Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned two alleged fraudsters for impersonating Anthony Joshua.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC has arraigned Ukhuriegbe Irekpitan and Onyekwa Chinedum before Justice S. M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State on two-count charge each of impersonation.
EFCC on its website said the defendants are alleged to have impersonated British-Nigerian boxer, Anthony Joshua to defraud two ladies of the sums of £10,000 pounds and £5, 491, 23 in London.
One of the counts read, “that you Onyekwe Joshua Chinedum (a.k.a Anthony Joshua) sometime in 2019 did with intent to defraud sent electronic messages which materially misrepresent facts to Samantha Johnson, a lady in London which messages she relied upon and which made her to suffer financial loss in the sum of £10,000 thereby committing an offence punishable under section 14 (2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.”
EFCC stated that one of the charges against Irekpitan read, “That you Ukhuriegbe Glory Irekpitan sometime in 2018 did with intent to defraud sent electronic messages which materially misrepresent facts to Mrs. Zahra Bagun, a lady in London which messages she relied on and which caused her to suffer the financial loss in the sum of £5,491.23 pounds, equivalent of N2,306,220 and thereby committed an offense punishable under Section 14(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.”
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
Following this, the Prosecution Counsel, I.M. Elody, requested for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of the Correctional Service.
The defendant’s counsel, however, pleaded with the court to remand them in Commission’s custody, a move which was opposed by the EFCC counsel.
Justice Shuaibu adjourned the matter till October 21, 2021, and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Benin City.
