BDC operator defrauds customers of $50m, N22m – TheNigerialawyer

A Bureau De Change operator, Jude Muomah, was on Tuesday
arraigned before the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for
allegedly defrauding two of his customers of $50.02m and N22m,
Punch report.

It was gathered that Muomah defrauded one Ngozi Ifenyinwa and
Ekwueme Onyebuchi of the sums on the pretext of helping them send
the money to their customers.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Muomah collected $50.02m from Ifenyinwa
on the pretext of sending it to her customers, whose names were
given as Moshuri and Campucell, and collected N22m from Onyebuchi
ostensibly to send to his suppliers in Dubai.

Muomah was arraigned by the police from the Force Criminal
Intelligence and Investigation Department before Justice Oluremi
Oguntoyinbo on seven counts bordering on stealing and obtaining
under false pretences.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, Morufu Animashaun, said Muomah and others at
large committed the offences on May 25, 2019, at No. 10 Olawaiye
Street, Anifowoshe, Ikeja, Lagos.

Animashaun told the court that Muomah disappeared after
defrauding his victims and that when they could not locate him, the
victims reported the alleged fraud to his office.

According to Animashaun, the offences contravene sections 8(a)
and 1(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences
Act No. 14 of 2006 and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the
same Act and Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38,
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Following the guilty plea of the defendant, Animashaun asked for
a trial date and urged the court to remand him till the
determination of the case.

Responding to the plea of the prosecutor, the defendant’s
counsel, Anthony Mukoro, said he had just been briefed about the
case and urged the court to grant a short adjournment to enable him
file the bail application.

After listening to both parties, Justice Oguntoyinbo adjourned
the matter till March 10 and 11, 2020, for trial and ordered that
the accused be remanded in a correctional centre till when his bail
application would be filed and determined.

The charges Muomah was arraigned on read in part, “That you,
Jude Muomah, and others now at large, on the aforesaid date, place
and within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent
to defraud, obtained $50.02m from one Ngozi Ifenyinwa, property of
Mercy Nwankwo, under the pretext that you would transfer the money
to her customers, one Moshuri and Campucell, a representation you
knew to be false as you fraudulently converted the said sum to your
own use, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(c) of
the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14
of 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

“That you, Jude Muomah, and others now at large, on May 24,
2019, at the aforesaid place and within the jurisdiction of this
honourable court, did by false pretences and with intent to
defraud, obtain N22,000,000 from one Ekwueme Onyebuchi under the
pretext that you would assist to transfer the money to his supplier
in Dubai, a representation you knew to be false, thereby committing
an offence contrary to Section 1(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and
other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable
under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”