The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate, on Thursday, May 22, 2025, arraigned a woman, Ifeoma Joe, and her 34-year-old son, Chima Mike Nmerem, before Justice P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for their involvement in a N64.4 million fraud.
The duo is facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, misrepresentation, advance fee fraud, and obtaining money under false pretences.
According to the EFCC, between September 10 and December 17, 2024, the defendants fraudulently obtained N64,486,180 from one Mrs. Felicia Ekwutasi Ikeh under the pretext that the money was meant for spiritual cleansing and to settle detectives in a murder case in the United States, supposedly involving the petitioner's son.
The funds were reportedly paid into an Access Bank account operated by Nmerem and linked to a fictitious "Dr. Uma Ukpai."
The charge stated that the claim was knowingly false and constituted an offence under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Upon arraignment, both mother and son pleaded guilty. EFCC counsel, K. U. Udus, sought to review the case and mentioned that a prosecution witness was ready to testify. However, Justice Ajoku, citing time constraints, adjourned the matter to May 28, 2025, for a review of facts and ordered the remand of the defendants in EFCC custody.
Their arraignment followed a petition by a U.S.-based Nigerian who claimed that her sister introduced her to Ifeoma Joe for spiritual prayers to allegedly protect her son from going to jail for murdering his sibling.
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