EFCC Files Fraud Charge Against Innoson + Court Documents

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed a fraud charge against the Chief Executive of Innoson Nigeria Limited, Innocent Chukwuma; his company; and his brother, Charles Chukwuma.


The charge was dated November 30, 2017 and filed at a Lagos High Court.
In the case, the EFCC is accusing Innoson of obtaining containers of motorcycles spare parts by false pretences between 2009 and July 2011 in Lagos “with intent to defraud”.

The goods, said to be property of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, were allegedly obtained from Mitsui O.S.K Lines Limited in Apapa, Lagos State.

The anti-graft agency claims that Innocent Chukwuma and Charles Chukwuma, “with intent to defraud induced the staff of Mitsui O.S.K and Maersk Line Limited to deliver” to them through their clearing agents, the motor cycle spare parts, moulds of spare parts and steel structures and raw materials called polyvinlchlorid, imported from China.

The charge said the accused falsely pretended that they were authorised by GTB to clear the goods and take delivery of them.

The EFCC had on Tuesday arrested Innoson in Enugu, stirring some controversy that the arrest bore some ethnic motive and the agency should not have waded into a dispute between GTB and the businessman.

Central to this was the story that the parties were locked in a dispute over illegal deductions from Innoson’s accounts by GTB, with Innoson claiming that the bank was indebted to him and his company to the tune of billions of naira.
In press and TV interviews, he said he had gotten judgement at both lower and appellate courts and that GTB has an appeal at the Supreme Court.
GTB responded tersely that it would not join issues with the businessman as the issues between them are in the court.

The EFCC in releasing Innoson on bail Wednesday, explained that he was arrested after he refused to honour invitations by the Commission.