EFCC ARRAIGNS WOMAN FOR N6.8 MILLION ROMANCE SCAM
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Catherine Ijeoma Ugwu before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri on charges related to a fraud scheme amounting to N6.8 million.
Ugwu was arraigned on Monday, March 17, 2025, on a four-count charge that includes obtaining by false pretence, criminal misappropriation, and cheating by impersonation. The charges stem from allegations that Ugwu defrauded Emmanuel Ani by falsely posing as his fiancée, “Miss Chinansa,” in a romance scam.
According to the EFCC, Ugwu allegedly defrauded Ani between June 2023 and August 2024, obtaining a total of N6,710,300.00 from him. The EFCC claims that Ugwu tricked Ani into believing that the money was for the upkeep of his supposed fiancée, which she knew to be untrue. This act, according to the EFCC, violates Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006.
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Upon hearing the charges, Ugwu pleaded not guilty to all counts. Prosecution counsel, S.O. Saka and Faruku Muhammad, requested that the court set a trial date and remand Ugwu in a correctional facility. Justice Kumaliya granted the request, adjourning the case until April 8, 2025, for trial to begin. Ugwu was subsequently remanded in a correctional centre.
The EFCC’s investigation revealed that Ugwu allegedly impersonated Ani’s fiancée to deceive him into transferring the N6.8 million. When Ani confronted her, Ugwu could not explain or return the money she had collected.
The EFCC highlighted the seriousness of the case, emphasizing their commitment to tackling financial crimes and protecting the public from online fraud schemes.
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