- Safiu Kehinde
The Ikeja Special Offences Court has issued bench warrant for the arrest of a fleeing suspected internet fraudster, Ekweozor Peter, after failing to appear in court for his arraignment.
Justice Abike-Fadipe , the presiding judge had issued the warrant following Ekweozor’s absence at the hearing of his case before the court on Tuesday.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the statement shared on the commission’s X handle, the suspect was arrested alongside others yesterday.
Their arrest followed credible intelligence received by the Commission about the alleged criminal activities of a syndicate of internet fraudsters operating at the Indy-Pool Hotel, ldowu Street, Ajegunle, Olodi Apapa Lagos State.
Investigation would reveal how Ekweozor opened fake Facebook and Instagram accounts and falsely represented himself as a female pornstar from Atlanta, United States of America, with a view to defrauding unsuspecting users of the internet.
During investigation, the defendant was granted an administrative bail and was scheduled to report at the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC, at some specified dates.
Upon conclusion of investigation, a charge was preferred against him before the court.
However, the suspect jumped bail before the scheduled sitting on Tuesday.
The prosecution counsel, Ayanfe Ogunsina, told the court the Commission’s efforts to re-arrest the defendant, since he jumped the administrative bail granted him have been futile, making it impossible for the commission to bring him before the court for arraignment.
“ Efforts to reach the two persons who stood as sureties for him have also been futile, as they too have absconded. My Lord, the defendant is aware that a charge has been filed against him and he is on the run to evade arraignment and trial”, he said.
Ogunsina consequently, filed a motion ex-parte seeking an order of the court to issue a warrant of arrest against the defendant.
Ruling on the application, Justice Fadipe held that “the application is granted as prayed”.
The case was adjourned till June 18, 2025 for further proceedings.