Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned a nursing mother, Suzan Vega Ochuko before Justice P.I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin-City, Edo State on a three-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

It was gathered that the defendant and one Tony Uyimwen, aka Alex Ethan (now at large), allegedly operating with a pseudo name, had contacted one Mrs. Beatrice Auf Der Maur from St. Gallen, Switzerland via Facebook and defrauded her of 132, 000 Euro.

According to the EFCC, Mrs. Auf Der Maur was allegedly hoodwinked into a love relationship with the defendant who subsequently defrauded her of the said amount under the pretence of executing a non-existing contract.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

One of the counts reads: “That you Suzan Vega Ochuko ‘F’ and Tony Uyimwen ‘M’ (a.k.a) Alex Ethan (now at large) on or about the 11th of March, 2016 at Benin, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud when you made a false representation that you are Alex Ethan to one Mrs. Beatrice AUF DER MAUR and obtained the sum of 65, 000.00 (Euro), account number: 2024290579 of one Collins Peter which pretext you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the said Act.”

Another count reads: “That you Suzan Vega Ochuko ‘F’ and Tony Uyimwen ‘M’ (a.k.a) Alex Ethan (now at large) on or about the 18th of March, 2016 at Benin, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of 67, 000.00 (Euro) under false pretence from one Mrs. Beatrice AUF DER MAUR account number: 2022547286 which pretext you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the said Act.”

In view of her plea, the prosecution counsel, M.T. Iko, asked the court to fix a date for commencement of trial.

The defence counsel, Ekhator Ogiegbaen, told the court that he had filed a bail application for his client.

He pleaded with the court to grant his client bail as she would not jump bail and that the defendant was a nursing mother.

Although the prosecution counsel opposed the bail, Justice Ajoku granted the defendant bail in the sum of One Million Naira with two sureties in like sum.