By Felix Kuyinu
A man who deceitfully paraded himself as a citizen of the United States Of America, USA, has been arraigned in court over accusation of fraud.
The arraignee, Baggio Eghwrudjakpor, was arrested by operatives of Zone 2 Police Command in Onikan, Lagos.
The 29-year-old was thereafter charged for trial at the Magistrates’ Court in Ebute-Meta on a five-count charge bordering on impersonation, forgery, obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.
At the court proceeding, the Investigative Police Officer, IPO, Oladejo Johnson, said that the suspect swindled one Wanda Kelker the sum of $350,000, equivalent to N525,000,000, through romance scam.
Johnson submitted that Eghwrudiakpor, while pretending to be in a love affair with the fraud victim arranged fake documents such as Delta State Government number plate, America driver’s license alongside American bank cheques of different companies and individuals to carry out the act.
The IPO spoke about the defendant’s arrest saying, “Luck ran out against Eghwrudjakpor when the victims uncovered that he was not an American citizen as he claimed and that all the documents he was allegedly parading were all fake.
“The fraud victims petitioned the police at the Zone 2 Command, Lagos leading to his arrest at a hideout in Lagos.”
Police Prosecutor, ASP Francis Igbinosa, said, “The defendant in a charge marked F/33/204 committed the offence between September 2023 and July 2024 in Lagos.
“The offences committed are punishable under sections 411, 380, 365, 314 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
Subsequently, the court granted him bail in the sum of N2.5m with two sureties in like sum and detained him at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
Next sitting on the case is on September 26.
