EFCC Arraigns Nwalaezi Siblings for Land Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned siblings Cypril Nwalaezi and Smart Nwalaezi before Justice S.D. Pam of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for alleged land fraud.

The charges include five counts of conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretenses, amounting to N3,200,000. Cypril Nwalaezi is accused of defrauding Franklin Nwachukwu on October 17, 2022, by selling a parcel of land in Umuasukpo Farm Road, measuring 1,150.805 square meters, while Smart Nwalaezi is charged with a similar offense on November 3, 2022, involving a land area of 467.912 square meters.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty. The court remanded them in custody at the Nigeria Correctional Service in Port Harcourt while granting bail to Cypril Nwalaezi for N500,000 with sureties and Smart Nwalaezi for N50,000.

The trial is set to commence in June 2024, with the next hearing scheduled for September 17, 2026.