The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Kubwa, has rejected a bail plea from serial fraudster and Abuja socialite Prince Chibuike Echem, along with Danjuma Mohammed, a former National Coordinator of the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) at the North East Development Commission.
In January, the EFCC arraigned Prince Echem and Danjuma on charges of multi-billion-naira contract fraud.
They are accused of defrauding Diamond Leeds Limited, an indigenous construction and equipment supply company, of billions of naira by pretending to facilitate contracts linked to government agencies.
The two appeared before the High Court in Zuba to face a 55-count charge involving advance fee fraud and forgery, and pleaded not guilty.
The trouble began in 2023 when Echem allegedly exploited his relationship with Diamond Leeds CEO Kenneth Ifekudu, introducing him to Danjuma, who claimed to be a power-broker in the North.
Diamond Leeds had earlier engaged Echem as a consultant, but he allegedly used his closeness to the chairman to defraud the company of billions of naira, with Danjuma as his accomplice.
Although the Diamond Leeds received contract award letters, it was never permitted to mobilize engineers or equipment to project sites in the North East, citing insecurity.
The defendants face charges under Charge No: CR/708/25, which include conspiracy and obtaining over N2.28 billion through false pretenses from Diamond Leeds Limited’s managing director.
Prosecutors requested that the defendants be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre while the case proceeds. The presiding Judge ordered their remand at Suleja Correctional Centre, citing its proximity to the court, with a hearing scheduled for ten continuous days starting from the 25th March.
After the adjournment, Lead Counsel B C Igwilo, SAN stated that about seven witnesses would testify and called for objective reporting.
Prior investigations revealed that all contract documents submitted for execution were forged. Diamond Leeds expressed disappointment that, despite the chairman’s personal efforts to support Echem, he colluded with the fraud syndicate to steal billions.
Following repeated demands for payment for delivered equipment, the syndicate opened a GTBank account named NEDC, from which part of the stolen funds was allegedly recovered as payment.
EFCC investigators uncovered additional fraud links to Danjuma Mohammed, leading to his dismissal from the NEDC.
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