-The Daily Crucible
An undergraduate, Okoh Kingsley Chukwuemeka, who allegedly impersonates American Servicemen on peace mission in Iraq to defraud unsuspecting victims in dating sites and other social media platforms, came face-to-face with the law on Thursday as he was arraigned at a Federal High Court in Kaduna and charged with fraud.
The one count charge brought against him by the Kaduna Zonal Office of the EFCC reads, “that you Okoh Kingsley Chukwuemeka 'M' sometime in February, 2021 in Kaduna within the Judicial division of this Honorable Court, did commit an offense to wit: impersonation when you fraudulently held yourself out as a military personnel from Rochester, Illinois serving in Iraq and in need of financial assistance, received, $700 ( Seven Hundred United State Dollars) from one Jean Conlin with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (2) of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015”.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him, prompting the prosecution counsel, P. C Onyeneho to ask the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial, while the defendant is remanded in the Correctional Service custody.
Justice P. Mallong in a short ruling, adjourned till March 22, 2021 for commencement of trial, and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody.
In a similar development, EFCC also arraigned one Adaji James Isah before Justice Mallong for offences bordering on romance scam.
Adaji who doubles as a farmer and student was arrested at Faringada Jos based on intelligence that he had been extorting American divorcees while professing love to them via social media platforms such as WeChat and others.
Proceeds of his crime allegedly include a Toyota Camry 2008 saloon car, a laptop and two mobile phones.
The charge reads, “that you Adaji James Isah 'M' sometime in February, 2021 in Jos Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit; impersonation when you fraudulently held yourself out as one Sergeant Sidhu Rueben of the United States Army and induced one Ram Murti to part with $12,200) Twelve Thousand Two. Hundred Dollars) as payment for vacation and replacement with the intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 22(2) (b) of Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015”.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge while counsel for the EFCC, P. C.Onyeneho urged the court to fix a date for commencement of trial and remand the defendant in the Correctional Service custody pending trial
Justice Mallong adjourned the case till March 22, 2021 for trial while ordering that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC custody.
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