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Fasilat Oluwuyi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned suspected internet fraudster, Odeneye Eniola on Friday before Justice Mohammed Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta.
Odeneye was arraigned by the Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal Office on a one-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretense, contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
He allegedly defrauded one Chris, an American Citizen, of the sum of Three Thousand, Three Hundred United States of American Dollars, by posing online as a woman.
The count reads, “That you Odeneye Eniola, sometimes in 2019, at Awa Ijebu within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court with intent to defraud, obtain the sum of $ 3300 USD (Three Thousand, Three Hundred United States of American Dollars) from Chris, an American Citizen when you falsely represented to him that you are a woman, which facilitated your collecting money from him through iTunes and play Gift Cards, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offense contrary to section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offenses Act 2006.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Due to his ‘not guilty’ plea, the prosecution counsel, Shamsudeen Bahir, prayed the court for a trial date and an order to remand him in prison custody pending the determination of his case.
The defense counsel, A. A. Falujo, made an oral application asking the court to grant the accused bail on liberal terms.
Though, EFCC’s counsel was not opposed to granting bail to Odeneye, he asked the court to grant the bail on terms that would make the accused attend his trial.
The judge, after listening to arguments of both sides, granted Odeneye bail in the sum of Three Million Naira and two sureties in like sum.
He also ordered that one of the surety must be a civil servant, resident and working in Ogun State.
The case has been adjourned to 15 May 2019 for trail, while the defendant was to be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail conditions.