Undergraduate allegedly dupes German of $12,000

Prosper

A 30-year-old student of University of Benin, UNIBEN, Kenneth Rukewe Ebule, has been arrested by operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly defrauding a German national, Sabine Albert, of $12,088.75.

The suspect, a final year student of Computer and Statistics, was arraigned before Justice E. F. Ikponmwen, of an Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin on a six-count charge bordering on forgery, obtaining money by false pretence and possession of fraudulent documents.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect was arrested in a new generation bank recently in Binin, Edo State, when his victim filed a complaint against him to EFCC.

The victim was said to have alleged that within two months after he had Internet contact with Rukewe, he fraudulently obtained $12,088.75 from him.

It was gathered that Rukewe allegedly posed as an English businessman, on transit in Nigeria, to Albert.

He gave his name as Bob Albert and told his victim that he had a contract with a Nigerian company worth €1,200,000 and that he needed a loan to facilitate a transaction with the company.

He promised to pay back twice the loan because he was sure of pulling through the transactions. He also told Albert that he was robbed.

Rukewe also falsely told Albert that a levy of N1,975,861 was imposed on him by the Federal Inland Revenue Service for the release of his international passport, and a cheque worth 1, 200,000 Euros and pleaded for a flight ticket to London.

Based on all these, Albert offered to loan him the money and sent it through Western Union.

Investigation also revealed that the suspect had defrauded other German nationals to the tune of $110,975.00 between May 2013 and January 2014.

When the charges were read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.

In view of the defendant’s plea, prosecution counsel, Kayode Oni, asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody.

The defence counsel, Mau-reen Morka, informed the court of her application for bail, dated September 9, and prayed the court to grant the defendant bail.

Justice Ikponmwen granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million and two sureties in like sum.

He ordered that the sureties must be resident in Benin and must be gainfully employed in Edo State and charged the defendant to also produce his student identity card.

He adjourned the case to November 21 and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody, pending the perfection of his bail.

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