EFCC arraigns Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye for alleged currency racketeering in Enugu

December 17, 2024

By Adedoja Adesoji

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two bankers, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State.

The duo, staff of one of the new generation banks, were accused of allegedly selling newly-minted N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira).

According to the EFCC, the defendants were arrested on November 15, 2024, at their workplace located at 18 Okpara Avenue, Enugu State, following actionable intelligence linking them to the sale of Naira mints in Enugu State metropolis.

The lone 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 Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) mints in Two Hundred Naira Notes (N200) 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”.

Okoronkwo pleaded guilty to the charge, while Onyinye pleaded not guilty.

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