Justice Deinde Dipeolu of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has adjourned to Tuesday, December 31, to deliver a ruling on the bail applications of two youths, Elvis Edokpiawe and Kelly Enogieru, standing trial over alleged identity theft, impersonation, obtaining the sum of $150, 000, USD by false pretence and unlawful funds conversion.
The 23 year old and 24 year old defendants had earlier been arraigned on Monday, Dec. 23 before another judge, Akintayo Aluko, where they pleaded not guilty to the separate four-count charges, made against them by the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police.
On same day, the court also ordered their confinement to the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) until their bail applications were heard and determined.
On Friday, they appeared before Justice Dipeolu, who is hearing the case as a vacation judge, and argued their bail applications through their counsel, Douglas Ogbankwa.
The legal officer prosecuting both cases, Zebedee Arekhandia, told the court that the two defendants and others now at large, allegedly committed the offences between 2020 and December 12, 2024, in Benin City, Edo State, and Lekki area, Lagos State.
Elvis Edokpiawe is said to have impersonated one Thomas Lindagard of Denmark who is currently in the Mediterranean Sea and used his name on social media such as Facebook, Whatsapp, Kakoatalk app, Instagram, and other internet platforms, to defraud unsuspecting victims to the tune of $10, 000 USD.
While, Kelly Osas Enogieru, is accused of impersonating one Captain Donald Ryg, of the United States of America Army on Peace Keeping Mission in Africa and Syria, and using his name to defraud his victims of the sum of $140,000 USD.
The alleged acts contravene section 8(a) and is punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. And Section 27 (1) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024). Section 22 (2) (a), (b) (i), (ii) and (iii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), amongst other expanded laws.
If found guilty, they risk a maximum jail term of 20 years with no option of fine.
