Why Enugu ex-commissioner may remain in prison till January 2022

By LAWRENCE NJOKU, Enugu

Immediate past Enugu State Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Victor Chukwuemeka Nnam, may remain in confinement until January 11 or January 12, 2022, being the adjourned date for his case following his failure to meet his bail conditions.

The Federal High Court, Enugu, had, at the weekend, adjourned the case to January and directed Nnam to pay N200 million as part of the bail conditions or be remanded in prison custody.

At press time yesterday, sources confirmed that the former commissioner was yet to meet the bail conditions and had remained in the Enugu Correctional Centre.

He was also expected to provide two sureties in the like sum, who must be resident in Enugu State and satisfy the court with their evidence of means of livelihood, Bank Verification Number (BVN), National Identity Number (NIN) and telephone numbers.

Justice J. I. Buba had remanded Nnam, who resigned his appointment from the Enugu State Government in October, in prison for alleged forgery, theft and obtaining land by false pretense.

The former Commissioner, who was arraigned before the court on 10-count charge for converting the Aruga Layout in Obinagu, Obeagu Community to himself, an offense contrary to section 15(1) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Act) 2011, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

When he resigned from office in October, he had claimed that his decision to quit the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration followed the removal of the professional heads of departments under his ministry without justification, just as he cited the rejection of a proposal from his office for reform of land administration in the state.

The Guardian learnt that Nnam committed the alleged offences for which he was taken to court, as an employee of Private Estates International West Africa, developers of Enugu Lifestyle and Golf City.

After taking his plea, counsel for Nmam drew the court’s attention to his application for bail to which Justice Buba granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200 million and two sureties in like sum.

The court also directed that the defendant should not travel outside the country without prior approval from the court adding: “The defendant shall file an undertaking not to delay hearing of the case and shall deposit his international passport with the court registry.”

The plaintiff in the case, Private Estate International West Africa Limited, had said in the statement of claim that by a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) dated November 10, 2009 and registered as No. 20 at Page 20 in Volume 1622 in the Land Registry, the state government granted it statutory right of occupancy over the land situate at Obeagu/Amechi Awkunanaw, Enugu for 99 years beginning from January 1, 2009. (The Guardian)