Four phones recovered from fraudster’s Kirikiri cell —EFCC

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday at a Lagos High Court alleged that four mobile phones were recovered from the cell occupied by a convicted fraudster, Ikechukwu Ogbu, at Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos.

Ogbu, who is currently serving a 15-year jail term at the prison, is standing trial for allegedly swindling a bank manager, Mr. Pat Enechukwu, of N12.3m from the prison custody in May 2009.

Enechukwu was a branch manager with one of the first generation banks in Abuja.

At the ongoing trial of the convict on Tuesday, EFCC’s investigator, Mr. Daniel Danladi, told Justice Lateefat Okunnu of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, that he visited the prison after the fraud was reported by the complainant.

Danladi said, “The prison officials conducted a search in the cell occupied by the first defendant (Ogbu) and two other inmates and four mobile phones were recovered.

“Analysis were conducted on the phones by the forensic unit of the EFCC.”

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Kayode Oni, who led the witness in evidence tendered the four mobile phones and Ogbu’s statements to the EFCC as Exhibits P8 to P13.

Ogbu, who had earlier been convicted of fraud in 2008, is standing the fresh trial alongside John Chinonso,and Chuks Ibebagwu, into whose accounts the proceeds of the alleged crime were paid.

Earlier on March 21, 2013, a witness, Emike Ukhuedobah, had narrated how Ogbu had used her to defraud, Enechukwu, who happened to be husband to one of her aunts.

Ukhuedobah claimed she knew Ogbu through an advertorial the latter placed on love links page of the Vanguard Newspapers of March 7, 2009.

Ogbu, already in prison then, had portrayed himself in the advertorial as Prince Eze, who was seeking a woman aged between 34 and 45 to marry.

Following this, 43-year-old Ukhuedobah travelled from Abuja to Lagos to meet Ogbu, who told her he was temporarily detained in Kirikiri Prison for an alleged money laundering offence.

The duo’s relationship had continued with the hope that it could end up in marriage.

Ogbu, in the process, got to know Enechukwu.

“I wanted to go out of my domain and I was looking for friendship.

She said her aunt had been supporting her in the relationship with Ogbu, only for her to realise later that the woman’s husband had paid N12.3m into Ogbu’s account.

The money was allegdely paid into the accounts of Ogbu’s co-accused, to enable him to bribe EFCC officials to let him off the hook.

Ogbu was said to have told Enechukwu that his foreign partners were going to invest in the bank manager’s branch once  he (Ogbu) was released from the prison.

The matter was adjourned till March 27 for continuation of trial.

Punch