Another Nigerian faces long jail term for fraud in South America

A Nigerian Uche Raymond Okoye, based in Guyana, is facing a long jail term sentence if found guilty of the 11 counts of fraud slammed against him by the police.

Okoye, who is now in prison, appeared virtually Wednesday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court where Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan read ten indictable charges to him.

Okoye, also known as Uche Parker, was alleged that on ten occasions between October 15 and November 16, 2020, at Georgetown, Okoye obtained monies from a woman, Surujdai Balkaran, totalling $6,059,900, by falsely claiming that he was in possession of a package intended for her.

And on November 16, 2020, he obtained $50,000 from another woman, Ms Monroe, by also falsely claiming that he was in possession of a package intended for her.

The women were told that the monies were needed to receive the packages.

.While he pleaded guilty to some of the counts, he pleaded not guilty to the charge that he scammed Ms.Monroe. He was further remanded until March 17.

Okoye is currently on remand for an ongoing matter before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly for four other matters of similar offences.

On 24 November 2020, he was charged with running a criminal scheme in Guyana and swindling four Guyanese of millions of dollars.

He was also accused of entering Guyana, illegally.

Okoye is suspected to be part of a criminal network involving Nigerians who collaborate with other associates and solicit cash from their victims by promising high valued merchandise to be delivered following the payment of a charge or fee amounting to millions.

The criminal network which has been ongoing for the past six months in Guyana, has links to the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Paraguay and the United States of America among other countries, according to the Special Organised Crime Unit[ SOCU] of Guyana.