The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a 21-year-old male secondary school dropout before an Ikeja Special Offences Court for allegedly defrauding a Korean woman living in the US of the sum of $350,000 using digital cryptocurrency Bitcoin.
Omesu Christian Chinedu was docked on an eleven count charge of possession of document containing false pretence, forgery of document, obtaining under false pretence and stealing contrary to sections 1(3), 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006, 280(2), 363 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015, 280(2) and punishable under sections 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006, 287,365(3)(g)(v) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all count charges.
Counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, said that the defendant committed the offences sometime in April till May 2021 in Lagos.
As contained in the charge sheet, “Omesu Christian Chimdu sometime in 2021, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court had in your possession a document containing false pretence titled “United State of America Passport with the name – Ryan Leo Maddox” which you intended to use to defraud one “Soon Kim” which representation you knew to be false”.
“Omesu Christian Chimdu, sometime in 2021, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court whilst holding yourself out as Frederick Leo Ryan, a military operative with Finnish descent serving in the United State of America to Soon Kim, dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of $350,000 property of the said Soon Kim.
“Omesu Christian Chimdu sometime in 2021, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court and with intent to defraud, whlist holding yourself out as one Frederick Leo Ryan, a serving military operative of the United state of America with Finnish descent obtained the sum of $350,000 from one Soon Kim, under the pretence that the cheque of one Frederick Ryan Leo in the sum of $7,000,000 has been reviewed and confirmed by Zenith bank, which pretence you knew to be false”.
“Omesu Christian Chimdu sometime in 2021, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court knowingly forged a document titled “CHEQUE WITHDRAWAL REQUIREMENTS/FEEDBACK” dated 22nd March, 2021 which document you purported to have been issued by Zenith Bank Plc”.
Defense counsel Yemisi Olatunde, informed the honorable court that the defendant is currently in talks with the commission over a plea bargain agreement in which the defendant is ready to forfeit everything to the commission found within his possession such as a vehicle worth N36million and also some bitcoin worth over N27million in addition to some money in the defendant bank account over N2million. She also urged the court due to the broken leg of the defendant that he should be kept with the commission were he was already receiving treatment and would make plea bargain talks a lot faster to come to an agreement.
But Oyedepo told the court that there is the need to stop rebuilding the image of the country with all this sought of crime being committed and that the commission’s interest is to at least recover a reasonable amount to give back to the victim in question. He also told the court that the broken leg which is now infected sustained by the boy was because he decided to jump from a story building whilst running away from arrest.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo following the application granted the plea of the defense counsel for the defendant to remain in the custody of the EFCC would enable the two parties to conclude any agreement before the next adjourned date while the boy continues to receive medical treatment at the commission.
Justice Taiwo adjourned the matter till 13th of September, 2021.
Comments