Police arraigns BDC operator over $50.020m, N22m fraud

A Bureau De Change (BDC) Operator, Jude Muomah, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding two of his customers of the sum of $50, 020 million USD and N22 million.

He was arraigned before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo led-court on seven counts charge bordering on stealing and obtaining under false pretence.

The defendant and others were alleged to have committed the offence on May 25, 2019, at 10, Olawaiye Street, Anifowoshe, Ikeja, Lagos.

Arraigning the defendant before the court, the prosecutor, Mr Morufu Animashaun, the Legal Officer of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (ForceCIID), Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos, told the court that the defendant defrauded two of his clients, Ngozi Adirika Ifenyinwa and Ekwueme Stephen Onyebuchi, on the pretence that he will assist them to transfer the money to their customers.

Precisely, Animashaun told the court that the defendant collected the total sum of $50,022 million belonging to Mercy Adaku Nwankwo, from Ngozi Adirika Ifenyinwa on the promise that he will assist her in sending it to her customers, whose names were given as Moshuri and Campucel.

The prosecutor also informed the court that the defendant and others now at large on May 24, 2019, at the same place, fraudulently obtained the sum of N22 million from one Ekwueme Stephen Onyebuchi, on the pretence of assisting him to send it to his suppliers in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

He told the court that the defendant, after the incident, went underground.

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When the victims could not locate him, they reported the alleged fraud.

He added that it took the frantic efforts of the department’s operatives before the defendant could be apprehended and charged to court on the charges of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and stealing.

Animashaun told the court that the offences contravened sections 8(a), 1(c), of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act and sections 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following his not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Animashaun, asked the court for a trial date and also urged the court to remand the defendant till the determination of the charge.

Responding, the defendant’s counsel, Mr Anthony Mukoro, told the court that he was just briefed about the charge and asked the court for a short date, to enable him the defendant’s bail application.

After listening to the submissions of parties, Justice Oguntoyinbo, while adjourning the matter till March 10 and 11, for defendant’s trial, ordered that he should be remanded in facility of Nigerian Correctional Services, till when his bail application will be filed and determined.

Count two of the charge against the defendant reads: “that you Jude Muomah ‘m’ and others now at large on the aforesaid date, place and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained Fifty Million USD ($50,000,000.00) from one Ngozi Adirika Ifenyinwa ‘1’ property of Mercy Adaku Nwankwo under the pretence that you will transfer the money to her customers one Moshuri and Campucell, a representation you knew to be false as you fraudulently converted the said sum to your own use and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.

Count four: “that you Jude Muomah ‘m’ and others now at large on 25th of May, 2019, at the aforesaid place and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did by false pretence and with intent to defraud obtain Twenty Thousand USD ($20,000.00) from Adirika Ngozi Ifenyinwa ‘f‘ under the pretence that you will transfer the money to her customers in Dubai, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.

Count six: “that you Jude Muomah ‘m’ and others now at 24th of May, 2019, at the aforesaid place and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did by false pretence and with intent to defraud obtain Twenty-two Million Naira (#22,000,000.00) from one Ekwueme Stephen Onyebuchi ‘m’ under the pretence that you will assist to transfer the money to his supplier in Dubai, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.

Count Seven: “that you Jude Muomah ‘m’ and others now at large on the aforesaid date, place and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did steal the sum of Twenty Two Million Naira (#22, 000, 000. 00) property of Ekwueme Stephen Onyebuchi ‘m’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004”.