A 59-year-old man, Chief Amakiri Geoffrey, has been prosecuted for the alleged crime of obtaining money by pretence.
The suspect is accused of swindling his victims of more than N900,000 and was brought before the Port-Harcourt Magistrate Court 7 presided by Chief Magistrate I. F. Iyabo.
Geoffrey who was arraigned in November faces five counts of obtaining money by pretence and compelling one of his victims to swear on oath never to disclose his fraudulent transactions to anyone.
When the charges were read to him he had pleaded not guilty.
In charge number PMC/1742c/2021, the charges said: “That you Chief Amakiri Geoffrey ‘m’ on the 6th day of November, 2021 at about 1400 hrs at GRA Phase III, Port-Harcourt, in the Port-Harcourt Magisterial District did obtain under false pretence from one Ikechukwu Ijeuge ‘m’ the sum of two hundred thousand naira (N200,000) thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 419 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol II, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as applicable to Rivers State.
“That you Chief Amakiri Geoffrey ‘m’ on the 4th day of November, 2021 at about 1814hrs at Igwuruta town, Port-Harcourt in the Port-Harcourt Magisterial District did obtain under false pretence from one Princess Joy Kanu ‘f’ the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira (N250,000.00) thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 419 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol II, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as applicable to Rivers State”.
Two other charges bordered on collecting money by false claim and threatening one of the victims to swear on oath.
The fifth charge which involved swearing on oath with prohibited juju said: “That you Chief Amakiri Geoffrey ‘m’ on the 12th of October, 2021 at about 1300hrs at Igwuruta town, Port-Harcourt in the Port-Harcourt Magisterial District did unlawfully compel one Allison Okere to swear on oath with prohibited juju that he would die if he disclosed all your fraudulent transactions to anyone which is an unlawful trial by ordeal thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 207 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol II, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as applicable in Rivers State”.
The victims include Ikechukwu Ijeuge, Princess Joy Kanu and also Allison Okere.
The case which is between the Commissioner of Police of Rivers State and the suspect is being prosecuted by an Assistant Superintendent of Police ASP Wilson Isaiah.
It was adjourned to 24 January next year as the defendant was granted bail.
