The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentence of one Manasseh Hamza Bello (a.k.a Domingos Pereira) before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna and arraigned the duo of Muhammad Ibn Muhammad and Baba Dennis Ndong before the same judge for multiple fraud.
Bello was prosecuted on a one-count charge bordering on impersonation. The charge reads: “That you Manasseh Hamza Bello (a.k.a Domingos Pereira) (M), sometime in 2024 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, committed an offence, to wit: falsely presenting yourself as Domingos Pereira (a white man) on Facebook (an online social media application), which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142 (1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law 2017.”
He pleaded “guilty” to the charge upon which prosecution counsel, M.U Gadaka prayed the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
The judge consequently convicted and sentenced him to five years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N 500,000. In addition to his jail term, he forfeited iPhone 13 Pro Max mobile phone, a Tecno PoP 8 mobile phone, a gold-coloured Toyota Camry car and the sum of N2.127 million to the Federal Government.
Bello was arrested and prosecuted following intelligence on the fraudulent activities of cybercrime syndicate operating within Barnawa, Kakuri and Television Garage axis of Kaduna metropolis.
Similarly, Muhammad and Ndong were arraigned on separate one-count charges, all bordering on obtaining by false pretence, criminal breach of trust and impersonation.
Muhammad’s charge reads: “That you, Muhammad Ibn Muhammad “M”, sometimes between the months of November and December,2021, in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N1,935,000.00 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand Naira only), from one Ahmed Shehu under the pretence that you were the lawyer representing Sulaiman Mohammed who was in the holding facility of the EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Directorate, a pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to 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.”
That of Ndong reads: “That you Baba Dennis Ndong, sometimes in January 2021 in Kaduna within the Judicial Division of this honorable court, with intent to defraud did obtain a total sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira only) only from one Alh Bankeke Mato under the false pretence that you are capable of securing an employment for his children with the Federal Inland Revenue Service which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to 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.”
Both defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were respectively read to them, prompting prosecution counsel M.J Matiyak and M.U Gadaka to urge the court to fix trial dates, while defence counsel, Richard Olukoyode and Garba Suleiman for Muhammad and Ndong respectively urged the court to grant their clients bail.
Justice Khobo afterwards adjourned the hearing of Ndong’s bail application till August 26, 2024 and that of Muhammad till August 29, 2024.
Ndong was arrested for presenting himself to his victim as a director in the Federal inland Revenue Service, FIRS and capable of securing employment in the Service for his children at the cost of N5 million. Ndong did not fulfil his own side of the bargain after receiving the money, but rather became evasive. Muhammad, on the other hand, was arrested for fraudulently impersonating a lawyer to his victim who was in detention and in addition sold the victim’s properties and held back the proceeds for his personal use.
