REV. FR. SILAS C. NWEKE V. THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

MISITURA OMODERE BOLAJI-YUSUFF, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an appeal from the ruling of the Federal High Court, Awka Judicial Division delivered in suit No. FHC/AWK/75C/2010 on 11th November, 2011. The appellant a Reverend Father was arraigned with another Reverend Father, Rev. Dr. Obiorah before the Federal High Court on a 13 count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence with intent to defraud various persons named in the charge and defrauding those persons by falsely representing themselves as distributors of Ibeto and Dangote Cement presenting the Holy Family Group of Companies which they knew to be false and obtaining various sums of money from those persons. They were charged under Section 1 (1) (b) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The charges were read to the appellant and his co-accused but they refused to enter a plea. The case was adjourned for hearing but before the adjourned date, the appellan…