EFCC Arraigns Four Chinese Nationals, Nigerian For Alleged Hotel Review Scam In Abuja
The defendants pleaded not guilty, prompting the prosecution, led by Maryam Aminu Ahmed, to request a trial date and their remand in custody.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned four Chinese nationals and one Nigerian before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja for allegedly running a hotel review scam.
The suspects—Liu Zhiwei, Chen Ye Qui, Zhang Xiao Wen, Lan Shun Bin, and Nwakama Chinyere Ogbonna—were brought before Justice Aliyu Halilu on a three-count charge of conspiracy, cheating, and impersonation.
According to the EFCC, the accused allegedly manipulated hotel ratings by using a fictitious identity to falsely promote establishments, including hotels in London, as five-star accommodations in exchange for payments of $5 per review.
The defendants pleaded not guilty, prompting the prosecution, led by Maryam Aminu Ahmed, to request a trial date and their remand in custody.
Defence counsel Yahaya Dangana, SAN, applied for bail on behalf of the accused.
Justice Halilu scheduled the bail hearing for March 27, 2025, ordering that Liu, Chen, Zhang, and Lan be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre, while Nwakama Chinyere Ogbonna would be held at Suleja Correctional Centre.
Count one reads: “That you, Liu Zhiwei, Chen Ye Qui, Zhang Xiao Wen, Lan Shun Bin and Nwakama Chinyere Ogbonna (a.k.a Haron Koshear), sometime in December 2024 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did agree among yourself to do illegal act to; cheating when you used the fictitious picture of Haron Koshear and sent chats to unsuspecting members of the public via Telegram Account to promote the services or ratings of hotels in London as five-star hotels in return for payment of $5 (Five United States Dollars), when you knew that the said hotels are not five-star hotels and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 (1) (a) of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja), 1990 and punishable under Section 97 (1)(2) of the same Act.”
Count two reads: “That you, Nwakama Chinyere Ogbonna (a.k.a Haron Koshear), sometime in December 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, falsely represented yourself as Haron Koshear, a Customer Service Representative with Venus Spark Impact Media, Na`aka Hub Plaza Gudu, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory and in that assumed character aided the management of Venus Spark Impact Media, Na`aka Hub Plaza, Gudu, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory to promote the services of rating of Nox Edgware Road as five-star hotel in return for payment of $5 (Five United States Dollars), when you knew that the said hotel is not five-star hotel and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under section 324 of the same Act.”
The defendants were among 105 suspects arrested by EFCC operatives on January 9, 2025, at a business apartment in the Gudu area of Abuja.
They are accused of participating in a hotel review job scam that targeted victims and hotels across Europe and other regions.
