The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Friday, 15 February, 2013 arraigned two suspects, Celestine Onuiri and Jeremiah Ebere before Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court 1, Port Harcourt on separate charges bordering on conspiracy to commit felony and obtaining money by false pretence. They pleaded not guilty to the charge.

One of the charge against them reads, "that you Celestine Onuiri and Jeremiah Ebere on or about the 25th day of October 2011 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire with others now at large to commit felony to wit: Obtaining Money by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 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 accused persons allegedly tricked the complainant into believing they could get her fully employed selling mobile phones. For the first supply, she was persuaded to make a deposit of N200, 000 and a Toshiba Lap top computer. When the consignment was not forthcoming, they convinced her to make further payments into their account using other phony proposals, including the printing of Nigerian currency notes with chemicals. She was fooled through a stage-managed demonstration of the efficacy of the chemicals.

The accused persons were however arrested after it dawned on the complainant that she had been duped.

The court granted the accused persons bail in the sum of five hundred thousand naira (N500, 000.00) and two sureties in like some. Sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court with land properties which title must be verified.

The matter has been adjourned to 27th of March, 2013 for hearing.

Media & Publicity Unit

 15th February, 2013