Fake Nollywood Star In EFCC Net Over $7,000 Romance Scam.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Office, has arrested one Ezekiel Sunday Emmanuel for allegedly defrauding an American national, Collins Meresha, to the tune of $7,000 USD (Seven Thousand Dollars).

Emmanuel, who presents himself as Frederick Nnaemeka Leonard, a Nollywood actor, was arrested on October 8, 2020 by officers of the Commission, following a report by the Chief Security Officer of Federal Airports Authority, FAAN, who caught him while engaging in a heated argument with Meresha on October 6, 2020.

It turned out that Meresha was invited to Nigeria by the suspect under the guise that he was Leonard, whom she had been dating online.

She further alleged that she was, however, accosted on arrival at the airport by the suspect, whom she described as a “totally different person” from the Nollywood actor.
The suspect will soon be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.

Meanwhile, the EFCC, has urged Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos to dismiss the no-case submission filed by a suspected internet fraudster, Ismail Mustapha, alias Mompha, who is standing trial over an alleged N32.9 billion fraud.

Mompha was re-arraigned on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 alongside his company, Ismalob Ventures, on an amended 22-count charge of fraud.

At the resumed sitting today, October 14, 2020, Mompha, through his lawyer, Gbenga Oyewole, SAN, filed a no-case submission, after the prosecution had closed its case at the last sitting.

Oyewole, in urging the court to uphold his client’s no-case submission, said the prosecution had failed to link his client to any offence on all the counts of the charge.
However, the prosecution counsel, S. I. Sulaiman, in his response, urged the court to dismiss Mompha’s no-case submission application, which was adopted before the court.

In urging the court to dismiss Mompha’s application, Sulaiman said the prosecution had been able to link the defendant to the alleged offences based on the evidence adduced and exhibits tendered through the 10 prosecution witnesses, who had testified in the matter.

He, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the application and order the defendant to open his defence.

After listening to both parties, Justice Liman adjourned the matter to November 18, 2020 for ruling on the defendant’s no-case submission.