The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned the Group Managing Director of Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited, Egwuche Gladys, for alleged abuse of office and embezzlement of public funds to the tune of $600,000 (N827 million).

This was disclosed in a statement posted by the EFCC on its X page on Friday, adding that Gladys was arraigned alongside the firm on a 12-count charge before Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court at Independence Layout, Enugu State.

According to the statement, Gladys, while being Group Managing Director of the company allegedly accepted cash payment of $50,000 in 12 tranches between March 13, 2023 and April 11, 2023, totalling $600, 000.

Count one of the charges read, “That you, Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited and Mrs Egwuche Chinyere Gladys, while being the Group Managing Director of Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited on the 13th of March, 2023 at Abakaliki, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, accepted cash payment of $50,000.

“The money was part payment for a 180220TPH Granite Stone Crushing Line you sold to Patan Nigeria Ltd and Reinforce Global Resources Ltd which exceeded the statutory required threshold of N10,000, 000 without passing through a financial institution and in violation of this provision, you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19 (2) (b) of the same Act.”

Count three of the charges read, “That you, Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited and Mrs Egwuche Chinyere Gladys, while being the Group Managing Director of Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited on the 15th of March, 2023 at Abakaliki, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, accepted cash payment of $50,000, being part payment for a 180220TPH Granite Stone Crushing Line you sold to Patan Nigeria Ltd and Reinforce Global Resources Ltd (JV) which exceeded the statutory required threshold of N10,000,000, without passing through a financial institution and in violation of this provision, you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19 (2) (b) of the same Act.”

According to the statement, the defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

In view of her plea, counsel to the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Rotimi Ajobiewe prayed the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case and for the defendant to be remanded at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Enugu.

However, the defence counsel, Roy O. U. Nwaeze (SAN), informed the court about a pending bail application before it, moved it and prayed the court to grant bail to his client.

Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo thereafter granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200m with two sureties in like sum.

“Each of the sureties must have a property within the jurisdiction of the court. The court equally ordered the defendant to deposit her international passport with the court’s Registrar and EFCC to verify the addresses of the sureties within seven days. The matter was adjourned to November 11, 2026 for trial,” the statement added. (The PUNCH)