EFCC Press Release
For
attempting to obtain a sum of N2million from their victim in fake
Globacom promo lottery, the duo of Egbearo Friday and Samson Akpaibor
are to spend 7 years behind bars. The jail term was handed to the
fraudsters on May 30 by Justice A. M Liman of the Federal High Court,
Benin who found them guilty on all17-count charge that borders on
obtaining by false, preferred against them by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission.
Egbearo
and Akpaibor were first arraigned on June 17, 2013 following their
arrest in the wake of a complaint by one Dr. Christopher Onwubuemeli. He
alleged that Akpaibor Samson and others, sometime in August, 2011 sent
him an SMS message purported to have emanated from Globacom,informing
him that he had won two million naira in an ongoing recharge and win
promo. He also alleged that he was asked to pay some amount of money as
taxes and surcharges before he could claim his two million naira prize
money.
On conclusion of investigation, the case was duly charged to court with
the accused persons pleading not guilty to the charges.
However
on April 9, 2014, after almost one year of trial, the defence informed
the court that the accused persons wanted to change their plea on the
strength of the prosecution’s case against them.
On
May 28, 2014, Egbearo Friday and Akpaibor Samson pleaded guilty to all
17 counts of the charge preferred against them and were sentenced to
seven (7) years imprisonment on each of the 17 counts. The sentences are
however to run concurrently.
In
addition, the convicts are to make restitution as follows: The Ecobank
account number – 0042250938 belonging to the first accused (Egbearo
Friday) used in defrauding people is to be relinquished to the Federal
Government through the EFCC. The sum of eight hundred and twenty nine
thousand, five hundred and thirty six naira, ninety five kobo
(N829,536.95) standing as balance in the account should be relinquished
to the EFCC. From this money, a sum of One hundred and seventy four
thousand naira (174,000.00) should be paid to John Alidu (a victim) in
restitution and the balance forfeited to the Federal Government.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
31st May, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment