Court Remands Man Pending His Plea Agreement
Justice Ismail Ijelu of an Ikeja Special Offences Court has remanded one Justus Joseph in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission pending his plea agreement.
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a man, Justus Joseph, before an Ikeja Special Offences Court on possessing false pretence documents.
He was arraigned on a two-count charge of possession of a document containing false pretence contrary to section 318 of the criminal law of Lagos State 2011.
He pleaded guilty.
The prosecution counsel, Linda Durugo, prayed to the court for a date to review the facts in the matter and for the defendant’s remand at the Correctional Centre pending the commencement of the date.
However, the defence counsel, Ezinne Ukpai, informed the court that she had applied for a plea bargain with the Commission and prayed for a short date for him to move the same.
She also prayed that the defendant should remain in EFCC custody.
“We have applied for a plea bargain, and the defendant has made restitution, but we have not perfected the plea bargain agreement. We pray for a very short time to enable us to perfect the plea bargain,” she said.
Justice Ijelu ordered the defendant remanded in EFCC custody. The judge adjourned until Monday, February 24, 2025.
The charges read: “Justice Joseph Bassey, on or about the 21st of November,2024, had in your possession documents to with chat conversation via your Google chat containing false pretence which representation you knew to be false or caught to have known to be false.”
