Philip Ifejimalu Eze, a businessman and his firm, Orimiri Oil and Gas have been docked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice A.H. Musa of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo-Abuja, for alleged fraud.
The charge reads: “That you, Philip Ifejimalu Eze while being the Managing Director of Orimiri Oil and Gas sometime in 2024 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud induced one Chief Amech Nduka of Amatex Oil and Gas to deliver 45,000 liters of Automatic Gas Oil valued at N63,000,000 (Sixty Three Million Naira only) which payment was made via a bank cheque of Mainstreet Bank Plc which you knew had already been liquidated as same was rejected at Zenith Bank Plc when presented for payment which pretense you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Eze pleaded not guilty, prompting the prosecution counsel, Mariya Ujudud Shariff, to request a date for the commencement of trial.
Justice Musa granted the defendant bail with two sureties. One surety must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 12 and must present a letter of introduction from their place of work, which is to be verified by the Court Registrar. The second surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court, depose to an affidavit, and sign a N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) bail bond.
The judge adjourned the case to November 11, 2025, for trial to commence.