Operatives of Force Criminal Investigation Department ForceCID Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos, have arraigned one Essien Emmanuel Akpama before a Federal High Court, Lagos, over alleged offences bordering on identity theft, impersonation, and cyber-enabled fraud, committed through social media platforms.
Akpama was arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, by Barrister Morufu Ajani Animashaun, of Legal/Prosecution Department of the ForceCID, in a charge marked FHC/L/186c/2026.
The prosecutor stated that the defendant committed the offences sometime in 2025, at the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
In the charge, the defendant Akpama, was alleged to have impersonated the dou of Jose Carlos and Joseph Belotti, who are Brazilian nationals
He was alleged to have used his Facebook handle to commit the alleged acts.
He was alleged to have fraudulently obtained several high-end electronic items and cash from a victim identified as Linda Schnur.
Items allegedly obtained include; a MacBook Pro 14 laptop, an iPhone 17 Pro Max, two Google Pixel 10 Pro XI phones, one Google Pixel 10 Pro phone, and cash sum of ₦1.6 million.
He was also alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of $5,000 from the victim.
The alleged illegal acts of the defendant according to the prosecutor, contravene Section 484 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. And Sections 14 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
However, the defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Based on the defendant’s not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked for trial date, and also prayed the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) pending the determination of the charges.
Based on his not guilty plea, lawyer to the defendant, pleaded with court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms. While assuring the court that his client will not jump bail if admitted to bail.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, after listening to the defendant’s lawyer, admitted him to bail in the sum of N2 million with a surety in like sum.
The surety, the judge order must be a landed property owner within the Court’s jurisdiction. In alternative, a Grade Level 14 in government establishments.
The judge, however ordered that the defendant be remanded in NCoS’ custody, pending the fulfillment of the bail terms, while adjourned the matter to March 27, for trial.
