How suspected Internet fraudster forged passport

A Lagos State Special Offences Court, on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, heard how a suspected Internet fraudster, Vitus Ukaegbu, allegedly forged some documents and a passport.

Ukaegbu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice Mojisola Dada on three counts bordering on forgery.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and following his plea, the court ordered the prosecution to open its trial.

While being led in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Franklin Ofoma, an investigative officer with the anti-graft agency, OyewoleAyotunde, told the court that Ukaegbu was handed over to the commission by a soldier, who suspected him to be an Internet fraudster.

Ayotunde added that a credibility test of the intelligence report was carried out and in the course of investigation, a passport with number A03124615 was found in the defendant’s possession.

He said, “Upon inquiry, we discovered that it was another name that was on the passport, which bears the picture of his face. The discovery led the commission to write the Nigeria Immigration Service for clarification. The feedback stated that the passport was fake and that the passport with the number was issued to one Amaefuye Emma Ugo.”

Ayotunde further told the court that the EFCC also investigated the defendant’s account domiciled with Access and Zenith banks by writing to the lenders to check his financial transactions.

The prosecutor tendered the letters written to the NIS and the banks as well as the responses received as exhibits.

Justice Dada admitted the documents as exhibits and adjourned till October 8, 2020, for the continuation of trial.