By Pedro Ayobami
Kindly share this news
The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two biological brothers, Ajim Kerison Onubuogu and Ajim Tochukwu Christian, for allegedly defrauding an American, Chebet Chumba, of $43,850 and N18,675,133.75. The defendants 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 impersonation, obtaining by false pretence, money laundering, and possession of proceeds of crime.
According to the EFCC, Onubuogu fraudulently impersonated one Chris M. Akaa, a resident of Atlanta, GA, in the United States of America, by means of a computer system through a fake Facebook account. He allegedly gained $43,850 from Chumba by intentionally sending her false love messages.
Christian, on the other hand, was accused of using and taking possession of N18,675,133.75 belonging to Chumba, through his Opay Digital Service Ltd account number 8067016437, knowing same to be funds that form part of proceeds of an unlawful act.
The siblings pleaded not guilty to the charges, and their counsel, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded at the Enugu Correctional Facility. Justice Umar adjourned the matter to January 21, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application, while the defendants were remanded at a correctional facility.
The EFCC arrested the defendants after Chumba petitioned the commission, narrating how she was allegedly scammed of the said sums. Investigations revealed that the defendants specialized in love scams, using various fake social media accounts, and fraudulent documents were also recovered from them.
Kindly share this news!!!