An alleged ponzi operator, one Michael Ukiye Diongoli, has been arrainged by the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon-Ikoyi division in Lagos State on Monday.
The suspect was arrested and arrainged before the Federal High Court in Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a retired Army Colonel, two professors, and MTN Staff Co-operative Society of the sum of N1.286, 580, 656 billion.
The FCID arraigned the defendant before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa “on an eight-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, and fraud.”
The Network gathered that the defendant was arraigned alongside his two firms, UK-Don Group and UK-Dion Investment Limited.
The police accused the alleged criminal for scamming his victims, “under false pretence of multiple Returns On Investment (ROI) within the period of six months to one year.”
The victims of his tricks are Dr. Basil Onugu, Prof. Oneykachi Green Nwankwo, his wife, Elizabeth U. Onyekachi Green, Nnenna Ikubogh, Securities Ltd, Uchenna Nwankwo, Chinyere Oguejiofor, Sekoni A. Adetokunmo, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Prof. Iloeje Casmir, Lilllan Ofondu, Suliaman Mamman, MTN Employer Cooperative, Gabriel Andrew, Obieme Adaku K., Col. Chukwu Terngu (Rtd), among others.
According to the prosecutor, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Mrs. Ezema Susan, the defendant committed the offences between December 2021 and April 2022.
The prosecutor stressed that “the offences contravened Sections 8 (a), 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related to Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
After reading the charges to the defendant, the defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
The defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, based on the “no guilty plea,” of the defendant pray for his client’s bail application adding that bail application had.
He said it had been served on the prosecution.
But the prosecutor argued that although, the defendant’s lawyer claimed that the bail application has been served on the prosecution, she was yet to receive it.
She told the court to grant her a short adjournment, to respond to it.
After listening to both counsels, Justice Lewis-Allagoa, therefore, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Force CID’s custody and adjourned the matter till tomorrow for hearing of the bail application.
