The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Jehu Kwasu, 40, and three others for over N30.4 million fraud, by impersonating an ex-Primate of Anglican Communion, Nicholas Okoh.
The accused persons were arraigned before Justice C. Oba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court 32, Apo, Abuja.
Other three accused persons are Etubi Aliyu, Abdulrahman Muazu, and Usman Abdulaziz.
In the charge, the ICPC accused the four of impersonating Okoh by faking his Facebook account bearing his picture and name; and using the same account to defraud unsuspecting members of the public by raising funds to purportedly bring the corpse of the former Primate’s deceased brother to Nigeria.
The court was also informed of how the accused persons used their bank accounts and that of some of their friends to perpetrate the fraud.
According to a statement on Sunday by the ICPC spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, titled, ‘ICPC arraigns impersonator of ex-Primate of Anglican Communion, others over N30.4m fraud, the accused were alleged to have also used some of their accomplices as fronts to withdraw part of the N30.4 million paid into their accounts as well as transfer some money to other accounts specifically opened for their illicit transaction.
It said, “The defendants were also accused of using falsified National Identity cards to open numerous fraudulent bank accounts with fake names of individuals to carry out their criminal acts.
“The commission, in a 17-count charge preferred against the first and second defendants; and eight and ninth-count against the third and fourth defendants respectively, averred that their action of obtaining by pretence was contrary to section 1(1) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2010.”
The accused persons reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Counsels to the first defendant, Sadiq Lawal, and the second, third and fourth defendants, Abdulrazak Jibril, respectively, prayed the court to grant their clients bail, which was not opposed by the ICPC counsel, Sulaiman Abdulkareem.
The judge admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of N20m each and two sureties each in like sum who must have fully developed properties in the FCT.
However, owing to their inability to fulfil the bail conditions, they were remanded in the Kuje Correctional centre.
The case has been adjourned till May 18 and 19, 2022 for the commencement of hearing.