Tony John, Port Harcourt
A 42-year-old land agent, Kelly Nwogu, has been accused by the Rivers State Police Command of allegedly defrauding over 400 unsuspecting members of the public of N800 million.
Nwogu, a native of Ngwa, in Abia State, is the Managing Director, Livelihood Homes Limited (aka The Villa) in Port Harcourt.
The police command has also charged him to Federal High Court on a 494-count charge, as contained in suit number FHC/PH/399c/2019.
Briefing journalists yesterday, at the command’s headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Chula Enwonwu, said Nwogu had earlier been arrested, but he jumped bail.
Enwonwu disclosed that after the command had concluded its investigation, the case showed that 494 victims reported a case Advance Fee Fraud against the suspect.
He stated: “Recall that the suspect, Kelly Nwogu, was arrested in October, this year, where he was admitted to police bail, but he jumped bail, leading to the revocation of his bail. He was subsequently re-arrested for further investigation.
“At the end of which he could not advance any reasonable probability to refund his clients, whom he had defrauded to the tune of N800 million.
“Based on that, the investigating team from the State Criminal Investigation Department Department (SCID), Ipso facto, recommended for arraignment”, he explained.
Enwonwu stated that the arrangement was in compliance with statutory requirement and the need to set his trial in motion, having established a prima facie case against the suspect.
He, however, advised members of the public to be wary of mouth-watering offers from land agents, especially when it involves land transactions.
Meanwhile, the suspect, during an interview, told newsmen that he was not arrested by the police, saying that he walked to the police command himself to lodge complaint.
The suspect indicted the police, saying that since the incident occurred, he had paid money into the bank accounts of some police officers.