JOSEPH EYO EKANEM, JCA (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The appellant in this appeal was arraigned beforethe High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja (Criminal Division) (the trial Court) on an information containing a 14-count charge for offences of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences and obtaining money by false pretences from retired Lt. General Ishaya Rizi Bamaiyi contrary to Sections 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, No. 13 of 1995 as amended by Act No. 62 of 1999. He pleaded not guilty to each count of the information before Ipaye, J.
The information was subsequently amended on three occasions and he was arraigned before Oyefeso, J., before whom he again pleaded not guilty to all the counts of the information on 16/5/2017. Earlier, specifically on 26/1/2017, the appellant had filed an application for an order of the trial Court to quash the charge or strike out or dismiss the charge upon the grounds set out on the motion paper. The m…