Justice Yelim Bogoro of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos state has ordered that 21-year-old Nigerian model, Cynthia Chioma Atuonah, who was arrested in April for allegedly defrauding a German of $220,000 be remanded in a Nigerian Correctional Centre.
It was reported that Atuonah was arrested by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding the 50-year-old German national of $220,000, after promising to marry him.
Following her arrest, Atuonah was arraigned before the court on five counts of charges bordering on obtaining by false pretences, fraud and unlawful conversation. The prosecutor, Henry Obiazi, told the court that the defendant committed the offences between January and February 2022. He said the offences contravened Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
When the charges were read to her, Atuonah pleaded not guilty. Her lawyer, N Ugo, informed the court of his client’s bail application, urging the court to grant her bail in the most liberal terms.
In his response, the prosecutor urged the court to discountenance the bail application.
Justice Bogoro ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services till May 19, when a ruling will be delivered on the bail application.