EFCC arraigns man for internet fraud

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned one Ajayi Temitope Charles at the Kwara state High Court on a five-count charge on internet fraud.

The accused person, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges before Justice M. Abdulgafar on Wednesday, was allegedly caught with a document in his possession with intent to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

In the first count against the accused person, who is also known as Teresa Simon, it was said that, on February 28, 2019, in Ilorin, he had in his possession document in his Gmail account containing false pretence, with intent to defraud, and thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 6, and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences.

It was also said that the accused person in the second and third count had in his possession document titled, Hangout with Rodney Dean, and Hangout with Paul Thompson, respectively, adding that he printed out the document from his Gmail account.

Temitope Charles, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges when the charges were read to him, said in his statement that the male adult finder site on his system was meant to appear as a woman to find friends and nothing more.

The presiding judge, who adjourned the matter till March 21, 2019, for further hearing also asked that the accused person be kept in prison custody till trial date against the plea of the defence counsel who had asked for bail.