Two suspected Internet fraudsters namely Ukhuriegbe Irekpitan and Onyekwa Chinedum have been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the alleged impersonation of Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 12 by the spokesman for the anti-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren, he revealed that the duo were arraigned on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice S. M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State on a two-count charge each of impersonation.

The defendants were accused of allegedly sending electronic messages to two ladies and defrauding them of the sums of £10,000 and £5,491,23 respectively in London in 2019.

Their offences are said to be punishable under section 14 (2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.

One of the charges against one of Joshua’s alleged impostors reads, “that you Onyekwe Joshua Chinedum (a.k.a Anthony Joshua) sometime in 2019 did with intent to defraud sent electronic messages which materially misrepresent facts to Samantha Johnson, a lady in London which messages she relied upon and which made her suffer financial loss in the sum of £10,000 thereby committing an offence punishable under section 14 (2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.”

One of the charges against Ukhuriegbe Glory Irekpitan reads: “That you Ukhuriegbe Glory Irekpitan sometime in 2018 did with intent to defraud sent electronic messages which materially misrepresent facts to Mrs Zahra Bagun, a lady in London which messages she relied on and which caused her to suffer the financial loss in the sum of £5,491.23 pounds, the equivalent of N2,306,220 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.”

However, the defendants pled not guilty to the charges against them.

On his part, the prosecution counsel, I.M. Elody, asked for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of the Correctional Service while the counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to remand them in EFCC custody.