Police from the Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) Lagos, today, arraigned two young men in their late 20s before Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos for allegedly defrauding seven businessmen of the sum of N150 million.
The two alledged fraudsters, Divine Nonso Chukwuma, Hameed Babaolobi and one Adio Moses said to be at large, were alleged to have falsely posed as importers of computers, phone and phone accessories to dupe thier unsuspecting victims.
When the defendants’ arraignment came up oday, the prosecutor Mr, Chukwu Agwu, told the trial judge that he has a pending charge before the court and pleaded that the charge be read to the defendants so that they can take thier plea.
Upon reading the charge, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the eight counts.
According to the PSFU, in a charge numbered FHC/L/330c/2021, the two defendants and one Adio Moses Adedohun, said to be at large, were alledged to have between the months of March and August 2021, in Lagos State and Ilorin, Kwara State, conspired among themselves to commit felony by obtaining the sum of N150 million each, from Damilola Ajibike, Akinsanya Akinwale, John Bassey, Olubo Ayodeji, Uzoma Convidence Ogochukwu, Vitor Abia Ekanem, Amole Damilola and others, by false pretences through thier FCMB account number 5359314018 and First Bank account number 3104626738 on the understanding that they are importerers and distributors of mobile phones, accessories, computers and computers’ accessories and other related goods from the United states of America (USA) and that they will supply the said items within few weeks on the receipt of the money from their victims, a representation they knew to be false.
The offence commited were said to be contrary to section 1(1) (a) (b) and (c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Relates Offences Act , 2006, No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of thesame Act.
Following the defendants’ not guilty plea to the charges, the prosecutor, Chukwu Agwu asked the court to remand them in Ikoyi Correctional Center of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending the hearing and determination of the charge.
Agwu further asked for a trail date.
However, counsel to the first defendant, Ngozi Akandu while conceeding to a trial date, told Justice Aluko that he has just been briefed about the matter and would be filing the bail application for the first defendant shortly, he appealed to the court for a short adjournment.
In his own submission counsel to Babaolobi “second defendant”, Mr F I T Aliyu told the court that he has filed the bail summons for the second defendant, but conceeded that the prosecution is still within time to react to the application under the rule.
Aliyu urged the court for a short adjournment.
In his short ruling, Justice Aluko ordered the remand of the two defendants at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), Ikoyi and adjourned till February 19, for the hearing of the bail application of the second defendant and March 2, 2022 for the commencement of trial.
In the same vain, the PSFU also arraigned one Chris Uche Wilson a customer of Sterling Bank Plc, over an alledged N48, 069,450 million fraud, before the court
Wilson was arraigned on 11 counts charge bothering on obtaining money by false pretences, money laundering to the tune of N48, 069,450 million and cybercrime offences.
PSFU alleged that the defendant, Chris Uche Wilson being a customer under the Sterling Bank Plc “Double Investment Scheme” and others at large alledgedly commited the offences sometimes in the year 2020, within Lagos State and Delta State State.
Specifically, the defendant was alledged to have within the same period convert to himself through the use of Sterling Bank Plc Debit Card issued in favour one Peter Okoh in the sum of N20, 888, 238.51 million, through account numbers 0077390643 and 0077673285 domiciled at Sterling Bank in the name of Peter Okoh being part of the N48, 069450 million which he fraudulently credited to the accounts of “Double Platform Customers” for his own use without the authorisation of the bank.
He was also alledged to have done same to one Nkechi Nwaidumu for the sum of N5, 102,470.68 million; Ernest Paul Chukwuma for the sum of N9, 899, 750 million and Eyinnaya Wilson to the tune of N769,000.00.
The offence commited is said to be contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under section 15 (1) (a) and (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2021 (As ammended in 2021).
The offence is also said to be punishable under section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention ) Act, 2015.
Justice Aluko has fixed March 17, 2022, for trial.
