The arraignment of one Ifekwu Chukwuma Dominic by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, before Justice S.O. Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja was stalled due to the absence of the defence counsel.

Chukwuma is being arraigned by the commission on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, obtaining by false pretence, and possession of documents containing false pretense.

This was disclosed by the Media and Publicity department of the commission.

One of the counts reads: “Ifekwu Chukwuma Dominic, aka John Alfred, and Okechukwu, aka Connie Miller (at large), between 2014 and 2017, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud,obtained the aggregate sum of 211,000 Euros from Imelda Dorflinger under the false representation that you, Ifekwe Chukwuma Dominic, had inherited gold from your father and needed the said money to pay taxes in order to enable you to have access to the gold, a representation you knew to be false.”

Another count reads: “Ifekwu Chukwuma Dominic (aka John Alfred), on or about 22nd June 2016, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and with intent to defraud, had in your possession a document titled: “Cashier Cheque”, where you falsely represented to Imelda Dorflinger that you have been issued a cheque valued at $590,000.00 and which document you knew contained false information.”

Though the prosecuting counsel, I.O. Daramola, and the defendant were in court, the defence counsel was absent.