Jennifer Kelechi and Goodnews Onyii Amah have been brought before the Special Offences Court in Ikeja on charges of defrauding Lagos resident Patience Abel of N56,035,000 by falsely promising investment opportunities in a non-existent supplement business.
The defendants were brought before Justice R.A. Oshodi on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, where Abel testified as the first prosecution witness (PW1).
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said in a statement on Thursday that they were previously arraigned on December 24, 2024, on a five-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, forgery, and obtaining by false pretense.
One of the charges reads: “Ezeagu Jennifer Kelechi, Goodnews Onyii Amah, and Nigel Odinaka Vitalis (at large), between 11th May, 2024 to 13th June, 2024, in Lagos conspired amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit; obtaining by false pretence the sum of N5.35 million, property of Patience Abel under the false pretence of investment in supplement business and supply from a hospital in Uganda, which representation you knew to be false.”
Another charge states: “Ezeagu Jennifer Kelechi, Goodnews Onyii Amah and Nigel Odinaka Vitalis (at large), between 11th May, 2024 to 13th June, 2024, in Lagos conspired amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit; stealing the sum of N56.35 million, property of Patience Abel.”
Both defendants pleaded “not guilty,” leading to the commencement of their trial.
During her testimony, Abel explained how she was convinced to invest in the business.
“I met the first defendant sometime in May 2024 when I bought supplements from her, and she talked me into investing in the supplement business and I knew of a few people that were doing it with her.
“When she started talking to me about the investment, I did not have money, but I had some monies in my possession which belonged to my sister. So I decided that instead of the money to lay there in the bank, I should invest it in her business, but I never had any idea that she was a fraudster.
“She told me that she had supplies from a hospital in Uganda, and we made the necessary documents and I first gave her N3 million and after three days, I gave another N5 million and after that was N48,350,000.00.
“Only for her to come up with some funny stories that her uncle was expecting $40 million USD and that they needed $30,000 USD to clear the money, and at that point, I knew it was fraud.
“I had to open up to my sister, who wrote the petition to the EFCC and we played along with them because she claimed to be a pharmacist.
“The total amount I invested was N56,350,000 and to be paid back N74,750,000.00 in three weeks as soon as the medications arrived in Nigeria,” she said.
She identified her petition when it was presented to her by the prosecuting counsel, S.I. Suleiman.
Defence lawyers Franca Umeri and A.U. Enwerum pleaded for bail and an adjournment for cross-examination, but the prosecution opposed the request, arguing that Abel resided outside the court’s jurisdiction and that another prosecution witness was ready to testify.
Justice Oshodi granted Kelechi bail of N25 million bail with two sureties in like sum but denied bail to Amah. The trial was adjourned to February 14, 2025, for continuation.
