20-Yr-Old Nigerian Claims to be Irish, Defrauds American Woman of $64k

An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Isa Mohammed, yesterday told a Lagos High Court in Ikeja, how a 20-year-old man, Osaze Akhigbe, obtained $64,000 from an American, Jolanta Kasza, by claiming to be an Irish who wanted to marry her in Nigeria. Akhigbe, who was arraigned alongside Ndekwu Jindu, 24, is facing 11-count charge on obtaining money by false pretence and conspiracy to obtain goods by false pretences. EFCC operatives The witness told the court that the victim thought she was dealing with an Irish man not knowing she was dealing with a fraudster and paid the said money through Western Union money transfer. Led-in-Evidence by EFCC prosecutor, Mr A.A. Akoja, the witness explained that the 2nd defendant (Jindu), in his statement, agreed to have introduced himself as Daniel Coffman to the victim and did not collect $64,000 from her but collected $30,000 and four I-Pad. “Osaze said he has collected $50,000 from the complainant. Osaze gave the name of one Kinsgley who helped him collect part of the money as it became much and suspicious. There is also one Iyke who is a second-in-command of the syndicate. $30,000 was refunded. Osaze paid most of this money,” Mohammed said. According to the charge, the duo and Hyke Akukwe (at large) on October 11, 2012, with intent to defraud obtained a white IPAD WI-FI 32GB valued at $599 from Kasza under the pretence that it was a gift for marriage engagement processes between one of them and her in Nigeria. After listening to the witness, the trial judge, Justice Lawal Akapo, adjourned to March 1 for continuation of trial.