N232m Fraud: Court Remands  Man Posing As Oil Magnate To Dupe Victims In Port Harcourt

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, presided by Justice P.I. Ajoku, has remanded a fake oil magnate, Wilfred Chinonso Oti in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre for impersonation, money laundering and obtaining by false pretence.

This development is coming following his arraignment on Friday July 21, 2023, by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on an eight count charge.

Oti’s troubles began when he was arrested sometime in June, 2023, by the operatives of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command in a sting operation at Rivtaf Golf Estate, Odili Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State for alleged internet fraud, impersonation, money laundering and obtaining money under false pretence.  

Investigation revealed that the defendant registered a WhatsApp account with the name “Russian Petrol Product” wherein he impersonated Goncharov Sergey, the Managing Director of Spetsnefteservice Refinery, and offering non- existent petroleum products for sale to his victims.

In March, 2023, Oti allegedly defrauded one Mrs. Daphne Isidro the sum of $100,000 USD.

According to the suspect, the money was to be payment for the cost of petroleum products, which he claimed to have the capacity to deliver to the victim from Russia.

The offence is contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

One of the charges reads: “That you, Wilfred Chinonso Oti, sometime in March, 2023, at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of One Hundred Thousand United States of American Dollars ($100,000 USD) only from one Mrs. Daphne Isidro being payment of the cost price of petroleum products, which you claimed to have the capacity to deliver to her from Russia, which pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.

Another count reads: “That you, Wilfred Chinonso Oti, between 24th September, 2020 and 13 August, 2021, at Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly took possession of the aggregate sum of One Hundred and Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Naira (N108.980,000.00) only in your First Bank Account No. 3158780105 which funds you reasonably ought to have known form part of the proceeds of your unlawful activities and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Sections 15(3) of the same Act”.

The defendant pleaded ‘‘not guilty’’ to all the charges read to him and in view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Dr. B. Ubi prayed the court to remand the defendant at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre and fix a date for the commencement of trial.

Counsel to the defendant, C .S. Magha informed the court that he had filed an application for the bail of the defendant and prayed the court to grant the defendant bail due to his health condition. 

However, the prosecution opposed the application on the ground that no material was placed before the court with regards to the health status of the defendant.

Justice Ajoku ordered the remand of the defendant in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre and adjourned till September 21, 2023 for the commencement of trial.