The Federal High Court in Enugu on Tuesday ordered the remand of 16 persons suspected of internet fraud and money laundering.
The judge, Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo, ordered the remand of the defendants in the Enugu Correctional Centre after their arraignment and pending the hearing of their bail application slated for 17 February.
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said in a statement Tuesday that the suspects were arraigned on charges of fraudulent impersonation, possession of fraudulent documents and money laundering.
Some of the defendants are Ibemere Ifechukwu, Ngwu Henry, Onwugbolu Charles, Okeke Ebubechukwu, Ikechukwu Ibeanu, Samuel Chidera, Chukwuemeka Chinsed and Onoja Kingsley, and Chukwudi Chinenye.
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The rest are Nwodo Obinna, Muolukwu Anthony, Ebuka Ejiofor, Okonkwo Chijoke, Ngwu Sylvester, Duru Christopher and Seth Chidera.
According to the statement, seven of the defendants face two counts while nine face three counts.
The anti-corruption agency accused them of taking possession and using funds that are part of the proceeds of crime.
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For instance, two suspects, Mr Chidera and Mr Chijoke, were charged with unlawful possession of and using $3,000 and $500, respectively, an offence said to be contrary to the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2022 and punishable under the same Act.
Section 18 of the Act criminalises the concealment, possession, and conversion of funds or property obtained through unlawful activities. Meanwhile, Section 20 prescribes a penalty of four to ten years of imprisonment or a fine equivalent to five times the value of the proceeds of the crime.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecution counsel, Micheal Ani, requested a trial date and remand of the suspects at the Enugu State Correctional Centre.
However, defence counsel, J.O Ezeh, D.O Orji, Lizzy Otakagu, E.J Nwatarali, Micheal Odom and Wisdom Ogbonna sought to move their clients’ bail applications.
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The prosecution counsel urged the judge to postpone the hearing of the applications, citing the need for time to study them and file counter-affidavits.
Thereafter, the trial judge adjourned the hearing for the bail applications till 17 February and ordered the defendants to be remanded in the Enugu State Correctional Centre pending the hearing.
How 16 suspects were arrested
According to the EFCC, the defendants were apprehended on 17 January 2025 at Awka, Anambra State.
Their arrests followed intelligence reports linking them to online criminal activities.
The anti-graft agency said some of the suspects specialised in forging documents for fraudulent purposes, while others impersonated foreign nationals and defrauded their victims through fake social media accounts.
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