Fraud: Accused Issued 14 Dud Cheques – Witness

A prosecution witness,
Mr Ben Abah, last Monday told an FCT High Court that an accused, Ngozi Ibeka, allegedly issued 14 dud cheques to his company, Stallion Nigeria Limited.
The EFCC arraigned Ibeka, Managing Director of Em-Lette on February 13, on 14 counts bordering on issuing dud cheques and breach of trust.
Specifically, the EFCC alleged that the accused issued 14 dud cheques to Stallion Nigeria Limited in payment of the rice supplied to her company between 2010 and 2013.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Mrs Tomwell Sorae, Abah alleged that some of the cheques were first issued in 2010 when the goods were given to the accused.
Abah said upon reaching the bank to cash the cheques, they bounced due to insufficient funds.
“After the cheques bounced, we tried to reach the accused person but all our efforts proved abortive.
“The accused later resurfaced in 2013 and ordered some rice worth N5 million and it was given to her.
“The accused issued some cheques which were also rejected due to insufficient funds,” he said.
According to the witness, the 14 cheques are written in the name of Stallion Nigeria Limited and Popular Food Limited, a subsidiary of the company.
Abah said he personally signed a petition letter against the accused to the EFCC.
Sorae sought to tender a copy of the petition letter as evidence, but counsel to the accused, Mr Chuka Udemezu, objected, saying that the signature on the petition was not that of the witness.
Sorae then withdrew the document.
She also tendered the cheques which were dishonoured as part of evidence.
The prosecutor told the court that she had three more witnesses to testify.
In a ruling, Justice Valentine Ashi marked the cheques as exhibits B1 to B14.
Ashi adjourned the matter until July 22 and 23 for continuation of hearing.
The judge fixed the two dates for accelerated hearing in the suit.