The Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday arraigned Ukhuriegbe Glory Irekpitan and Onyekwa Joshua Chinedum before the Federal High Court Benin, Edo State on a two-count charge.
Africa Investigative Magazine learned that the defendants were alleged to have impersonated Anthony Joshua, the British boxer of Nigerian descent, to defraud two ladies of the sums of 10,000 pounds and £5, 491, 23 in London.
One of the charges preferred against them reads: “that you Onyekwe Joshua Chinedum (a.k.a Anthony Joshua) sometime in 2019 did with intent to defraud, sent electronic messages which materially misrepresent facts to Samantha Johnson, a lady in London which messages she relied upon and which made her suffer financial loss for £10,000 thereby committing an offense punishable under section 14 (2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them prompting the prosecution counsel, I.M. Elody to ask for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of the Correctional Service.
It was verified that the counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to remand them in EFCC custody, a move that was opposed by the EFCC counsel.
Justice Shuaibu adjourned the matter till October 21, 2021, and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Benin City.
