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Alleged $6.5m scam: EFCC arraigns Ikenna Kingsley aka Jeff Sikora

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned Onwuzuruike Ikenna Kingsley (aka Jeff Sikora), a self-styled President/ Chief Executive Officer of United States-based Prime Trust Credit Union Bank.

He was docked before Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on an eight-count charge.

Kingsley was arrested on January 26, 2020, at his residence along Uzuakoli Road, Umuahia, Abia State.

EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Wednesday, said the charges border on conspiracy, impersonation, forgery, possession of proceeds and obtaining money by false pretense to the tune of $6,502,000,000.

The offence contravenes Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

One of the counts read, “That you Onwuzuruike Ikenna Kingsley (a.k.a Jeff Sikora) on or about the 28th day of December 2019, at Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of $6,500,000.00 through web transfer from one Mr. Selah Elnagar Ali Ahmed, a citizen of the Arabic Republic of Egypt, with the pretense that he is a beneficiary of inheritance funds in a fixed deposit account of Prime Trust Financial Bank, USA, a pretext you knew to be false.”

The defendant also collected the sum of $2,000 which was transferred to him by his accomplice, one Obi Taxas (who is now at large) as part of his share of the heist.

Kingsley pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

Prosecution counsel M.T Iko asked the court for a short adjournment.

Defense counsel, R.E. Wanogho informed the court of a pending application for the bail of the defendant.

But Iko opposed the application on the grounds that he was only served the application that same morning and needed time to study and respond to it.

Justice Mohammed adjourned the matter till July 3, 2020, for hearing and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody.

Source: dailypost.ng