Two individuals accused of posing as the head of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Segun Aina, have appeared before a Federal High Court located in Abuja.
The two defendants identified as Arinze Nwogba and Sunday Nweke were re-arraigned before Justice Salim Ibrahim on a seven-count amended charge bordering on impersonation, fraud, cybercrime, among others.
Daily Trust reports that the Inspector-General of Police, had on October 2, arraigned Nwogba on a six-count charge on allegations that he and others now-at-large committed impersonation and other criminal offences.
Nwogba, who was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded guilty, was admitted to a N50 million bail with two sureties on October 7.
The judge had adjourned the case until October 19 for commencement of his trial.
However, when the matter came up on Monday, the prosecution lawyer told the court that the IGP had filed an amended charge after the arrest of Nweke, who is Nwogba’s accomplice.
And Justice Ibrahim fixed Tuesday for the defendants’ arraignment.
When the case was called on Tuesday, police counsel, Stanley Medugu, prayed the court for the amended charge to be read to the defendants so they could take their plea.
Ifeanyi Nworie, who appeared for the defence, did not object.
He, however, informed the court that Nweke would need an Igbo interpreter because he did not understand English.
After an interpreter was provided, the seven counts were read to the defendants in which they pleaded not guilty to.
In the light of the plea of the defendants, Medugu sought a trial date to establish their case against the suspects.
Although Nworie did not oppose the application, the lawyer said he had gone through the charge and saw that it was almost the same with the earlier charge filed against Nwogba.
He, therefore, prayed the court to permit Nwogba to continue to enjoy the earlier bail conditions.
The lawyer also said that Nweke’s bail application would be filed as soon as it was prepared.
The prosecuting lawyer did not oppose Nworie’s application and Justice Ibrahim adjourned the case until November 25 for trial.
The judge, who ordered Nwogba to continue with the earlier bail terms, ordered Nweke to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre.
What You Should Know
Two men, Arinze Nwogba and Sunday Nweke, have been brought to court on a multi-count charge including impersonation and fraud for allegedly posing as the JAMB registrar. While one defendant has been remanded in custody, the other continues on bail as the trial is scheduled to begin.
- Positive Impact: Crackdown on impostors protects students and the public from fraudulent schemes and scams operating under the guise of top government officials.
- Potential Concerns: Cases like this highlight ongoing cybersecurity vulnerabilities and identity theft risks targeting high-profile public institutions.
