Yesterday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought charges against Wilson Daphey (also known as Jefrey Guiseppe) before Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The nine-count charges relate to allegations of fraudulently obtaining money and engaging in money laundering activities.

According to the allegations, Daphey collaborated with Evans Nnamdi Aguh, Christopher Chinedu Ajufo, Ifeanyi Enuma, and Ojinanaka Kingsley Chukwuma, who are presently fugitives, to deceive and swindle Ms. Petra Goschenhofer out of £120,150.

The second count of the charges states that between November 2018 and December 2019 in Abuja, Wilson Daphey (also known as Jefrey Guiseppe), allegedly presented himself as an American civil engineer residing in Rome but working in Dubai on a construction project to Ms. Petra Goschenhofer, whom he met on Instagram. He purportedly obtained £69,880 from her while assuming this false identity, and as a result, violated section 22(2)(b)(ii) of the 2015 Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, with the intention to defraud online. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all counts of the charges.

After the defendant pleaded not guilty, the prosecution counsel, Deborah Ademu-Eteh, requested a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in custody. The defense counsel, E.O Clement, then presented a bail application for the defendant.

The case has been adjourned by Justice Olajuwon until May 17th to rule on the bail application while the defendant remains in custody under the EFCC.