A man, Gabriel Celestine Nwawuzor, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos, over alleged money laundering and obtaining the sum of N55 million by false pretence.
Gabriel alongside a company, Moonlink Pharmaceuticals Limited were arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Daniel Osiagor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the charges.
The prosecutor, Barrister Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, informed the court that the defendant and the pharmaceutical company, committed the offences in Lagos, sometimes in 2021.
The defendant was alleged to have defrauded his victim, Ifeanyi Okechukwu, with false presentation of using the money to procure pharmaceutical products, only to diverted the money to Fredun Pharmaceutical Limited to offset debt.
He was also alleged to used part of the money to purchase of a property located at 23, Okenwa Okolo Street, Opana Asaba, Delta State.
The alleged illegal acts of the defendant according to the prosecutor contravened sections 21(a) and 18(2)(d) of the of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act,2022 and punishable under section 18 (3) of the same Act.
The offence also contravened Section 1(1)(a) and punishable Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Offences Act, 2006.
The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges .
Based on his not guilty plea, the trial judge admitted him to bail in the sum of N100 million with two sureties in like sum, and among other conditions.
Justice Osiagor however remanded the defendant in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services NCoS pending meeting the bail conditions, while adjourned the matter to March 11 and 12, 2026 for trial.
Charges Against The Defendants Read: “That you That you Gabriel Celestine Nwawuzor and Moonlink Pharmaceuticals Limited sometime in April, 2021, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured the account number 2170235882 domiciled in Zenith Bank to retain the sum of N55, 000, 000.00 ( Fifty Five Million Naira) which sum you know forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 21(a), 18(2)(d) of the of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act,2022 and punishable under section 18 (3) of the same Act.
“That you Gabriel Celestine Nwawuzor and Moonlink Pharmaceuticals Limited sometime in April, 2021, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court indirectly disguised the the origin of the sum of N55, 000, 000.00 (Fifty Five Million Naira) to the purchase of a property located at No. 23, Okenwa Okolo Street, Opana Asaba, Delta State, which sum you know forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 18(2)(a) of the of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under section 18 (3) of the same Act.
“That you, Gebriel Celestine Nwawuzor and Moonlink Pharmaceuticals Limited on or about 26th April, 2021, in Lagos, the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by the false pretence a intent to defraud, induced Ifeanyi Okechukwu to transfer the $500,000.00 ( Five Hundred Thousand Usd) to Fredun Pharmaceutical Limited to offset part of your debt, by the false pretence that the money were for procurement of pharmaceutical products, and our there by committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and punishable Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Offences Act, 2006.”
