The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley before Justice U.P Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory High Court (FCT), Maitama, Abuja, for an alleged $370,000 internet fraud.
EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, in a press statement, Tuesday in Abuja, said the accused was arraigned on Monday, March 20, 2023 on a two-count-charge bordering on stealing, obtaining by false pretence and criminal possession of fake documents.
He said one of the counts read: “That you, Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley sometime in 2021 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of FCT, Abuja, with intent to defraud obtained the total sum of $370,000 from Nicole Kierulff Sayers under the false pretence of being a purported payment to finance a contract with Federal Ministry of Works and Housing with Contract No: RC/FGN/0275AN/20 issued to Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley, a claim which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(b) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Uwujaren said another count read: “That you, Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley sometime in 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of FCT, Abuja, did commit an offence by being in possession of a document containing to wit; ‘Notice of intent to award letter of Federal Ministry of Works and Housing with Contract No: RC/FGN/0275AN/20 issued to Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley” contained in your iPhone 11 Pro Max with IMEI 353894104506455 which you knew the document contained false pretences and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act,2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
According to the Spokesperson, the defendant pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him, prompting the prosecution to pray the court for a trial date and remand of the defendant.
He said, however, the defence team urged the court to admit the defendant to bail and Justice Kekemeke admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.
Similarly, he said one of the sureties must be an owner of a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The judge ordered the remand of the defendant at the Kuje Correctional Facility, pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions. He also adjourned the matter till May 18, 2023 for trial.
The spokesperson said Kingsley was arrested on Wednesday February 15, 2023 at the Sun City Estate, Abuja after a petitioner, Nicole Kierulff Sayers, an American, alleged that he lured her into falsely marrying him and carting away her money.
“I was accustomed to transferring money to him and further felt I had no choice, since I had just married him, even though I did not feel confident in my choice to have married him,” she said.
