A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the remand of an alleged internet fraudster, 28-year-old Patrick Akpoguma, in the correctional centre over identity theft and $95,000 fraud.
The defendant is facing seven counts bordering on conspiracy, identity theft, impersonation, obtaining money by false pretence, and conversion of proceeds of a criminal act, preferred against him by the police.
Akpoguma was recently paraded by the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, for allegedly attempting to bribe its operatives with $100,000 (approximately N174 million).
Justice Musa Kakaki ordered his remand after he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
The prosecution counsel, Zebedee Arekhandia, told the court that the offences were committed between 2020 and November 11, 2024, in Benin City, Edo State, and Block A, Noheem Adams Crescent Chevy View Estate, Lekki, Lagos.
Arekhandia told the court that the defendant, alongside others still at large, allegedly created fake WhatsApp and other social media accounts using the names “Connel Matt Herbert” and “Adam Taggart,” an alleged American citizen.
He said that through these platforms, the defendant defrauded victims both in Nigeria, the United States, and other countries of $95,000 under the guise of investing the funds in cryptocurrency.
The prosecutor said those who were allegedly defrauded by the defendant were Oleg, Connor, Carlos, Mark Alien, Eric Allan, Avere, Lume, and Portal Smith.
He said the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of $58, 000, from Oleg, Connor, and Carlos, on the pretext to them that he needed the money as a loan for his “business project in Florida USA”, a representation he knew to be false.
Akpoguma was also accused of fraudulently obtaining $37, 500, from Mark Alien, Eric Allan, Avere, Lume and Portal Smith, on the pretext that he needed the money for crypto investment.
According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 8(a); and 1(1), 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.
However, Akpoguma pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, Arekhandia asked for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant pending the determination of the case.
But Akpoguma’s counsel, Olatunde Kolawole, informed the court that he had filed a bail application and it had been filed and served on the prosecution.
The prosecutor confirmed receipt of the bail application in court and asked for a short time to file his counter.
After hearing submissions from both parties, Justice Kakaki adjourned the case to February 4, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application.
The judge also ordered that Akpoguma be remanded in the custody of the correctional centre.
