By Desire Emmanuel
A man who paraded himself as a Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on ICT Development and Digital Innovation and who used the opportunity to commit a N25.9 million fraud has been taken to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The agency arraigned the man, whose name was given as Igoin Tokoni Peter, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja for the offence.
It was gathered that he was arraigned on May 20, on a four- count charge bordering on impersonation and obtaining under false pretence to the tune of N25.9 million.
One of the charges against him reads: “That you, Igoin Tokoni Peter, sometime between 30th August, 2024 and 30th October, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court with the intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of N25.9 million through Smartz Skyward Energy Limited account No 1312736201 domiciled with Zenith Bank from Dontown Assets Limited.
“You did this under the false pretence that you are the Special Adviser to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on ICT Development and Digital Innovations and that the said sum will be used to secure cryptocurrency exchange operational licence which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
When all the charges were read to him, he pleaded not guilty, which prompted the prosecution counsel, Christopher Mshelia, to ask the court for a trial date and that the defendant be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the date of his trial.
Justice Egwuatu, while delivering his ruling, admitted him to bail in the sum of N400 million with two sureties who must be resident in Abuja, adding that one must be a property owner who must submit property documents, a passport photograph and means of identification. The second surety must be a civil servant on Grade Level 15 who must as well submit his office identity and passport photograph.
He further ordered that the man be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions while the matter was adjourned till July 16 for commencement of trial.
