The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, February 10, 2017 arraigned the duo of Elijah Jeremiah and Obasa Isaiah before Justice M. A. Adegbola of the High Court of Oyo State sitting in Ibadan, on a 6-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit forgery and forgery.
The accused persons, however pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In view of their plea, counsel to EFCC, Oluwatonyin Owodunni asked for trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendants in prison custody.
However, counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants, C.C. Amede and Richarmond Natha-Alade informed the court of their application for bail and prayed the court to grant the defendants bail.
One of the count reads: “That you, Elijah Jeremiah and Obasa Isaiah sometime between the month of June and October 2016 at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division with intent to facilitate your procurement of United States’ Visa forged an identity card in the name of Elijah Jeremiah and purported same to have been issued to you by Datsol Industries Limited”
Elijah and Obasa’s journey to the dock followed a petition to the EFCC alleging that Jeremiah lives an ostentatious life without a definite job. He is also alleged to be involved in auction sites on the internet through which he makes online purchases of items from China.
His modus operandi is to download Letters of Credit purportedly issued by Scotia Online Financial Services of Scotia Bank worldwide from Google, edits it to suit his purpose of making dubious payments for purchases.
The auctioneers, unaware of his antics however often fall victim of his game by shipping the goods to him ahead of confirmation of payment. Obasa, a travel agent became an accomplice by assisting Jeremiah with forged Identity card and letter of introduction to the US embassy.
Justice Adegbola while adjourning the matter to February 16, 2017 for ruling on bail application, ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody
