Posted by By Amos Fajinmi on
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned an alleged fraudster, Lewis Amitaye, before an Ikeja High Court, for defrauding a businessman.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned an alleged fraudster, Lewis Amitaye, before an Ikeja High Court, for defrauding a businessman.
Amitaye, a.k.a. Dr. Totu, was arraigned by the commission on a 66-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, an offence contrary to sections 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act No. 13 of 1995, as amended by Act No. 62 of 1999.
A businessman, Amadi Chukwura, alleged that Amitaye , Alli Mohammed, Precious John, Sikiru Taiwo Olagunju and Reverend Paul Martins (still at large), on 16 December, 2005, obtained US$10,061 from him on false representation that the said amount of money was the cost of facilitating the transfer of US$10,000,000 for the lease of a 10-acre and waterfront for the establishment of a fishery at Akpor community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Chukwura disclosed that, on 9 January, 2006, Amitaye and others (still at large) obtained US$30,000 from him on false pretence that the money collected was the cost of obtaining a certificate of ownership to facilitate the transfer of US$10,000,000 for the same purpose. He listed the various amounts of money obtained from him at different times as follows:
US$26,570 obtained on 27 January, 2006; US$66,667 on 12 February, 2006; US$20,056 on 25 February, 2006; US$66.028 on 7 March, 2006; US$52,632 obtained from him on 14 March, 2006; US$39,344 on 18 March, 2006; US$16,612 obtained from him on 1 April, 2006; US$33,113. on 6 April, 2006; N1,600,000 obtained fron him between July and August, 2006, the purpose of which was to travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirate to collect from the president of Worldwide Financial Organisation, clearance certificate for transfer of US$10,000,000 for the lease of a 10-acre land/waterfront for the establishment of a fishery at Rumokparali, Town Akpor Community, Obio/Akpor Local Governemnt Area, River State from Worldwide Financial Organisation to him (Chukwura) through the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Some other amounts of money were obtained from him in local currency for other purposes. Chukwura appeared in court, on Monday, to confirm some of his claims. The matter has been adjourned till 6 and 9 October, 2008, for further hearing by the presiding judge, Justice Morenike Obadina.