Emeka Edoh, the deputy director of Enugu State Water Corporation (ENSWC), has been presented before the court on charges of allegedly defrauding residents of N150,000.
Edoh appeared in court on Tuesday before Chief Magistrate Joseph Agu at the Magistrate’s Court in Enugu North.
Pleading not guilty to the one-count charge, the deputy director asserted his innocence.
In a separate incident, the magistrate denied bail to four defendants who faced a three-count charge, including felony, intent to intimidate and extort money from unsuspecting members of the public, and breach of peace.
“That you Edoh Emeka ‘M’ on the 23rd day of April, 2024, at No 144 Banks Avenue, in Enugu North Magisterial District, did by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtain the total sum of one hundred and fifty (N150, 000) thousand naira from Chinyere Ogbonna, Onyinye Ugwu and other members of the neighborhood with the pretence to rectify their Enugu State Water Corporation bill, which you know to be false, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 386 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30 Vol 11, reversed Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria,” the charge sheet reads.
The defendants, Onyeka Nicholas, Okechukwu Umeh, Monday Udeh, and Tochukwu Ezeh, were accused of erecting illegal roadblocks to extort money from unsuspecting members of the public.
On April 23, the Enugu government had declared a ban on all forms of illegal tolls and extortion from motorists by touts in the state.
