The Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, June 19, 2025
arraigned one Dr. Nekabari Dambere Nathan, a Port Harcourt-based medical
doctor before Justice P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court, sitting in
Port Harcourt, Rivers State for fraud.
Nathan was arraigned alongside his Global
Horizons Academy Ltd on a one-count charge, bordering obtaining by false
pretence and advance fee fraud to the tune
of N N39,157,000,00 (Thirty-nine Million, One Hundred and
Fifty-seven Thousand Naira).
The charge reads: “That you, Dr. Nekabari Dambere
Nathan and Global Horizons Academy Ltd between 8th April, to 12th December 2023
at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with
intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of Thirty-Nine Million, One Hundred
and Fifty-Seven Thousand Naira (N39,157,000,00 only), from Justice Toojah
lyieagbu, the Managing Director of Riskout Consults, which was meant for
processing of visa for his clients for Canada, Ireland and the United State of
America, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby Committed an offence
contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the
Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.”
He pleaded "not guilty" to the charge,
following which
prosecution counsel, A. Abubakar prayed the court for
a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded
in a correctional center, while defence counsel, Friday Otanjah informed
the court of his application for the bail of the
defendant, praying that the defendant be granted bail on medical
grounds to enable him stand his trial.
Justice Ajoku, however, adjourned the matter
till June 25, 2025 for the hearing
of the bail application and remanded the defendant
in EFCC’s custody. He further adjourned till November 27, 2025
for commencement of the trial.
Nathan was arrested following allegations by
the petitioner that sometime in February, 2023, the defendant made a false
representation of himself as a professional trainer in care-giving and a travel
agent, capable of securing visas and jobs in Canada, Ireland,
United Kingdom for Nigerian applicants.
The petitioner further alleged that the defendant
approached his company Riskout Consults and convinced his students that he can
facilitate their trip to any country of their choice and help enrol
them in International English Language Testing
System, IELTS exam.
The students, the petitioner alleged, transferred
money to the tune of N39,157,000,00 (Thirty-nine Million, One
Hundred and Fifty-seven Thousand
Naira) to the defendant, after
which the defendant neither secured the
visas nor job placements for the victims. He was further
alleged to become incommunicado and frustrated all efforts by
the victims to recover their money from him.
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