EFCC Arraigns Siblings For Allegedly Defrauding American $43, 850, N18.6m
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
A pair of siblings have been arraigned by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for allegedly defrauding their victim, an American, the sums $43,850 and N18,675,133.75, respectively.
The EFCC’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale in a statement on Wednesday, said Ajim Kerison Onubuogu and his biological brother, Ajim Tochukwu Christian, were arraigned before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State on a four-count charge bordering on criminal personation, obtaining by false pretence, money laundering and possession of proceeds of crime.
According to one of the charges, Ajim Kerison fraudulently impersonated one Chris M. Akaa, a resident of Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States of America, by through a fake Facebook account, and in the process gained the sum of $43, 850 from one Chebet Chumba by intentionally sending to her love messages thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 22 (3) (a) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same Act.
On his own part, Ajim Tochukwu was charged felony after taking possession of an aggregate sum of N18,675,133.75 belonging to one Chebet Chumba, through his Opay Digital Service Ltd account number 8067016437, “knowing same to be fund that forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act”.
The siblings pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them, in view of which, counsel to the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the Enugu State Correctional Facility.
Justice Umar thereafter adjourned the matter to January 21, 2025 for hearing of bail application, while the defendants were remanded at the Enugu State Correctional facility.
