| 419 suspect Amaka Anajemba
is ashamed of her handcuff
By SEGUN AJIBOYE (e-mail: [email protected])
Sunday, July 25, 2004
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• Mrs.
Amaka Anajemba
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Life, they say is one big road with lots of signs, and while
riding to the top, do not complicate the next man. It was
in defiance of this law of nature that Lagos socialite, Regina
Amaka Anajemba, wife of the alleged late 419 kingpin, Ikechukwu
Anajemba, was at Ikeja High Court Friday humbled by the law
of the land.
Standing trial on a 98-count charge ofcomplicity in an alleged
419 reportedly committed by her husband, Ikechukwu Anajemba,
Amaka, who until her detention about a year ago lived life
in a fast lane and flaunted her opulence, could barely faced
the crowd, including battery of journalists who came to witnessed
what obviously is the biggest financial crime in the country.
Decked in a lemon-green guinea-brocade with assorted jewellery,
she was a shadow of her glamorous past, as she tried spiritedly
to conceal the handcuffs that have for now become part of
her ‘ornament’ from the public glare.
Driven in company of Chief Emmanuel Nwude, former director
at Union bank of Nigeria Plc and Chief Nzeribe Okoli, her
co-accused, Amaka evinced a visage of a common criminal, one
who is faced with the grim reality of life.
Like an actress playing a cameo role, the once vivacious,
bubbling Amaka, alighting from the Black Maria at 10.am with
registration number: NPF4253B, a sharp contrast with her hitherto
state-of-the-art cars she was synonymous with, she saw her
freedom and luxury steadily ebbing away.
Amaka and her two co-travellers are standing trial for allegedly
defrauding a Brazilian Bank to the tune of N36.5billion. The
three accused pleaded not guilty when the case, presided over
by Justice
Olubunmi Oyewole was read to them.
The prosecution, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), in the charge sheet alleged that the crimes were committed
around Opebi, Ikeja Lagos State between 1995 and 1997.
A mild drama, however, ensued while taking their pleas, when
on the 85th count, Chief Nzeribe Okoli, the third accused
person started coughing profusely, signalling for water. Justice
Oyewole immediately adjourned for some minutes so that water
could be gotten for Okoli. The court however resumed proceedings
about fifteen minutes later.
After all the charges were read and the pleas taken, lead
counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, sought the remand of the accused
at the Ikoyi Prisons pending further trial.
But counsels to the accused, Chief Chris Uche SAN, Clement
Akpamgbo and Emeka Chime informed the court of their plans
to file applications for bail which the court fixed for Friday
July, 30.
Meanwhile, Justice Oyewole ordered that the accused be remanded
at the Ikoyi Prison while fixing the 4th, 5th and 6th of October
for the trial to commence.
Speaking with Sunday Sun, counsel to Amaka Anajemba, Chief
Chris Uche, said that he was prepared to face whatever challenge
the EFCC may pose, wondering why the commission was still
holding his client, who he said is not guilty of any of the
charges preferred against her by the EFCC. “We are prepared
for the trials. It doesn’t matter how many charges they
bring, what matters is how they want to prove them against
my client. Let them bring all their witnesses. She is being
held vicariously, you can not hold a Nigerian citizen for
an offence said to have been committed by another whether
the person was her husband or not.”
It would be recalled that the EFCC brought the case to Lagos
after an Abuja High Court struck out the suit against the
three accused persons, citing lack of territorial jurisdiction,
among others. One notable feature of the suit in Lagos was
that the number of the charges have increased from the 86
at the Abuja court to 98 in Lagos.
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