Identity Fraud: America-based Nigerian in court

A 45-year-old America-based Nigerian, Stephen Ezenduka has been arraigned before the Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos on a two-count charge of unlawful possession of a United States of America passport with the name, Mr David Bussey.

The name was suspected to have been unlawfully obtained through identity fraud.

Police counsel, ASP Wew Adegbayi told the court in charge No TC /30/2020 that the accused committed the offence at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos while travelling to the United States of America.

Adegbayi said that nemesis caught up with the accused who had been living in the USA for long with identity fraud when he visited Nigeria and was on his way back to USA.

He said the offences, the accused committed were punishable under sections 378(1) and 327(1) of the criminal law of Lagos State 2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate F.M Dally granted him N100,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

Dally adjourned the case till 15 April, 2020 for mention and ordered that the defendant be kept at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected his bail conditions.

The suspect, America-based Nigerian, Stephen Ezenduka was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for alleged identity fraud.

Stephen Ezenduka was said to have been living in the United States with a fictitious name, Mr David Bussey, a claim the police said the suspect knew to be false.

Officials of the United States Consulate General’s Office in Lagos initiated the arrest.

A police source said the Embassy Officials notified the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Special Fraud unit, PSFU in Ikoyi, Lagos, Mr Felix Vwamhi about the arrest who despatched his crack team led by the officer in charge of the diplomatic desk at PSFU, Lagos, DSP Lawal Audu to the airport to arrest the suspect.

The suspect allegedly confessed to the crime and said that he had been using the name, David Bussey for long to live in the United States and that he fraudulently obtained the name through identity fraud, the Police claimed.