Two suspected Internet Fraudsters remanded in Enugu Prison

Two suspected internet fraudsters have been remanded in Enugu prison after they were arraigned to court yesterday by the EFCC.

The suspects were identified as Nnamdi Madu (24) and Darlington Ifeakachi Nwali (24), and were arraigned before Justice A. M Liman of the Federal High Court, Enugu.

They were arraigned on a cumulative ten-count charge of intent to defraud and possession of fraudulent documents, contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

The duo’s arraignment was sequel to their arrest on December 14th, 2018, as part of series of raids carried out by the zonal office in which several members of a syndicate of fraudsters operating within Enugu metropolis mostly made up of University students and dropouts and living flamboyantly above means despite no identifiable means of livelihood were rounded up.

Analysis carried out by the Commission on the computers of the suspected fraudsters revealed certain incriminating documents intended to be used in swindling gullible foreigners. Some documents in the recovered computers of the suspects were titled “SPANISH HASTING WARD CAREY & CHAMBERS,” “CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF A PRIVATE COMPANY” “ AILEEN” intended to be sent to their victims using fake or stolen identities.

Some other items recovered from the suspects’ house include; various ATM cards, a Toyota Venza with a National Association of Nigerian Student (NANS) plate number, Toyota Avalon, four laptops, several mobile phones, substances suspected to be charms, huge wraps of Cannabis Sativa (Indian Hemp) among others.

One of the defendants, who trained as a science lab technician and recently got a job at one of the teaching hospitals in Enugu, was found out to be the owner of a filling station in an outskirt of Enugu.

When their charges were read to them, the defendants respectively pleaded not guilty to charges prompting their lawyer, Ndubuisi Nwaokporo to move a motion for bail of the defendants which was not opposed by Innocent Mbachie, the prosecution counsel.

They were each granted bail on the following conditions: N500,000 each and one surety each in like sum, sureties to have landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court and the properties’ documents must be verified by the registrar of the court.

The case has been adjourned to January 21, 2019, for trial, with the judge ordering the defendants to be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of their bail conditions.