The police on Thursday arraigned a Lagos-based legal practitioner, Chinwe Onuoha, and a company, Eihcrim Nigeria Ltd, for allegedly uttering document to defraud Bank of Industry.

Onuoha and the company were arraigned before an Ikeja High Court on a 12-count charge bordering on forgery, fraud, conspiracy and uttering false documents.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following the defendants’ pleas, the police prosecutor, Mr Emmanuel Jackson, urged the court to remand the defendant at a correctional facility pending the conclusion of the case.

He also asked for an accelerated hearing of the case.

The defence counsel, Mr Ikechukwu Chiaha, urged the court to hear the defendants’ bail application, adding that he needed time to prepare his case.

After listening to both parties, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, ordered that the defendant be remanded at a correctional facility pending the hearing of the bail application.

Oshodi adjourned the case until Feb.25 for hearing of the application.

Earlier, the prosecutor told the court that the defendants and others at large committed the offences sometime in 2020 within the jurisdiction of the court.

According to him, the defendants made a false document titled “The Lease Agreement” dated  Feb.12, 2018.

He said the defendants submitted the document to Bank of Industry with the intent that it be acted upon as genuine by the bank, to the prejudice of one Ms Ngozi Braide.

Jackson also alleged that the forged document was purportedly submitted to the Bank of Industry as part of a scheme to fraudulently secure a loan, to the detriment of the complainant.

The prosecutor said the alleged offences contravened Sections 516, 465 and 467 of the Criminal Code Cap. C38, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004. (NAN)