A man, Jackson Ndubuisi, who claimed to be an hearing impaired person, was today arraigned before a Federal High Court, on charges of alleged conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, N37.2 million fraud and impersonation.
He was arraigned on the allegations before the court presided by Justice Deinde Dipeolu, by the operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, in an amended charge marked FHC/L//2026.
Arraigning the defendant, the prosecutor Barrister S. O. Ayodele, informed the court that the defendant and others now at large, committed the alleged offences sometimes in the month of March 2024, .
The prosecutor told the court that defendant and others at large, defrauded their victims, the dou of Ebenezer Omowunmi and Alexander Fiyankinnu, with false pretence of transporting over 45 empty containers for them.
He was alleged to have impersonated one Nyeche Ndidi Osogor, the name he allegedly used to defraud his victims.
The offences according to the prosecutor are contrary to sections 8(a) and 1(1)(c) punishable under section 1(3) a of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences hae 2000, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. And sections 383 and 424 of the criminal code Act. Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, and punishable under section 3 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
He had denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Based on his not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, while also prayed the court to remand him pending the determination of the charge.
Justice Dipeolu has however adjourned the matter to March 13, for hearing and determination of the defendant’s bail application. But ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services NCoS pending the hearing and determination of the bail application.
Court Drama: prior the defendant’s arraignment, upon being called into the dock to take his plea when the charge was about to be ready to him, the defendant told the court that he is having hearing problems, hence he wound not take his plea unless a hearing aid is provided.
His demand compelled the court to stand down the matter, however when neither the prosecution or his counsel could not provide solution to his request, the court ordered that the ‘are you guilty or not guilty be written in a paper for him as an option. And he eventually choose ‘not guilty’ to the charges.
Upon the adjournment of the matter and when he was about leaving the court, the prosecutor called him by name and to the astonishment of those in court the man could claimed to be having hearing impediment quickly look back and answered the prosecutor.
The amended charge against the defendant reads: “That you Jackson Ndubuisi “M” and others now at large sometimes in the month of March 2020, in Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did conspired among yourselves to commit felony to wit, Obtaining goods by false pretense and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8(a) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences hae 2000, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
“That you Jackson Ndubuisi ‘M? and others nov at large, on the sane date time aid place, and in the aforementioned Judicial Division, did by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained goods Forty Five empty cont:iners) valued at the sum of Fourteen Mi lion Naira (N14,000,000;00k) from one Ebenezer Omowunmi and Alexander Fiyankinnu and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)(c) and punishable under section 1{3) of the Advance fee Fraud a d other reli ted offences Act 2006, Laws 0, the Federation of Nigeria.
“That you Jackson Ndubuisi ‘M? and others now at large, on the said date, time and place and in the aforementioned Judicial Division, did by false pretense and with an intent to defraud, Obtained the sum of Nine Million Naira (N9, 000, 000:00K) from one Ebenezer Omowunmi and Alexander Fiyankinnu under the guise of transporting Forty five containers to one of the Lagos Ports at the rate of Two hundred thousand Naira per container (N200, 000: 00k), a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)(c) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance fee Fraud and other related offence Act 2006, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
“That you Jackson Ndubuisi ‘M’ and others no at large on the same date, time and place and in the aforementioned Judicial Division, did steal 45 containers worth the sum of twenty three million Naira (N23, 000, 00 000k) property of one Ebenezer Omowunmi and Alexander Fayankinnu, and thereby committed an offence Contrary to section 383 and punishable under section 3 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Jackson Ndubuisi ‘M’ on the same date, time and place and in the aforementioned Judicial Division, with intent to defraud one Ebenezer Omowunmi and Alexander Fayankinnu, did impersonate yourself as one Nyeche Ndidi Osogor and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 424 of the criminal code Act. Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria”
