The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the duo of Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, both staff of Zenith Bank, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu State for allegedly selling newly-minted N500, 000 notes.

They were arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on currency racketeering to the tune of N500,000.

The single count charge reads: “That you, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, sometime in October 2024 at Enugu, Enugu state, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did sell a total sum of 500, 000. 00 mints in N200 Notes denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria to one Husseini Ibrahim and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same Act”.

While the first defendant (Okoronkwo) pleaded guilty to the charge, Onyinye pleaded not guilty.

Given their pleas, counsel to the EFCC and Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Rotimi Ajobiewe, prayed the court for a short date to review the facts of the case regarding the first defendant. “In respect of the second defendant, we pray for a date for trial to enable the prosecution to prove its case”.

However, counsel to the second defendant, C. N. Agama, prayed the court to remand Onyinye at the EFCC custody, pending the hearing of the bail application.

Justice Umar thereafter adjourned the matter to January 15, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application for Onyinye and the conviction and sentencing of Okoronkwo. They were remanded at the Enugu State Correctional facility.

The defendants were arrested on November 15, 2024, at their workplace located at 18 Okpara Avenue, Enugu State, following “actionable intelligence” allegedly linking them to the sale of new Naira notes in the Enugu State metropolis.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the defendants allegedly sold a total sum of N500,000 new notes in N200 Notes denomination to one Husseini Ibrahim.

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