Son, Mother, Three Others Arraigned For Internet Fraud In Kaduna
The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Friday, August 20, 2021 arraigned five suspects before Justice Hannatu A.L Balogun of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna on separate one-count charges for offences ranging from impersonation to obtaining by false pretences.
One of the charges read: “That you, Isreal Justin (male) sometime in July 2021 at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in an attempt to commit fraud falsely presented yourself to one Angie Barfrag as James Thompson (an American Military Personnel) serving in Ohio, United States of America, which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5 (2) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
Another charge reads: “That you Lucky Ebhogie (male) sometime in July, 2021 at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently obtained a total sum of $ 7,500 USD ( Seven Thousand Five Hundred USD) only from one Nancy, an American citizen, when you presented yourself to her as James Chinn (an American Military Personnel) deployed to Afghanistan which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) b and punishable under Section 1 (3) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
The charge against Margaret reads: “That you Margaret Sylvester (Female) sometime in July, 2021 at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conduct a financial transaction to with; purchase a vehicle “Mercedes Benz GLK 350, 2013 Model, Chassis No. WDCGG5HM1EG190011” at the cost of N 7,000,000 (Seven Million Naira only), for and behalf of one Lucky Ebhojie, from the proceeds of a specified unlawful activity for the purpose of disguising the source of the money which you knew or ought to have known was the proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7 (1) (b) and punishable under Section 7 (2) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
The charge against Godwin reads: “That you, Richman Kas Godwin ( male) sometime in July, 2021 at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently obtained the sum of $ 1,200 USD ( One Thousand Two Hundred USD only) from one Nancy ( an American citizen ) when you falsely presented yourself to her as West Brown ( an American military personnel) deployed to Afghanistan, which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (b) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
The defendants all pleaded ‘not guilty’ to their respective charges.
Upon their pleas, the prosecution counsel, N. Salele asked the court to remand the defendants in prison custody and fix a date for the commencement of the trial,
But the defence counsel, C.E Okonkwo drew the attention of the court to a pending motion for the bail of his clients and urged the court to admit them to bail.
Justice Balogun ordered the defendants remanded in a Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till August 26, 2021 for ruling on the bail applications.
Fake Surety: Headmaster Convicted for False Information in Kano
Umar Hassan, an assistant headmaster at Goron Dutse Primary School in Dala Local Government of Kano State and a surety in the case of one Abdulkadir Mohammed Sani was today, August 20, 2021 sentenced to six months imprisonment by Justice Zuwaira Yusuf of the Kano State High Court for presenting false information to mislead operatives of the Kano Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, into granting bail to a suspect in a criminal case being investigated by the agency.
The Court had on August 12, 2021 convicted the defendant after he pleaded guilty to a one count charge of false information but reserved sentencing till August 20, 2021.
The charge read, “that you Umar Hassan on or about 13th December, 2017, at Kano, within the Jurisdiction of the Kano State High Court, Kano did commit an unlawful act to wit: gave false information to an Officer of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by representing yourself as a brother to one Abdulkadir Muhammad Sani who is under investigation, whom you later took on administrative bail as a surety and who is now at large, whereby you failed to produce him when required by the Commission and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 39 (2)(a) and Punishable under Section 39 (2)(b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004”.
The defendant’s trouble began after he stood as a surety for one Abdulkadir Mohammed Sani who is being investigated by the Kano Zonal Command of the Commission for alleged offences of obtaining by false pretence and forgery.
When the defendant failed to produce the principal suspect at the required time, it was discovered that all the information given by him, including the claim of being a brother to the suspect, were false.
Man Arraigned for N1m Scam
The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today, August 20, 2021 arraigned one David Eddy Akang before Justice Hannatu A.L Balogun of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna, on one count charge bordering on theft to the tune of One Million Naira (N1, 000,000.00).
The charge reads: “That you David Eddy Akang (male) sometime in May, 2021 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly took out of the possession of Susan Okafor the sum of One Million Naira (N1000, 000.00) only from her account number 0074736651 domiciled at Sterling Bank Plc without her consent and you therefore committed the offence of theft contrary to Section 270(1) Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017 and punishable under Section 271 of the same Law.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Based on his plea, the prosecution counsel, N. Salele asked the court to remand the defendant in custody and fix a date for his trial to commence.
But the defence counsel, Ben Churchill pleaded with the court to uphold the administrative bail earlier granted to the defendant when the matter was still being investigated.
Justice Balogun granted the defendant bail in the sum of One Million Naira (N100, 000.000) with two sureties in like sum, who must be resident in Kaduna. The sureties who must be persons of proven integrity, are to provide their full addresses.
The case was adjourned till 29th September, 2021 for trial.
