By Emmanuel Thomas l Saturday, Oct. 03, 2026
LAGOS — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Lagos-based businessman, Christopher Elendu Enyinnwa, before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged N30,140,000 fraudulent conversion and false pretence scheme.
The prosecution alleges that the defendant obtained the money under the pretext of importing slippers from China for a fellow church member, but failed to deliver the goods or refund the funds.
When the four-count charge was read to him, Enyinnwa pleaded not guilty.
Following the plea, the prosecution counsel, Fanen Anum, informed the court that the team was ready to proceed immediately with the trial, having brought two prosecution witnesses to court.
However, the defence counsel, K.C. Atuenyi, requested an adjournment, stating that he had only prepared for the formal arraignment of his client. Justice Abike-Fadipe overruled the defence’s application and ordered the prosecution to call its first witness without delay.
Testifying as the first prosecution witness (PW1), Chidebere Love Okafor, an employee of Gomac Industry Nigeria Limited, recounted how a business deal built on religious trust collapsed.
Okafor explained that she knew the defendant through their common place of worship. Enyinnwa had informed her that he regularly traveled to China for commercial purposes and offered to assist her firm in sourcing and importing customized slippers.
”He is my church member. I knew him in church. He told me he buys goods, and I approached him to buy slippers in China for me,” PW1 told the court.
She noted that after initial discussions, she supplied the defendant with sample slippers. Although Enyinnwa’s price quotation was higher than competing offers from other firms, she chose to proceed with him due to the implicit trust she had in a fellow church member.
Step-by-Step Breakdown of Financial Transactions
According to the witness testimony, payments were made in multiple installments:
Initial Commitment Deposit: In August 2024, the victim transferred N2,000,000 to Enyinnwa’s Access Bank account as a initial deposit.
Production Funds: After Enyinnwa returned from China with preliminary samples, the design was finalized, and he requested N11,923,000 to commence full production.
Balance Settlement: The complainant paid a further N15,000,000 balance to cover the total shipment costs.
Documentation Expenses: Claiming to encounter travel document difficulties, the defendant requested an additional N2,000,000. The witness and her husband paid this sum to ensure the trips were completed.
Church Intervention and Legal Remand
The witness further testified that in February 2025, Enyinnwa traveled to China and subsequently claimed that he had shipped a consignment, promising to present shipping documents upon arrival in Nigeria. However, no goods arrived.
Suspicion arose when church members and the presiding pastor intervened after discovering that several of the defendant’s claims were untrue. Despite promises made during church peace meetings to refund the full sum, the funds were never recovered.
”He promised to refund the money, but up till now, I have not seen the goods and the money,” Okafor testified.
During cross-examination, defence counsel Atuenyi asked for a later date to cross-examine PW1. Prosecution counsel Anum subsequently urged the court to remand the defendant pending trial.
Justice Abike-Fadipe ordered that Enyinnwa be remanded in a correctional facility and adjourned the matter to November 26, December 16, and December 17, 2026, for the continuation of trial and cross-examination.
