N10m scam: EFCC Impostor bags 14-year jail term

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of a notorious fraudster, Abiodun Edward, a member of a syndicate which specialises in impersonating staff of the agency, to defraud unsuspecting victims.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren said in a statement that Edward was arraigned on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 before Justice Beatrice Iliya of the state high court Gombe and prosecuted on a 3-count charge of impersonation and obtaining by false pretence the sum of N10million.

“The convict and his accomplices, Murtala Bello and Esther Momoh, who are still at large, had allegedly claimed to be staff of EFCC Abuja Office, in order to defraud one Umar Bello.

“The complainant alleged that Bello had, on March 13, 2015 phoned him, assuring him that the convict could “kill” a petition purportedly written against him, if he could part with a sum of N10million.

“Consequently, Bello was said to have sent the phone number of Momoh who claimed to be a principal detective superintendent, PDS, with EFCC to the victim for further discussion on how the money could be paid to them.

“The complainant later alleged that after negotiation, the convict agreed to collect N300, 000.00 (three hundred thousand naira) from him when he could not raise the initial N10million,” Uwujaren said.

The statement further noted that the complainant further said one ‘Laolu Adegbite’ who claimed to be the officer handling his purported case, sent an SMS to him to appear before the commission on March 23, 2015.

According to him, owing to the persistent threat by the convict, he paid the sum of N50,000.00 (fifty thousand naira) into the convict’s Diamond Bank account number, 0044213102, which was sent to him by Momoh on March 25, 2015.

Worried by the persistent threat by the convict over the balance of N250, 000.00 (two hundred and fifty thousand naira), the victim petitioned EFCC, which led to convict’s arrest and subsequent prosecution. Justice Iliya found Edward guilty of the two counts and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on each of the count without option of fine.