and Mr. Kennedy (Managing Director of Natuhab consultants limited) she was contracted to supervise the construction of the multiple housing units in Abuja.

Series of payments were made by Natuhab Consultants Limited into Ms. Emeh’s accounts upon her request, to facilitate the completion of the project. The sum of N131, 078,142.00 was transferred into her personal account.

However, when Natuhab inspected the project, it was discovered that she only spent N86, 045,000.00 out of the total sum of N131, 078,142.00 that she received while diverting and converting the balance of N45, 033,894.00 for her personal use and all efforts to recover the money from her failed.