Couple in the dock over $51,400 job scam

isaac

June 26, 2015 3:35 PM

A man and wife tag team job scam syndicate has been smashed by the EFCC.

The EFCC has busted a husband-wife job scam team

Prince Alphonsus Mbakwe and his wife, Florence, have been remanded in the costudy of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for running a job scam where they fleece desperate job seekers of their hard earned money, with the promise of securing them lucrative employment with the presidency.

The order was handed down to the couple by Justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos State High Court after the EFCC arraigned the man and wife on a five-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.

The couple had allegedly defrauded one Professor Uchenna Elike under the guise of securing him a consultancy job in the Presidency.

One of the counts preferred against the Mbakwes reads:

“That you Prince Alphonsus Mbakwe, between 2010 and 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, by false pretence and with the intent to defraud, obtained the sum of Thirty-eight Thousand, Four Hundred United States Dollars ($38,400), from Professor Uchenna Elike by falsely representing to the said Professor Uchenna Elike through Mr Chidiebere Igbokwe and Mrs. Chinwe Igbokwe, that vacancy existed in the Presidency, Abuja, for the appointment of Professor Uchnenna Elike as Consultant and that you were in position to influence the said appointment and that the money you obtained from him represented the cost of your logistics, accommodation, flight and facilitation fees for the said appointment, which representation you knew to be false.’’

Though the accused couple pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice Akapo refused them bail and ordered they be in the EFCC costudy pending when their bail application will be heard in court on June 30, 2015.

isaac