The Makurdi Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, December 7, 2020, arraigned one Monday Segun, before Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, Makurdi, Benue State for alleged bank account fraud, obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy and online scam.
Segun landed in trouble following a petition in which it was alleged that he and others at large were defrauding unsuspecting members of the public using different online tricks.
Upon arrest and interrogation, he disclosed that he would usually open accounts with several banks, using different names, which he would then sell alongside the ATM card, issued to him to some other categories of fraudsters. He revealed that he has so far sold five of such accounts at the cost of N25,000.00 each to fraudsters.
One of the five-count charges against him read, “That you, Monday Segun and one other (at large), sometime in 2020, at Makurdi, in the Makurdi Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, not being an issuer or authorised agent, sold an access devices card to wit: a First Bank Card, issued in your name to one Sunday and obtained the sum of Twenty-five Thousand Naira (N25,000.00) only and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 35 of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition and Prevention Etc) Act, 2015.”
His ‘not guilty’ plea prompted prosecution counsel, Mary Onoja to ask the court for a trial date and to remand him in correctional center pending his trial, while the defence counsel made an oral application for his bail.
Justice Olajuwon admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira ) with two sureties in like sum. If employed, the surety must present a letter of employment, showing current grade level and last promotion and if self-employed, must show evidence of three years tax payment. Additionally, the surety must submit two recent passport photographs,
residential and office address, which must be verified by the court and confirmed by the EFCC.
The judge adjourned the case till December 9, 2020 and ordered for the remand of the defendant in correctional center, pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
