Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arraigned a suspected Internet fraudster, Odeneye Eniola, for allegedly posing online as a woman and defrauding an American, identified as Chris, of $3,300.
The accused was arraigned on Friday before Justice Mohammed Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta.
He was arraigned by the EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office, on a one-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
But the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The charge sheet, which read, “That you, Odeneye Eniola, sometime in 2019, at Awa Ijebu within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $3,300USD (Three thousand, three hundred United States of American Dollars) from Chris, an American Citizen, when you falsely represented to him that you are a woman.
“This action facilitated your collecting money from him through iTunes and play Gift Cards, which representation you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offense contrary to section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offenses Act 2006.”
Due to his ‘not guilty’ plea, the prosecution counsel, Shamsudden Bahir, prayed the court for a trial date and an order to remand him in prison custody pending the determination of his case.
The defense counsel, A. A. Falujo, made an oral application asking the court to grant the accused bail on liberal terms.
EFCC’s counsel was not opposed to granting bail to Odeneye, though he asked the court to grant the bail on terms that would make the accused to be present at his trial.
The judge, after listening to the arguments of both sides, granted Odeneye bail in the sum of N3m and two sureties in like sum.
He also ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant, resident and working in Ogun State, adding that the defendant would be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
The matter has been adjourned to May 15, 2019 for trial.