Justice A.I. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced a fake land-owner, Wenedah Nyewusara, to six months imprisonment, without an option of fine.
Nyewusara was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Port Harcourt Zonal Office, on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, on one-count charge of obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of One Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N1, 200,000) contrary to section 1(1) (a) of Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Count one read: “That you WENEDAH NYEWUSARA sometime in April, 2015, at Port Harcourt within Port Harcourt Judicial Division of the High Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of One Million, Two- Hundred Thousand Naira (N1, 200.000) from ifeanyi Egbuonye when you represented to be the bonofide owner in possession by inheritance under native law and custom half plot of land situated at Ohia-Rumuodo, Off Allu Road, Rumuekini Community in Obio/Akpo Local Government Area of Rivers State which pretence you knew to be false , and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.
He pleaded guilty to the one- count charge preferred against him based on a plea bargain agreement.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Samuel Chime prayed the court to convict the defendant. The defense counsel, Obinna Ofodile, agreed with the prosecution counsel on the plea bargain but prayed the court for leniency since the convict was a first-time offender and willing to restitute the proceeds of the crime.
Justice Mohammed subsequently convicted and sentenced Nyewusara to six months imprisonment without an option of fine and ordered him to make restitution of the proceeds of the crime to the victim.
Nyewusara courted troubles when a complainant alleged that, sometime in March, 2015, he was introduced to the convict who claimed to own a landed property and wanted to sell half of a plot at Rumuekini, Rivers State to him. The convict took him to the land and after negotiation, collected the sum of One Million, Two-Hundred Thousand Naira only (N1, 200,000) as the purchase price of the portion of land from him. However, when the complainant wanted to take possession of the land, the real owner of the land showed up. Every effort to get Nyewusara refund the money he collected proved abortive.