EFCC Arraigns Omoike Emmanuel for Internet

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, Headlines Sunday, July 14th, 2013

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on
Friday arraigned one Omoike Emmanuel, a suspected internet
fraudster before Justice E. F. Ikponmwen of Edo State High
Court, Benin, on an 8-count charge bordering on internet fraud
and obtaining by false pretence.

One of the counts read; “that you, Omoike Emmanuel on or
about the 29th day of May 2007 at Benin within the Benin
Judicial Division with intent to defraud had in your possession a
document containing false pretence to wit an email dated May
29th 2007 captioned “FWD” CONGRATULATIONS YOUR EMAIL
HAS EMERGED AS ONE OF THE LUCKY WINNER” purporting
the said email to have been written by one Mrs. J. Benson/Dr.
Samuel Bent, public relations officer, British Embassy (Lottery
coordinator)”

The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges preferred against
him.
In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Ayokunle Fayanju,
prayed the court to fix a trial date to enable the prosecution
prove its case against the accused person. He also urged the
court to remand the accused in prison custody pending hearing
on the bail application.

Justice Ikponmwen adjourned the case to July 18 and 19, 2013
for definite trial and determination of the bail application.

Emmanuel was arrested following a petition from the United
States National Aeronautical Space Administration, NASA, and
the United States Department of Justice, USDOJ in 2011
complaining about the atrocities of a deadly gang of scammers
operating from Benin City, Edo State.

According to the petition from NASA’s Computer Crimes
Division, the criminal gang had caused untold hardship, both
financial and emotional, to victims across the globe.

The US Agency’s report identified a total of fourteen scammers
from Benin City, Edo State in 2012. Ten of the scammers
according to NASA, were in Nigeria while four, including Omoike
Emmanuel, who was in South Africa at the time, operated
outside Nigeria.

The petitioners claimed that the cartel had undermined the
computer network of several organizations in the United States
Investigations by the EFCC confirmed that the syndicate actually
operated from the Benin – Asaba axis of Edo and Delta States.

Emmanuel was arrested by the EFCC in January 2013 in Benin
City.
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