Justice Yelim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered that Atuonah, who is only 21 years old, be remanded in a Nigerian Correctional Centre.

According to reports, Atuonah was arrested by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) in April on five counts of charges bordering on obtaining by false pretences, fraud, and unlawful conversation.

It is said that the defendant committed these offenses between January and February of 2022. The prosecutor, Henry Obiazi, told the court that the defendant’s actions contravened Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

During her arraignment, Atuonah pleaded not guilty to the charges, and her lawyer, N Ugo, applied for bail on her behalf. The prosecutor, however, urged the court to dismiss the bail application.

The defendant, has been ordered by Justice Bogoro to be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services until May 19. At that time, a ruling will be delivered regarding her bail application.