The Uyo Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has secured the conviction of one James Maduakolam Amadi over N2,665,000 (Two Million, Six Hundred and Sixty-five Thousand Naira) fraud.

He was convicted by Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State and sentenced to three years in prison.

Amadi's journey to jail began on July 9, 2018 when the zone received a petition dated July 3, 2018 by one Soyabuchi Unaegbu.

According to the petitioner, the convict claimed he did an online business, which he required money for in order to pay some of his associates. Unfortunately, he fell for the ploy and transferred millions of naira into Amadi's account and the accounts of his partners including one Duruiheme Augustus Ndubuisi.

Acting on the petition, Amadi was subsequently arrested and arraigned alongside Ndubuisi on October 22, 2018, but they pleaded "not guilty", setting the stage for the commencement of their trial.

In the course of trial, the prosecution, through its counsel, Nwandu Ukoha presented two witnesses who tendered various exhibits which were all admitted in evidence.

The documents tendered include, the petition dated July 3, 2018, admitted in evidence as exhibit A; Letter of Investigation Activities to Diamond Bank dated July 13, 2018, admitted in evidence as exhibit B; Letter of Investigation Activities to First City Monument Bank, FCMB, dated July 13, 2018, admitted in evidence as C; and Letter of Investigation Activities to Diamond Bank dated July 19, 2018 admitted in evidence as exhibit D.

Others are: Diamond Bank response letter to the Commission dated July 17, 2018 admitted in evidence as exhibit E; FCMB response letter dated July 25, 2018 admitted in evidence as exhibit F; Another response letter from Diamond Bank dated July 30, 2018 admitted in evidence as exhibit G; Statement made by the petitioner, admitted in evidence as exhibit H; Statement made by the convict admitted in evidence as exhibit J and the statement of the second defendant admitted in evidence as exhibit K.

The prosecution thereafter closed its case on October 25, 2019 and the matter was adjourned until November 15, 2019 for the defence to open its case.



Media & Publicity

March 24, 2020