Wednesday, October 23, 2024 – The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Blessing Amaka
David-Agwa, a fake fertility nurse, for defrauding over 45 women under the
guise of assisting them in getting pregnant.
She was
arraigned before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting
in Independence Layout, Enugu State.
The
defendant was arraigned on 45-count charges bordering on fraudulent
impersonation, forgery and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N28, 278,
600 (Twenty-eight Million, Two Hundred and Seventy-eight Thousand, Six Hundred
Naira).
David-Agwa’s
criminal issues commenced on August 28, 2024, when the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency, NDLEA handed her over to the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the
EFCC for investigation and possible prosecution after discovering that the
defendant paraded herself as a medical fertility Nurse, thereby defrauding
unsuspecting victims.
Investigation
into the matter revealed that the defendant allegedly forged the certificate of
Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the Certificate of the University
of Nigeria, Nsukka and used the same in parading herself as a Medical Fertility
Nurse, specially trained to assist women in getting pregnant with ease. It was
also discovered that the defendant successfully defrauded over 45 innocent
women who fell for her false claims.
Count 41
of the charge reads: “That you, Blessing Amaka David-Agwa sometime in 2024 in
Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent
to defraud, did obtain the total sum of One Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira
(N1, 600, 000. 00) only from one Okenwa Joy Chiamaka, under the pretence of
being a Medical Fertility Nurse (Specially trained to assist women get pregnant
with ease) which pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence
contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related
Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”
Count 24
of the charge reads: “That you, Blessing Amaka David-Agwa sometime in 2024 in
Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent
to defraud, did obtain the total sum of One Million, Two Hundred and Fifty
Thousand Naira (N1, 250, 000. 00) from one Amarachi Okpala, under the pretence
of being a Medical Fertility Nurse (Specially trained to assist women get
pregnant with ease) which pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an
offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud
Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.
The
defendant pleaded not guilty to all counts when they were read to her. In
view of her pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Blessing N. Obasi prayed the court for
a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the Enugu State
Correctional Facility.
However,
defence counsel, G. C. Madubuegwu informed the court about a pending
motion on notice for bail, dated October 4, 2024, and filed on the same
date.
“It is
brought pursuant to Section 162 and 165 (1) of the Administration of Criminal
Justice Act, ” he said.
After
moving the said application, he prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on
liberal terms.
Obasi vehemently opposed the application for bail on the grounds that
the allegation against the defendant was a weighty one, citing the mental
health of the defendant’s victims.
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