EFCC arraigns fake SSS staff for employment scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned one Mohammed Ayuba before Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abuja on a nine-count charge bordering on personation and intent to defraud.
Ayuba allegedly claimed to be a staff of the Department State Security Service Abuja and subsequently obtained monies from Amos Emmanuel, Ayuba Danjuma, Istifanus Yohanna, Emmanuel Ayuba and Blessing Gajere, amounting to N465,800 under the pretext of offering them jobs with the secret service.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Mohammed Ayuba a.k.a Alfa Musa sometimes between June and July 2012 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of Sixty Three Thousand Six Hundred Naira (N63,600.00) from one Amos Emmanuel through First Bank account no: 1682010037235, when you falsely represented yourself as capable of providing him job with the Department of State Security Services which pretence 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.”
The accused person pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
Based on his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Yetunde Alabi, asked the court to fix a date for trial and to remand the accused person in prison custody.
However, the defence counsel, Bassey Nweke, asked the court to grant his client bail as the offence is bailable.
Justice Banjoko granted bail to the accused person in the sum of N5 million, with two sureties in like sum.
One of the sureties must be a public servant not below grade level 12 and must present a letter of attestation from his organization.
One of the sureties must also possess a landed property in Abuja with Certificate of Occupancy duly verified.
The case was adjourned to November 19 and 21, 2013 for hearing.
In a similar development, the EFCC also arraigned one Ekaete Ime Sam before Justice Banjoko, on a five-count charge that borders on intent to defraud under false pretence.
The accused person is alleged to have fraudulently obtained N2.3 million from one Jerry Ekezie under false pretence.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Mrs. Ekaete Ime Sam sometime in June 2013 within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira (N130.000.00) from one Jerry Ekezie at Lagos under the false pretence that you were going to use the money to clear your goods at Apapa Wharf which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1)b of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offence Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was remanded in prison custody pending ruling on the bail application fixed for July 26, 2013.