British lawyer charged with £484,000 fraud

•Gets N100m bail

The Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCIID), Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday arraigned an English lawyer, Joyce Amanambu, at a Federal High Court in Lagos for an alleged £484,000 fraud.

Amanambu, 53, was accused of swindling a Briton of Nigerian ancestry, Chukwudi Ajudua, of the sum in London, within 10 years.

She is facing a two-count charge of obtaining under false pretence and fraud.

According to the police, Amanambu has been disbarred in England.

Prosecuting counsel Mr. Henry Obiazi, a Deputy Superintendent, told Justice Ibrahim Buba that the defendant committed the offence between August 2005 and March 2016, at 25, Harcourt Street, London.

Read also: Court remands fake Army officer in Ilorin

He alleged that Amanambu, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum from Ajidua in two tranches of £348,500 and £99,500.

The offences, the prosecutor added, contravened sections 1(1)(a) and 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006.

Amanambu pleaded not guilty.

Her counsel, Chima Umezurike, prayed the court to grant her bail in “liberal terms.”

In a bench ruling, Justice Buba admitted Amanambu to bail in the sum of N100 million, with one surety in the like sum.

The surety, he said, must deposit his international passport and landed property documents in the court’s custody.

Justice Buba warned the defendant that she would be remanded in prison custody unless her bail was perfected yesterday or today.

He adjourned further proceedings till December 3.