Court Denies Promo Scam Suspect Bail
BENIN July 20, (THEWILL) - A Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State, has refused bail to Nosa Agho, alias Obama, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a six-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, impersonation, money laundering and obtaining money under false pretences.
Ruling on his bail application, Justice A. A. Okeke upheld the prosecution’s argument that the accused person could jump bail and ordered his remandment in prison custody, He adjourned further hearing in the case to 3rd October, 2012.
The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charge, while his counsel immediately asked the court to admit him to bail.
But, prosecution counsel, Festus Ojo opposed the application and requested the court to remand the accused in prison custody and fix a date for the continuation of trial.
Justice Okereke, after listening to the argument of the counsel, adjourned the matter for hearing of the bail application. At the resumed hearing, he refused the bail application on the grounds that the accused person could jump bail, as his accomplices are still at large. He ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody until 3rd October 2012 for hearing.
Agho’s journey to prison began when one Zaharadden Mohammed Runka of the Department of Education and Social Services, Safana Local Government Area, Kastina State reported to the Commission that he received an sms from a foreign number, +447596491392, on his Glo mobile phone detailing that he had won 715,000 Pounds in the UK Nokia Promo Award with a code 901NK.
He was requested to send details of his driver’s licence or international passport for confirmation. Zaharadden said that he received a congratulatory message from Nokia mobile sweepstake that a cheque had been issued in his name, with instruction to contact the courier service on bmchugh@heatrow exp.co.uk.
In addition, he stated that he was asked to pay delivery charge of 250 pounds (about N63, 200). He received another e-mail on 14th May 2012 with further instruction to pay their agent in Nigeria, a certain Nosa Agho with Ecobank Plc account number 004083999. At this point the complainant suspected fowl play and reported the matter to the Commission.