The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Friday, arraigned Umanah Umanah, alleged notorious ponzi scheme operator.
Umanah was arraigned before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court in Uyo on a two-count charge bordering on forgery, obtaining by false pretence, fraud and issuance of dud cheques.
Umanah’s arrest reportedly followed a petition by one of his victims who alleged that Umanah duped him of over N2.9million and subsequently issued him a cheque of N500,000 which returned as dud.
According to a statement by the Public Relations Officer,Tessy Thompson, the petitioner made efforts to recover his money but all efforts proved abortive as Umanah went into hiding and stopped taking his calls
. The Commission said that Investigation it conducted revealed that the accused runs a notorious gang of advanced fee fraud syndicates operating in several states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory.
Umanah pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.In view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Adebayo Soares , prayed the court to remand the accused in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service and fix a date for trial to enable the prosecution prove its case against him.
Justice Okeke thereafter ordered the remand of the accused in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Uyo, and adjourned the case to November 9,2020 for hearing of bail application.
