EFCC arraigns woman for identity theft, N19m fraud in Enugu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a woman, Mbah Sophina, before the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu on a three-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents, forgery, and identity theft.

Count one of the charges read: “That you, Mbah Chidinma Sophina, sometime between 1st of January, 2026 to 30th of April, 2026 at Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud, had in your possession, a document asserting that you are Florence-Gweh Togba Doaryenneh, which to your knowledge contained a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 6 1 (3) of the same Act.”

Count two read: “That you, Mbah Chidinma Sophina, sometime between 1st October, 2023 to 25th October, 2023 at Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, knowingly forged a Last Minute Healthcare card with number 03332408969 bearing the name of Florence-Gweh Togba Doaryenneh which you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (2) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, 2004 and punishable under the same Section of the Act.”

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to her.

Following her plea, the EFCC counsel, Ahmad Abdullahi, prayed the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution prove its case and for the defendant to be remanded at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Enugu.

The defence counsel, M. I. Odo, prayed the court for a short date to enable him file a bail application for the defendant.

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The presiding judge, Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo, thereafter, adjourned the matter to November 19, 2026, for trial and remanded the defendant at the facility of the NCoS.

Meanwhile, the defendant is equally being prosecuted by the EFCC before the Enugu State High Court on a two-count charge bordering on stealing and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N19,084,000.

She was granted bail after pleading “not guilty” to the charges and the matter was adjourned to September 18, 2026, for trial.

The EFCC disclosed that the woman was arrested following claims of a petitioner that he informed the defendant whom he met on Tik-Tok in 2024 of his intention to relocate to the United Kingdom through a Certificate of Sponsorship in order to work as a caregiver.

“After paying the said sum to the defendant for the procuring of a CoS, the defendant allegedly failed to deliver documents as promised to him, before blocking him,” the EFCC added.

The anti-graft agency disclosed that its operatives later executed a search at the woman’s residence and recovered an identification card bearing the defendant’s photograph with the name, Florence-Gweh Togba Doaryenneh.