EFCC ARRAIGNS FAKE STAFF

A former Constable of the Nigeria Police posturing as a bonafide staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,  EFCC,   David Lohbut Nimdul,  was today Tuesday 6 March, 2018  arraigned  before Justice Adamu Turaki of the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on one count charge bordering on obtaining money by false presence to the tune of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira. (N250, 000.00)

Nimdul was reported to the EFCC  by a petitioner who alleged that he was introduced to him as a staff . Based on the introduction, he requested Nimdul to assist in the recovery of a loan of N15, 300,000.00k (Fifteen Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira only) he offered one Patience Amaewhule, a banker with an old generation bank in Port Harcourt. The banker allegedly obtained the loan from him and promised to pay back in 120 days. However, she failed to keep faith with the promise and Nimdul came on the scene to assist in the recovery of the loan.

Investigations showed that Nimdul ordered  the banker to commence the repayment of the loan to the petitioner and directed her to pay an initial sum of N250, 000,.00( Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) into his ( Nimdul) bank account, promising that the money would be payed into EFCC's loan recovery account.  The petitioner later found out that Nimdul was an impostor and reported him to the Commission.

 The one- count charge read:  ‘’that you David Lohbut Nimdul on or about 25^th September, 2017, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to  defraud obtained the sum of (N250,000.00) Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira through your Guaranty Trust Bank Plc account number 004025188 by false pretence, when you presented yourself as an operative of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to Patience Amaewhule, a pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) b of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No.14 of 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act".

He pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, A. C Chukwuma-Eneh asked for a date for the commencement of trial and the defendant to be remanded in prison custody. However, counsel to the defendant, Martina Okpebko made an oral application for bail which was not granted. She was asked to apply formally.

Justice Turaki adjourned the case to 16 and 17 April, 2018 for trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of his bail.