Court remands Lagos businessman over N30.14m fraud

The Lagos Special Offences Court has ordered the remand of a businessman, Christopher Enyinnwa, over an alleged ₦30.14 million fraud linked to a failed slipper supply transaction from China.

Enyinnwa was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe on a four-count charge bordering on fraudulent conversion and obtaining money under false pretences.

The EFCC alleged that the defendant collected a total of ₦30,140,000 from the petitioner, Chidebere Okafor, for the supply of slippers from China but allegedly failed to deliver the goods or refund the money.

One of the charges alleged that Enyinnwa, sometime in August 2024, in Lagos, fraudulently converted ₦2 million belonging to Okafor to his personal use.

Another count alleged that he fraudulently converted an additional ₦11.923 million belonging to the petitioner.

When the charges were read to Enyinnwa, he pleaded not guilty.

Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Fanen Anum, told the court that the prosecution was ready to commence trial and had two witnesses available to testify.

Defence counsel, K.C. Atuenyi, however, requested an adjournment, explaining that he had only prepared for the defendant’s arraignment and needed more time to prepare for trial.

Justice Abike-Fadipe overruled the request and directed the prosecution to call its first witness.

The first prosecution witness (PW1), Okafor Chidebere, who works with Gomac Industry Nigeria Limited, told the court that she knew Enyinnwa as a fellow church member.

According to her, the defendant had informed her that he travelled to China for business and could assist her in sourcing slippers from the country.

She said she subsequently approached him to procure the goods and gave him a sample of the slippers she wanted to purchase.

The witness told the court that Enyinnwa later provided a price for the goods, which she initially considered expensive because she was also negotiating with another company offering a lower price.

She said she eventually decided to proceed with Enyinnwa because they were members of the same church and she trusted him.

According to the witness, the defendant requested an initial deposit of ₦2 million, which she paid into his Access Bank account in August 2024.

She said that after Enyinnwa returned from China, he presented samples of the slippers, following which some amendments were made and the samples were returned to him.

The witness testified that Enyinnwa subsequently requested ₦11.923 million to commence production, which was also paid into his Access Bank account.

She said the defendant later demanded another ₦15 million as balance, which she and her husband also paid.

“After that, he told us that he will go back to ship the goods in a very short while,” she told the court.

However, according to Okafor, the defendants did not travel as expected, prompting them to contact him for an explanation.

She said the defendant claimed that he was experiencing problems with his travel documents and later requested another ₦2 million to facilitate his return to China.

The witness said she and her husband agreed to provide the additional money because they wanted the defendant to return to China and complete the transaction.

She testified that Enyinnwa eventually travelled to China in February 2025 and later informed them that he had shipped the goods, alongside some clothes.

According to her, the defendant promised to provide the relevant shipping documents once the consignment arrived.

The witness, however, said the goods did not arrive as promised.

She told the court that the matter was later brought before her pastor, who allegedly informed her that some of the defendant’s claims were untrue.

Okafor said members of the church subsequently intervened in the dispute, after which Enyinnwa allegedly promised to refund the money.

She told the court that the refund had not been made.

“The total amount is ₦30,140,000. Up till now, I have not seen the goods and the money,” she said.

During cross-examination, defence counsel requested another date to cross-examine the witness.

The prosecution subsequently urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending the continuation of trial.

In his ruling, Justice Abike-Fadipe ordered that Enyinnwa be remanded in a correctional facility.

The judge adjourned the case to November 26, December 16 and 17, 2026, for continuation of trial.