The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought Paulinus Ani before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar at the Federal High Court in Independence Layout, Enugu State.
In a statement released by the EFCC on Monday via X, Ani is facing a one-count charge of obtaining by false pretence, totaling N8,130,000 (Eight Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira).
The charge against Ani alleges, “That you, Paulinus Ani, sometime between October 2015 and June 2018 at Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, knowingly induced Severus Ifeanyi Odoziobodo to hand over N8,130,000.00 under the false pretence of selling him seven plots of land, an assertion you knew to be untrue. This constitutes an offence under Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
The statement confirmed that Ani pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In the aftermath of his plea, EFCC counsel Nasir Umar requested a trial date and sought Ani’s remand at the Enugu Correctional Facility.
In response, defense counsel O. S. Imaji noted an outstanding bail application and urged the court to approve bail on “liberal terms,” citing a reliable surety for the defendant.
However, the prosecution firmly opposed the bail request, highlighting the increasing occurrence of land scams in Enugu. Umar urged the court to deny bail, stressing the need for a strong response to such crimes.
After weighing both arguments, Justice Umar granted Ani bail under strict conditions, including a sum of N10 million and two sureties of the same amount, both required to be residents of Enugu State.
The defendant was remanded at the Enugu Correctional Facility until his bail conditions are met. The trial is set to resume on January 23, 2025.
The case arose from a petition submitted to the EFCC on January 1, 2021, by Ifeanyi Odoziobodo.
Odoziobodo alleged that in 2016, Ani, posing as a staff member of the Ministry of Land and Urban Development in Enugu State, offered him plots of land in Emene and Independence Layout for sale.
Believing these plots were available, Odoziobodo paid N8,130,000 after being shown allocation documents, only to discover later that the plots had already been sold to others with valid Certificates of Occupancy.
Unsuccessful in recovering his funds, Odoziobodo eventually sought the assistance of the EFCC.
