Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a mother, Ifeoma Joe, and her son, Chima Nmerem, before a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Gatekeepers News reports that they were arraigned for allegedly defrauding a Nigerian based in the United States of N64.4 million under the guise of conducting spiritual intervention.
The suspects appeared before Justice P. I. Ajoku on Thursday, facing a four-count charge that includes conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, and advance fee fraud.
EFCC said that between September and December 2024, the mother and her 34-year-old son allegedly conspired to obtain N64,486,180 from one Felicia Ekwutasi Ikeh under the false pretext that the funds were needed for spiritual cleansing and to influence law enforcement officers investigating a murder case involving her son in the United States. The money was reportedly paid into a bank account operated by Nmerem.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. During the proceedings, K. U. Udus, the prosecution counsel, informed the court of a witness ready to testify and requested a review of the case.
The judge adjourned proceedings to May 28, due to time constraints and ordered that the defendants remain in EFCC custody.
The case stemmed from a petition filed by the victim, who claimed she was introduced to Joe by her sister to seek spiritual help for her son, who had allegedly killed his brother during a fight.
Joe reportedly impersonated well-known Nigerian cleric Uma Ukpai by using a fake phone number and demanded N900,000 to be deposited at a church altar.
She then manipulated the victim into making additional payments totaling millions of naira for fictitious spiritual rituals, including donations and bribes purportedly meant for police officers.
EFCC said the victim also transferred the naira equivalent of $38,450 into Joe’s account before realising she had been duped and filed a complaint.
