Fake ''CBN governor'' bags three years for N4.5m fraud

Justice Agatha Anulika Okeke of a Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has convicted and sentenced Nwalozie Onyebuchi Julius, who used the identity of Dr. Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria to commit fraud, to three years imprisonment without an option of fine.

The convict was arraigned by the Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one-count charge, bordering on impersonation and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N4.5million.

Nwalozie’s journey to jail began on December 6th 2019 when he was arrested by the operatives of Uyo Zonal Office of the Commission, based on reliable intelligence on the activities of internet fraudsters, operating in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Upon arrest, the convict confessed to the crime and a forensic analysis of the HP laptop recovered from him further implicated him as several incriminating documents of false pretence and fraudulent extortions were printed from it which he also admitted, emanated from him.

Investigation also revealed that the convict’s specialty was Business Email Compromise-BEC and his modus operandi involved searching for email addresses via Google search and sending convincing emails to his victims. He also confessed to have used a particular email address, ([email protected]) purportedly belonging to the C.B.N governor, Dr. Godwin Emefiele in defrauding one Omar Deep, who thought he was actually dealing with the real C.B.N Governor.