EFCC arrests UNIBEN undergraduate over $12,000 internet scam

Find the EFCC press statement below...
The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, October 30,
2014 arraigned an undergraduate of the
University of Benin, Kenneth Rukewe
Ebule before Justice E. F Ikponmwen of an Edo
State High Court, sitting in Benin- City on a
6- count charge bordering on forgery,
obtaining money by false pretence and
possession of fraudulent documents.The
accused person allegedly duped Sabine Albert,
a German, of the sum of $12, 088, 75 through
fraudulent claims.
Rukewe, 30, a final year student of Computer
and Statistics at the University of Benin, was
arrested by officials of a new generation bank
on May 28, 2014 in Benin City and handed
over to the EFCC for further investigation.
Troubles started for him when Albert alleged
that within two months after he had internet
contact with him, Rukewe fraudulently
obtained the sum of $12,088,75 (Twelve
Thousand Eighty Eight Dollars and Seventy
Five Cents) from him.
Rukewe allegedly posed to Albert as an
English businessman on transit in Nigeria. He
gave his name as Bob Albert and told his
victim that he had a contract with a Nigerian
company worth €1.200, 000.00 and that he
needed a loan to facilitate a transaction with
the company. He promised to pay back the
loan and even doubled it because he was sure
of pulling through the transactions. He also
told Albert that he had complications and
suffered a robbery attack.
Rukewe also falsely told Albert that, a levy of
of N1,975,861 (One Million, Nine Hundred and
Seventy Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and
Sixty One Naira only) was imposed on him by
the Federal Inland Revenue Service for the
release of his International Passport, and a
cheque worth 1, 200,000 Euros. He also
pleaded for a flight ticket to London.
Based on all these, Albert offered to loan him
the money by sending it through Western
Union, only to discover that he had been
scammed.
Investigation also revealed that the suspect
had defrauded other German nationals to the
tune of $110,975.00USD (One Hundred and
Ten thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Five
United States Dollars) between May 2013 and
January 2014.
When the charges were read to the defendant,
he pleaded not guilty.
One of the charges read in part:
“Ebule Kenneth Rukewe (a.k.a. Bob Albert), on
or about the 17th day of July, 2013 within the
jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with
Intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $
12,088,75 (Twelve Thousand Eighty Eight
Dollars and Seventy Five Cents) from Sabine
Albert (a German National), under the false
pretence that the money represented part
payment of N1,975,861 (One Million Nine
Hundred and Seventy Kobo) levy imposed one
Bobby Albert (a British citizen) by Federal
Inland Revenue Service for the release of the
International Passport, Cheque worth
1,200,000 Euros and flight ticket to London of
the said Bobby Albert, which representation
you knew to be false”.
In view of the plea of the defendant,
prosecution counsel, Kayode Oni asked for a
trial date and prayed the court to remand the
defendant in prison custody. The defence
counsel, Maureen Morka informed the court of
her application for bail dated September 9,
2014 and prayed the court to grant the
defendant bail.
Justice Ikponmwen granted the defendant bail
in the sum of One Million Naira and two
sureties in like sum. The sureties must be
resident in Benin City and must be gainfully
employed in Edo State. The defendant must
also produce his student identity card.
Justice Ikponmwen subsequently adjourned
the case to November 21, 2014 for hearing
and ordered that the defendant be remanded
in prison custody pending the perfection of his
bail.