By Miriam Humbe
The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned one Ifeanyichukwu Ogbu, the Chief Executive Officer, Ski Hi-Entertainment before Justice Vincent C. Ezeugwu of the Enugu State High Court, sitting in Independence Layout, on a three-count charge bordering on issuance of dud cheque to the tune of N16, 847, 000 (Sixteen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand Naira).
Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head, Media & Publicity disclosed this in a statement signed on Monday.
Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Ifeanyichukwu Ogbu, trading under name and style of Ski Hi-Entertainment, on or about the 9th day of August, 2024 in Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, issued a Zenith Bank Plc cheque number 00000211 dated 9th day of August, 2024 in the sum of Five Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira (N5, 530, 000. 00) which upon presentation for payment within three months of issuance was dishonoured on the ground of insufficient funds in the account on which the cheque was drawn and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Cap D11, Law of Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 1 (1) (b) (i) of the same Act”.
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him and in view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS, Enugu.
The defence counsel, Chikelu Anya attempted to apply orally for his client’s bail but was quickly reminded by the court that it is a court of records.
Justice Ezeugwu thereafter adjourned the matter to July 16, 2026 for hearing of bail application while the defendant was released to Anya to be produced in court on the next adjourned date.
The defendant was arrested following claims of Oby Onwuakor, the Sales/Front Office Manager of Ski Hi-Entertainment, on behalf of its management, that Ogbu made reservations for members of three Nigerian Premier Football League clubs and that after the expiration of their stay in the hotel, the entire bill accumulated to N17, 424, 600 (Seventeen Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-four Thousand, Six Hundred Naira).
The defendant, according to Onwuakor, paid only N1, 000, 000. 00 (One Million Naira) and issued three cheques to them which upon presentation for payment, was dishonoured on the ground of insufficient funds in the account.
