The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today 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.
The anti-graft agency stated this in a Friday statement.
Two of the suspects were a mother and son, Margaret Sylvester and Lucky Ebhogie.
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.”
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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.