restituted the sum of N67,523,000 (Sixty-seven Million, Five Hundred
and Twenty Three Thousand Naira) to one Mr. Emmanuel Onyekachukwu Onah
, a trader based in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Onah’s ordeal started sometime in 2019 when he transferred the sum of
N75, 760,540.00 (Seventy-Five Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand,
Five Hundred and Forty Naira), to the duo of Tega Esinone and Obiajulu
Umeagukwu for onward transmission to his business partner, Crecedor
Industrial Co. Ltd in Hong Kong.
The suspects converted the money to their own use. After efforts to
recover his money from the suspects failed, Onah petitioned the EFCC.
The Commission in the course of investigating the scam, initiated a
non-conviction based forfeiture process which culminated in a December
1, 2020 ruling by Justice I.N Buba of the Federal High Court, Enugu
ordering the forfeiture of the sum of N67, 522,831.55(Sixty Seven
Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and
Thirty-one Naira Fifty-five kobo) in a new generation bank account
belonging to Tega Esinone to the victim.
Presenting the cheques to the victim today, Oshodi Johnson, Head of the
Enugu Office said the gesture demonstrates the Commission stance on
justice for all. “EFCC is for everybody and all that the EFCC stands for
is justice. We will continue to work within its mandate to ensure that
Nigeria becomes a nation that is corrupt free. We will not rest until
this is achieved.”
He warned fraudsters of the Commission’s readiness to fish them out
anywhere they are, saying that it would be better they repent from their
nefarious activities because it was only a matter of time before the
long arms of law catches up with them.
In his remarks after receiving the cheques, Mr Onah expressed gratitude
to the Commission for helping to recover his money. “Honestly, I am so
overjoyed because today is a day of smile. I came to you people in tears
but today my heart is full of joy and my face is full of smiles. I am
now a living testimony that the EFCC works and they can bring justice
even to the common man, ‘he said.
