The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday dragged one Heart Obum before an Ikeja Special Offences Court for alleged £31,200 fraud.

Obum, whose residential address was not provided, was arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on forgery, obtaining by false pretences and stealing.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The EFCC Counsel, Temitope Banjo, asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendant be remanded in the correctional centre.

Earlier, Mr Banjo told the court that the defendant committed the offences sometime in 2023 in Lagos State.

He said that the defendant forged several certificates of sponsorship and presented them to the complainant, Peace Udochukwu, as genuine.

He also alleged that the defendant, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of £31,200  from the complainant as payment for certificate of sponsorship.

He further told the court that the defendant also collected the sum of N72.7 million from the complainant as payment of certificate of sponsorship.

According to the EFCC prosecutor, the alleged offences contravene Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and Section 278(2), 365(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Meanwhile the defence informed the court of a bail application.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, remanded the defendant in Ikoyi Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until December 3 for hearing of the bail application.

(NAN)