The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Makurdi Zonal Office, on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 arraigned one Modesta Edeh before Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State on a one-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretense to the tune of N119,000.00 (One Hundred and Nineteen Thousand Naira only).
Trouble started for Edeh, when the EFCC received a petition from one of her victims, who alleged that she claimed to be collaborating with Gold Club Investment Scheme, a purported affiliate of Gold Coin Community Help, GCCH. She further claimed that the scheme invests depositors’ funds giving them mouth-watering returns after five months. The petitioner alleged that an enrollment fee of N41,000 was paid for registration, N39,000 for enrollment into the $100 category, and N39,000 as re-commitment fee, totaling N1119,000.
However, five months after, the expected profit on investment was not forthcoming, neither was there a refund of the deposited funds. All efforts made to recover the funds, also proved abortive.
The charge reads: “That you, Mrs. Modesta Edeh sometime in May 2017, in Makurdi, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to defraud, induced one Benjamin Tor to pay the sum of NN119,000.00 (One Hundred and Nineteen Thousand Naira) only to Global Coin Community Help under the pretense that the money so paid would yield benefit to him and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud related offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
She pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to her.
Prosecuting counsel, Y.Y. Tarfa, thereafter, prayed the court for a date for commencement of trial.
Defence counsel, E.L. Okoh, however, moved an application for the bail of the defendant, urging the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal terms.
Justice Olajuwon, thereafter, granted bail to Edeh in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.
The surety, the court held, must show evidence of three years tax clearance.
The case was adjourned until February 11, 2020 for hearing, while the defendant remanded in custody of a correctional centre, pending the perfection of her bail conditions.
