The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought Barrister Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo before Justice E. N. Oluedo at the Enugu State High Court situated in Independence Layout, Enugu, on charges of fraud. According to a statement released by the EFCC on X.com, Okonkwo is facing a single count of stealing by conversion, amounting to N41 million. This charge contravenes Section 342 of CAP 30, the Criminal Code Law of Enugu State, and is punishable under Section 353 (L) of the same Law.
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The indictment states that Okonkwo allegedly converted the sum of Forty-one Million Naira (N41,000,000.00) to his own use. This money was received from Onyishi Maduka Samuel for the family of the late Ifemelunma Okoye while Okonkwo was acting as the liquidator for Ifemelunma and Company Enterprises Limited. At the arraignment, Okonkwo pleaded “not guilty” to the charge.
Following the plea, the prosecution, represented by Ajobiewe Enitan, requested a trial date and sought for the defendant to be remanded in a correctional facility. In contrast, Okonkwo, who chose to represent himself, requested to maintain the bail granted to him earlier by Justice H. O. Eya concerning the same case. Justice Oluedo, after hearing arguments from both sides, approved Okonkwo’s application for bail and scheduled the trial for May 13, 14, and 15, 2025.
It is noteworthy that Okonkwo was initially arraigned by Justice Eya on June 23, 2022, where he also pleaded “not guilty” and was granted bail. In a related development, it was reported in January that another lawyer, Benjamin Nwobodo, was arraigned by the EFCC before Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo at the Federal High Court in Enugu State on five charges related to forgery and obtaining money by false pretenses, amounting to N12 million.
