Justice J.K Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced on Onuoha Danhessy Akachuku (alias Joe Dickson) to three months imprisonment, for defrauding an American, Maria Jose Alvarez the sum of $5,260 in a failed online romance deal.
Akachuku was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Port Harcourt’s Zonal Office, on April 27, 2017, on a seven-count charge bordering on Conspiracy and Obtaining Money by False Pretense.
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against him, thus necessitating his trial. The trial progressed and the prosecution counsel, R.E. Alao called three witnesses to establish the case. However, Akachuku applied for a plea bargain and changed his plea to “guilty” and the bargain was adopted by both the prosecution and defence counsels.
Justice Omotosho convicted him accordingly and sentenced him to three months imprisonment and a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) only. The convict was also made restitution the sum of $2000 (Two Thousand United States Dollars) to his victim.
Akachuku’s journey to prison began on April 2017 when he was arrested and subsequently arraigned for using many false FaceBook accounts to defraud one Maria Jose Alvarez, an American of the sum of Five Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty American US Dollars ($5,260).
The convict had claimed to be an American Engineer based in the United Kingdom. With this disguise, he was able to hoodwink his victim into a romantic relationship which according to him, will lead to marriage. However, rather than marry his victim as arranged, he contrived so many lies aimed at defrauding the American and succeeded in duping her to the tune of $5,260.
