The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a man in Port Harcourt, Rivers State for impersonating its acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu.
Robert Swem is accused of using Magu’s identity to harass and blackmail senior officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for bribes to ‘kill’ spurious corruption investigations.
Mr Swem was arraigned on Wednesday before Justice M. L. Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt on three-count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretences.
The alleged offences contravene Section 8(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. One of the charges read: “That you Robert Terfa Swem on or about 24th October, 2019 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did attempt to obtain money by false pretence from Mr. Anselm Agommuoh, by falsely pretending that his name has been shortlisted for investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and that you work closely with and an ally of the Acting Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and as such, you have the capacity to remove his name from the list, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecuting counsel, Samuel Chime, prayed the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant in Nigerian Correctional Service custody.
Defence counsel, Thaddaeus Dzege, however, informed the court of an application for bail of his client which was not opposed by the prosecution.
Justice Abubakar granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million and one surety in like sum, adding that the surety must be a grade level 15 officer and above.
The judge ordered the defendant to be remanded in a Nigerian Correctional Service custody pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.
The case was adjourned till January 13, 2020, for commencement of trial.
Swem was arrested at Juanita Hotel in Port Harcourt where he was holding a meeting with some NDDC directors over the phoney offer.
