Woman Remanded For Alleged N6.8Million Romance Scam In Maiduguri
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to her.
The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, arraigned Catherine Ijeoma Ugwu before Justice Aisha Kumaliya at the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri.
She faced a four-count charge, including obtaining by false pretence, criminal misappropriation, and impersonation, involving a sum of N6,815,300.00 (Six Million Eight Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Three Hundred Naira).
Count one reads: “That you Catherine Ijeoma Ugwu between the period of June, 2023 to August, 2024 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the aggregate sum of N6,710,300.00 (Six Million Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand Three Hundred Naira) from Emmanuel Ani into your bank account: 1778806195 domiciled with Access Bank plc. under the pretence that same is meant for the upkeep of his purported fiancée, one Miss Chinansa, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud related Offences Act, 2006.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to her.
The prosecution counsel, S.O. Saka and Faruku Muhammad, requested the court to set a trial date and remand the defendant in a correctional centre.
Justice Kumaliya subsequently adjourned the case until April 8, 2025, for the commencement of trial and ordered the defendant to be remanded in a correctional centre.
Ugwu’s legal troubles began when she allegedly obtained N6.8 million by impersonating and pretending to be the petitioner’s fiancée.
When confronted by the petitioner, the defendant was unable to account for or return the money.
