EFCC arraigns man over N106m fraud, arrests Internet scammers

Thr Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal office, yesterday arraigned one Ochonma Loveday Iheanyi before Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos over N106million scam.

EFCC’s Acting Spokesman, Tony Orilade, in a statement in Abuja, said the suspect was arrested in September this year, after receiving N100 million from one Ifeanyi Nwaneri, who is facing trial over an alleged N1.2 million point of sale (POS) fraud.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Ochonma Loveday Iheanyi, a.k.a. Coy Lonma Investment Company, between August 24, 2017 and September 13, 2017, within the jurisdiction of this court, converted N42.9 million, which you reasonably ought to know, forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit, stealing.

“You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) (4).”

Also, the anti-graft agency arrested three suspected Internet fraudsters-Marvin Nwankwo, Prince Ojenike and Jude Olatekobowale, at No 24, First Avenue, Fort Royal Estate, Airport Road, Abuja. Orilade explained that the suspects, who would soon be charged to court, created a Facebook account with pseudo names of Rodney David, David Rodgers and Carlos David, respectively.

He said their arrest was based on intelligence report that the suspects turned the residence to their office, using laptops, phones and other gadgets to defraud innocent people, including foreigners of their valuables.

The intelligence further revealed that the suspects aged between 22 to 30 years, used the proceeds of their crimes to acquire different property such as cars, which include a GLK Mercedes Benz Jeep, a Toyota Corolla, among others.

Meanwhile, Chairman, Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Philip Tachin, has threatened to send contractors that are yet to complete their jobs by the end of December to the EFCC.

Tachin, who stated this yesterday in Makurdi, while speaking with newsmen, wondered why some contractors had completed their jobs on schedule and to specification, while some were yet to complete theirs.He disclosed that contracts for the rehabilitation of schools were awarded at the same time and could not understand why some contractors were defaulting.

“I will submit their names to the EFCC for investigation because I cannot soil my reputation. I will commence the compilation of their names by the end of December,” he said.