EFCC arraigns man for alleged Internet fraud in Kaduna

The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Opara Victor Uche before Justice Joyce Asabe of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna on a one-count charge bordering on cybercrime.

The charge reads: “That you, Opara Victor ( aka Clara Hides ) sometime in October 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence to wit; falsely presented yourself as Clara Hides from South Africa, to several unsuspecting victims via chat ( an online social media application) in a bid to lure them into love scam, 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 not guilty when the charge was read to him prompting the prosecution counsel, M.U Gadaka to urge the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial. The defence counsel, F.D. Kozah, however, prayed the court to admit his client to bail.

Justice Asabe granted the defendant bail in the sum of N 500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) with 3 sureties in like sum. The sureties must be residents within the jurisdiction of the court and possess landed properties with a Certificate of Occupancy. They are also to depose an affidavit of means and provide evidence of tax payment.

The defendant’s troubles began when a team of operatives arrested him in a sting operation in Barakkallahu, along Kaduna- Zaria Road.

He was found to have created a fake Facebook account with the names, Clara Hides and Dr Edoche, and used the same to defraud unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned money.