The Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought charges against one David Ikeaghichi for impersonating an Afghanistan soldier and defrauding individuals through internet scams. Ikeaghichi appeared before Justice S. D. Pam of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Ikeaghichi engaged in various forms of online scams, including impersonation, investment, and dating schemes. He was arraigned on Thursday and faces trial on two counts of charges under the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
The charges allege that Ikeaghichi, on or about October 31, 2023, impersonated a military personnel from Afghanistan and obtained $1,000 worth of gift cards from a victim in Singapore under false pretenses of investment. Despite pleading “not guilty,” the court ordered his remand in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre until the commencement of trial.
Further investigations by the EFCC revealed that Ikeaghichi operated within the Eneka/Elumbu areas of Port Harcourt, where he targeted unsuspecting victims through social media platforms like Instagram.
In one instance, he posed as an Afghan military officer to deceive a victim into providing him with a $1,000 gift card, which he later sold for local currency through an online Chinese vendor.
The case has been adjourned to April 24, 2024, for the hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial, as Justice Pam oversees the proceedings.
