The Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 arranged Promise Ogumu (a.k.a James Simpson, Brain Walker) before Justice F.A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State.
Ogumu was arraigned on six -count charges, bordering on fraudulent impersonation, obtaining by false pretence and possession of fraudulent documents . He is alleged to have sometime in 2019 and 202 obtained an aggregate sum of Thirty Seven Thousand Three Hundred and Fifty Dollars ( $37, 350) under false pretence of a lottery investment.
One of the counts reads: “that you Promise Ogumu on or about 8th February, 2019 in Delta State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did with intent to defraud obtained the sum of $12,600 from John Dawson under the false pretence of a lottery investment, the pretence you knew to be false and therefore committed an offence contrary to section (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and Punishable under section 1 (3) of same Act.
Another count reads: “that you Promise Ogumu on or about 8th July 2019 in Delta State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of $9000 from Bao Tran Hung under the false pretence of a lottery investment, the 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 same Act.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel , I.K Agwai prayed the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendant at a Correctional Facility.
Justice Olubanjo granted the defendant bail in the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000), with one surety. The surety must possess a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court. The defence counsel is to undertake in writing to produce the defendant in court when needed
The matter was adjourned to November 14 and 15, 2022 for hearing.