Date: 2021-02-03

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin zonal office, has arraigned corps member, Sam Abiola and one Adebiyi Sodiq, on separate charges bordering on love scam.

The defendants were arraigned before Justice Adenike Akinpelu of a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.

Abiola, who is currently serving in Kogi State, was arraigned on one count charge, for posing as a white female with the name Missie Bonie, to swindle a man named Rock of $550 by claiming he loved him while four counts were preferred against Sodiq.

"That you, Sam Abiola (Missie Bonie) sometime between July, 2019 and September, 2019 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did cheat by personation when you pretended to be one Missie Bonie a white female with Gmail account, missiebo271@gmail.com and fraudulently deceived one Rick to send $550 (Five Hundred and Fifty Dollars) to you through gift card after you made him believe you were in love with himm and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code,"the charge read.

"That you, Adebiyi Sodiq, (Alias: Maria Monica sometime in the month of August 2020, in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did cheat by personation via your email address terrellwhite856@gmail.com to one Manny, by portraying yourself as a white female named Maria and induced him to send you his Cash App, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 324 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same Section of the Law," count three of Sodiq's charge reads: EFCC, in a statement stated that the prosecuting counsel, O. B. Akinsola, invited to the witness box one Ali Mohammed, an operative of the commission to review the facts of the case.

The anti graft commission said Mohammed narrated how the defendant was arrested based on the anonymous petition received by the commission on the activities of fraudsters around Offa area of Kwara State.

"Documents showing fraudulent messages printed out of the email of the defendant were tendered and admitted in evidence," EFCC said.

"In a similar fashion, Sesan Ola, prosecuting for EFCC on Sodiq's case called on Eze Uchenna, an operative of the Commission to review the facts of the case." EFCC said Uchenna also narrated the defendant's involvement in the alleged offence and tendered documents which were admitted in evidence.

Abiola and Sodiq pleaded guilty to the charges.

Justice Akinpelu, while discharging the witnesses fixed February 11, for judgement.