Press Release
Relief came for a blind teacher, Mary Ihekanacho, on
Wednesday October 22, 2014 as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, presented her with a draft of N550,000 which the anti-graft agency
recovered from a gang of fraudsters that swindled her of N830,000 in a job
scam.
The syndicate conned the woman by promising to
facilitate her son’s employment with one of the oil majors.
Mr. David Iloyanomo who made the presentation on behalf of the Executive
Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, said that, “The EFCC stands for justice
for all and called on the general public to ensure that they assist the
Commission in carrying out its duties by coming forward to give evidence in
court when it is required”. He also praised the passion with which officers of
the Commission handled the matter which made it possible to get justice for
Mrs. Ihekanacho.
An overwhelmed Mrs. Ihekanacho commended the EFCC for coming to her
rescue. “I had lost hope. I prayed and asked God to take control and was
surprised when Richard called me and told me that the young man has been
arrested”. She called on Nigerians to support the EFCC in its effort to rid the
nation of fraudulent activities. “If someone can scam a blind woman, what else
won’t that person do?” she asked.
It would be recalled that Ihekanacho, sometime in July 2012, fell into
the hands of some fraudsters led by Gift Onyegam who defrauded her of the sum
of eight hundred and thirty thousand naira (N830,000.00).
Following her petition, Onyegam was arrested and arraigned on a 4-count
charge of obtaining money by false pretence before Justice M. L. Shuaibu of the
Federal High Court, Enugu.
On February 24, 2014, Justice Shuiabu convicted and sentenced Onyegam to
ten years imprisonment without option of fine. The court also ordered the
convict to pay the victim, the sum of N711, 000 (seven hundred and eleven
thousand naira) in restitution.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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