Ekuma-Ezeogo Fabian Tochukwu, a law graduate, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for defrauding innocent victims
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of Ekuma-Ezeogo Fabian Tochukwu before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna state high court, for criminal misappropriation.
According to a statement released by EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, on Tuesday, March 15, indicated that Tochukwu created a fake Facebook account using the name, Ogboi Ijeoma, to defraud victims.
Tochukwu was said to have created a fake Facebook account where he lured some people into N170, 000.00 in an online Ponzi investment scheme after which he blocked them.
According to reports he lured one Duniya Precious Theophilu and her friends into investing N170, 000.00 in an online Ponzi investment scheme called Jian Investment
After the payments, Tochukwu who is reportedly a graduate of law, blocked the complainant from further communication.
The amended charge reads: “That you, Ekuma-Ezeogo Fabian Tochukwu, “M” sometimes between the months of May and June, 2020, in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N170,000.00(One Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira) only paid to you by one Duniya Precious Theophilus for Jian Investment, which you promised to give Hundred Percent interest of money paid to you as return on investment, a pretence you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 293 of the Penal Code of Law of Kaduna State, 2017 and punishable under Section 294 of the same Law”.
Tochukwu, the defendant, pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
Justice Khobo, thereafter convicted and sentenced the defendant to ten (10) years imprisonment with option of N100, 000 fine.
It was learnt that the defendant had also restituted the sum of N170, 000, being proceeds of the crime, to the complainant.
