The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, has arraigned businessman Christopher Elendu Enyinnwa before the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged N30.14 million fraud arising from a proposed slippers supply deal involving goods from China.Enyinnwa was arraigned on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe on a four-count charge bordering on fraudulent conversion and obtaining money under false pretences.
According to the EFCC, the defendant allegedly collected a total of N30,140,000 from Chidebere Love Okafor for the supply of slippers from China but allegedly failed to deliver the goods or refund the money.
Two of the counts accused Enyinnwa of fraudulently converting N2 million and N11.923 million belonging to Okafor for his personal use. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Fanen Anum, told the court that the prosecution was ready to commence trial and had two witnesses available.
Defence counsel, K.C. Atuenyi, however, sought an adjournment, explaining that he had only prepared for the arraignment and needed more time to prepare for trial.
Justice Abike-Fadipe overruled the request and directed the prosecution to call its first witness.
Testifying as the first prosecution witness, Okafor, who works with Gomac Industry Nigeria Limited, told the court that she knew Enyinnwa as a fellow church member.
She said the defendant had informed her that he travelled to China for business and could assist her in sourcing slippers from the country. According to her, she subsequently approached him and gave him a sample of the slippers she wanted to purchase.
The witness said Enyinnwa later provided a price for the proposed supply, which she initially considered expensive because she was also negotiating with another company offering a lower price.
Okafor told the court that she eventually decided to proceed with Enyinnwa because she trusted him as a fellow church member.
She said the defendant requested an initial payment of N2 million, which she paid into his Access Bank account in August 2024.
According to her, Enyinnwa later returned from China with samples of the slippers, after which some amendments were made and the samples were returned to him.
The witness further stated that the defendant subsequently requested N11.923 million to commence production, adding that the amount was also paid into his Access Bank account.
She alleged that Enyinnwa later demanded another N15 million as the balance, which was paid to him.
Okafor said the defendant subsequently promised to return to China and arrange the shipment of the goods within a short period, but failed to travel as expected.
According to her, Enyinnwa later attributed the delay to problems with his travel documents and subsequently requested another N2 million to facilitate his return to China.
She said she and her husband agreed to provide the additional money because they wanted the defendant to complete the transaction.
The witness told the court that Enyinnwa eventually travelled to China in February 2025 and later informed them that he had shipped goods, including clothes, promising to provide the relevant shipping documents when the consignment arrived.
Okafor, however, said the goods did not arrive as promised, while subsequent efforts to resolve the matter yielded no refund or delivery of the slippers.
She further told the court that her pastor later summoned her and informed her that some of the defendant’s claims were allegedly untrue.
According to the witness, members of the church subsequently intervened in the dispute, during which Enyinnwa allegedly promised to refund the money.
“The total amount is N30,140,000. Up till now, I have not seen the goods and the money,” she told the court.
During cross-examination, defence counsel requested another date to cross-examine the witness.
Following the development, the prosecution urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending the continuation of proceedings.
Justice Abike-Fadipe subsequently adjourned the matter to November 26, December 16 and 17, 2026, for continuation of trial and ordered that Enyinnwa be remanded in a correctional facility.
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