The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today, July 29, 2021 secured the conviction and sentencing of one Nwaturuocha Linjunior Kelechi to one-year prison term before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna on a two-count charge of cheating and impersonation.
One of the counts reads, “that you Nwaturoucha Linjunior Kelechi sometime in 2019 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did pretend to be an American military personnel stationed in Syria, when you knew you were not, and in such assumed character cheated one Vannesa Rose, an American citizen of the sum of One Thousand Nine Hundred United States Dollars ($1,900.00) when you claimed that you were in love with her and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142 (1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law No.5 of 2017”.
He had initially pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges on December 19, 2019 but was re-arraigned on July 29, 2021, wherein he pleaded guilty to an amended charge following a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution.
Given his guilty plea, the prosecution urged the court to enter the terms of the plea bargain as the judgment of the court, while the defence urged the court to temper justice with mercy as the convict had no record conviction and has become remorseful.
Justice Khobo consequently convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year in imprisonment starting from the date of his arrest. He was ordered to restitute the victim the sum of $1,900.00 USD through the EFCC and the US Embassy.
He is also to forfeit to the Federal Government the following items; an iPhone 6, one 43″ Led Solar Star TV, one DSTV Satellite Dish and one DSTV Decoder.
