The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, arraigned a Nollywood movie producer, Ifeanyi Onyeabor, for allegedly defrauding a Lagos-based company of N8.8 million.
Onyeabor, 41, pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge of stealing and fraudulent conversion filed against him before Justice Habeeb Abiru of the Ikeja High Court, Lagos.
EFCC prosecutor, Cosmas Ogwu, at the sitting called his first witness, Johnson Oshodi, an EFCC Investigative Officer.
Oshodi testified that he was mandated to investigate the matter following a petition sent to the commission by Steve-James Investment Ltd.
"According to the petition, Onyeabor collected a total sum of N8.8 million from Steve-James Nigeria Ltd. in December, 2008. The money was for the purpose of producing two movies titled ‘Young Amazon’ and `Tribes’," he said.
"The money was collected in instalments from the complainant."
The witness said that Onyeabor, who is the Managing Director of Igo Motion Pictures International, collected the money for movies he failed to produce.
He was invited to the EFCC Office in Ikoyi to defend himself against the allegations but could not explain what he did with the money he collected from the complainant, Oshodi testified.
"The accused only showed us photographs of some people on horses, which he claimed was a scene from the movie," the EFCC witness said.
After the witness' testimony, Justice Abiru adjourned the case to June 4 for continuation.
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