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Barrister Faces Court Over Alleged Forgery and N12m Fraud in Land Deal

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu Zonal Directorate, has arraigned Barrister Benjamin Chukwuemeka Nwobodo before Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court in Independence Layout, Enugu. He faces a five-count charge bordering on forgery and obtaining by false pretence, amounting to N12 million.


One of the charges reads:

“That you, Benjamin Chukwuemeka Nwobodo, on the 15th day of January, 2014, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of Nine Million Naira (N9,000,000.00) from one Wilson Ikeani Igwe under the false pretence of the sale of three plots of land situated at Emene, Enugu State, a pretence you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”


Another count accused Nwobodo of defrauding Igwe of N3 million on December 15, 2014, under similar pretences for the sale of one plot of land in Emene.


The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges.


Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Chief Superintendent Chikezie Raymond Edozie, requested the court for a trial date and urged that the defendant be remanded at the Enugu State Correctional Facility.


Nwobodo, representing himself, applied orally for bail, which was granted under the following conditions:


Two sureties, each with a bond of N25 million.


One surety must own a landed property within Enugu metropolis.


The other must be a blood relation and present a three-year tax clearance certificate.


Both sureties must submit affidavits of means, with details verified by the EFCC within seven working days.


The defendant must surrender his international passport to the Deputy Court Registrar.



Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo permitted Nwobodo to be released on self-recognizance but warned that he must meet the bail conditions within 10 days or face detention at a correctional facility.


The case has been adjourned to May 13 and 14, 2025, for trial.

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