Court jails UNIZIK student for impersonating customs boss, Dikko

Customs boss, Dikko

A Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abuja, has sentenced a 24-year-old student of Industrial Engineering of the Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Bello Onimisi, to three months imprisonment.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said in an electronic mail on Wednesday that the court, presided over by Justice Adebunkola Banjoko, found Onimisi guilty on two counts of conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence.

Onimisi, an indigene of Igarra, in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State was said to have impersonated the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi, using his telephone line to demand money from unsuspecting members of the public.

Uwujaren added that the judge also imposed a fine of N50,000 on the convict.

He explained that the suspect was arrested in Awka and was first arraigned  on October 23, 2013 on four counts .

Uwujaren said, “His arrest followed complaints by the customs boss that a syndicate of fraudsters were using his telephone numbers to extort money from the members of the public.

“The convict was first arraigned on October 23, 2012, on four counts shortly after he was arrested in Akwa, Anambra State, on the heels of a petition from the office of the Comptroller General of Custom, Alhaji Dikko, who alleged that a syndicate of fraudsters had been using his telephone number and demanding payment of money into several bank accounts.”

He said Onimisi, who  initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, changed his plea and was consequently convicted and sentenced on January 22, 2014.