A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday adjourned until Nov. 3 the continuation of the trial of a Lagos businesswoman, Clara Anthony, charged with alleged N643.8 million fraud.
Anthony is standing trial alongside her company, Flourish Claire Concept, on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, dishonest conversion, and stealing.
She was arraigned by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) on Nov. 25, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court had granted her bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum.
During Monday’s proceedings, the prosecutor, Mr Samuel Ogala, informed the court that the defendant and her counsel were absent and urged the court to revoke her bail and issue a bench warrant for her arrest.
In a brief ruling, Justice Ibrahim Kala revoked the defendant’s bail and ordered her arrest by the police. However, as the court session was ending, Anthony appeared and apologised for her absence, explaining that she had been unable to reach her lawyer, who had not been answering her calls.
She told the court she might need to engage a new lawyer for her representation.
Responding, the prosecutor noted that four prosecution witnesses were present and urged the court not to allow further delays.
Justice Kala ordered the defendant to appear with her counsel on the next adjourned date, vacated the bench warrant, but warned that failure to appear next time would lead to bail revocation.
The matter was adjourned until Nov. 3 for trial.
According to the charge, Anthony allegedly committed the offence in August 2023 at Oregun, Lagos, where she fraudulently obtained various sums of money from traders under the pretence of investing in the rice business.
She was accused of collecting sums including N56 million, N36 million, N58.05 million, N20.5 million, N3.2 million, N410 million, N6.1 million, and N54 million from different traders through her company, which she allegedly converted to personal use.
The offences contravene sections 1(1)(a–c) and 8(a–c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, as well as section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004.
(NAN)