………..as Catholic Church disown his business transaction.
By Kamsi Anayo
A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Nwankwo of Maryland Catholic Centre, Okpuno, Awka has been dragged to court over fraud.
Consequently, the Federal High Court, Awka, presided over by Hon. Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, has adjourned the case to January next year.
The Inspector General of Police had in a Charge No. FHC/AWK/C/31/21, dragged the priest to the Federal High Court in Awka on two count charge.
The Charge reads, “That you Rev. Fr. Ejike Nwankwo, male, of Maryland Catholic Centre Okpuno Awka sometime in December, 2020 at Umunze within the Judicial Division of the Honourable Court did commit the offence of Obtaining Property by False Pretence in that, with intent to defraud.
“You fraudulently deceived one Nnenna Ezenwa, female, by telling her that you would sell your company called HavilaGold Inter-Biz Imprex Nig. Ltd, a subsidiary of Ejikmary Nig. Limited, lying and situate at Kilometer 1 Umuchu Road Umunze to her and obtained the sum of N4,025,000 from her on the pretence.
“That you would use it to repair some items of the company and after collecting the money from her, you mobilized hoodlums, forcefully chased her and her staff away and locked up the premises without recourse to her investment.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(i) (a) (c) and punishable under section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act, 2004.
Count II: That you Rev. Fr. Ejike Nwankwo, male, of Maryland Catholic Centre Okpuno Awka, sometime in December, 2020 at Umunze within the Judicial Division of the Honourable Court did commit the offence of Obtaining Property by False Pretence in that, with intent to defraud.
“You fraudulently deceived one Nnenna Ezenwa, female, by telling her that you would sell your company called HavilaGold Inter-Biz Imprex Nig. Ltd, a subsidiary of Ejikmary Nig. Limited lying and situate at Kilometer 1 Umuchu Road Umunze.
“Based on your representation she accepted to buy and invest over N26,986,000 in purchasing Generator, CCTV Camera, TV Sets, DSTV, GOTV and other TV Decoders, bags of Flour, Fuel, Diesel, drinks, meats, chicken, loaves of bread, fire woods, chairs, washing pan.
“Other items; repairing of the following items: bread oven X3 and equipping it, fuel pumps, tanks, floors, gutter, soak-away well, change of plumbing, and other items, and when you discovered that she had developed the company to high standard of operation.
“You mobilized hoodlums, forcefully chased her and her staff away and locked up the premises without recourse to her investment: you thereby committed an offense contrary to section 1(i) (a) (c) and punishable under section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act, 2004.
Justice Dimgba had on June 16, 2022, when the case came up for hearing, directed the parties to the case, Rev Ejike Nwankwo, Mr P.A. Ogele, Prosecutor from Zone 13 Police Zonal Command Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state and Mrs Nnenna Ezenwa, to go and resolve the matter out of Court and report back to the Court.
The Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, had also in a letter, entitled “Penal Precept Ex. CAN.1319 & 1 to Rev. Fr. Nwankwo dated March 28, 2022, which was also copied to Mrs. Nnenna Ezenwa, directed the priest to within the six months of the letter settle the matter.
“With this penal precept, I direct that if you do not obey this lawful command and continue with disobedience, you will be punished accordingly with explatory penalties, which could include an order, deprivations and prohibitions (Can. 1336 & 1, & 2-5.of also Can.1371).
“You have six months from the date of execution of this decree to disengage from all businesses, settle with Mrs Nnenna Ezenwa, sufficiently repair the scandal and reintegrate yourself fully in the pastoral assignment given to you by the Diocese.
However, when both parties to the case returned to the Federal High Court Awka on Oct. 25, to report back to Hon Justice Dimgba, on the outcome of his directive for settlement of the matter out of court, the prosecutor P. A Ogele, told the court that the settlement collapse because all effort by bother him and family of Mrs Nnenna Ezenwa to reach the priest for settlement failed.
However, when the Judge asked Rev. Fr. Nwankwo’s lawyer, Mr. Kingsley Idenyi, in the presence of the priest why out of court settlement could not hold, he told the court that they want to proceed with the case in court. The judge therefore, adjourned the case to 24th, 25th and 26th January 2023 for continued hearing.
