12.5m fraud: EFCC secures three convictions, arraigns two others for internet fraud

In its bid to rid the nation of financial crimes and other related offences, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, secured three convictions at the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State.

A statement issued by the Acting Head of Media and Publicity of the commission Tony Orilade made available to BuisnessDay on Thursday said that one of those convicted is Oluwalusi Kikelomo, who was arraigned before Justice M. G. Umar on a one count charge of stealing and obtaining by false pretence.

Upon her arraignment, Oluwalusi pleaded guilty to the charge. And based on a plea bargain arrangement between the prosecution counsel and the defence counsel she was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment. All assets recovered from her as proceeds of crime are to be forfeited to the victim, the statement said.

The charge against her reads: “That you, Oluwalusi Kikelomo, while being a branch Manager in O- FAGE Enterprise Nigeria Ltd, between February 2017 and October 2018 in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did fraudulently convert to your own use the aggregate sum of N12, 268, 200 (Twelve Million, Two Hundred and Sixty Eight Thousand and Two Hundred Naira) only being proceeds from some sale of goods belonging to your employer and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004”.

In the same vein, Justice Umar also convicted and sentenced one Ezean Chukwuebukai Lawrence to two months imprisonment for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N168,000.00 (One Hundred and Sixty Eight Thousand Naira) from the bank account of one Okosun Christiana. The defendant, upon arraignment pleaded guilty to the charge. He was sentenced to two months imprisonment and he is to make restitution to the victim, the statement said.

Also convicted by Justice Umar is Magbo Chukwujekwu Hillary, who was sentenced to two months imprisonment for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N160,000 (One Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira ) from the bank account of one Okosun Christiana. The court also ordered that all assets recovered from the defendant as proceeds of crime be forfeited to the victim through the Federal Government of Nigeria.

In a related development, the EFCC Ibadan office on Thursday, arraigned Akinwunmi Akubulejo and Dominic Obinna Ebisike before Hon. Justice P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court of Oyo State, sitting in Ibadan on a 10-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and money laundering.

The defendants however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them. In view of their plea, the prosecuting counsel, Mabas Mabur, applied for a date for trial and urged the court to remand the defendants in prison custody, the statement said.

However, counsel to the first defendant, Kehinde Olawunmi filed an application praying the court to admit the first defendant to bail. Counsel to the second defendant also aligned himself with the submission of Kehinde.

Justice Ajoku, however, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N2, 000, 000 (Two Million Naira) each and two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties for each shall be a civil servant not below grade level 14 with the Federal or Oyo State Government.

The court further ruled that the surety must have a landed property which must be covered by a Certificate of Occupancy which must be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court. The sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and will be verified by the prosecution. The case is adjourned to February 27, 2019 for trial.

One of the charges read: “That you, Akinwunmi Akubulejo and Dominic Obinna Ebisike and Harrison Duru, a.k.a. Emeka Chukwu and one K. C. (both now at large), in February, 2017, in Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, conspired to obtain the sum of Two Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira, under false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

The journey to the dock for the defendants followed a petition to the Commission alleging that sometimes in 2017 the complainant (name withheld) who resides in California, United States of America, received a phone call allegedly emanating from the defendants. The defendant allegedly claimed to be a staff of his bank and informed him that he is calling to assist him set up a silver account he requested. He asked him of his token number which he obliged.

According to the complainant, immediately, N200,000.00 was transferred out of his account fourteen times making a total of N2, 800,000.00. It was then he realized he had been duped.