Find the EFCC press statement below...
A suspected fraudster, Emeofa Michael Ikechukwu
(Alias Michael Briggs) was on March 10, 2015 docked before Justice H.A
Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court Port Harcourt, Rivers State by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 9-count charge
bordering on personation, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence
to the tune of more than $127,457. The accused person allegedly obtained
the sum from his Swiss girlfriend whom he tricked into investing in a
non- existent timber business. Ikechukwu allegedly met his victim on a
dating site in February 2013 and struck a relationship that blossomed
into promise of marriage. “Michael Briggs”, introduced himself to his
victim as a timber tycoon who was in Nigeria to close a business deal.
He later informed her that he was having some difficulties with Nigerian
officials and requested for loan from her. He later sent various scam
documents to her, offering her partnership in his timber business in
Nigeria. By the time she realised that she was dealing with a trickster,
she had lost over $100,000 to the accused. One of the count reads:
“That you Emeofa Michael Ikechukwu (Alias Michael Briggs) sometime in
April , 2013, in Port Harcourt and within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable court with intend to defraud, did obtain the sum of
$77,003.95 (seventy seven thousand, three dollar ninety five cents) from
one Hengameh Misepasi and which you purportedly claimed to be a
business partner dealing with timber which pretext you knew to be false
and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) of the
Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and
punishable under section 1 (3) of the same Act”. The accused person
pleaded to guilty to the charges. In view of the plea of the accused,
the prosecuting counsel Sadiq Hussain applied for a date for trial . The
judge remanded the accused in prison and adjourned the case to May 16,
2015 for hearing of bail application.
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