A suspected visas racketeer, YomiSamson, was on Monday, March 18, 2019, arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdumalik of the Federal High Court 2, Ibadan, on a three-count charge bordering on possession of fake documents, obtaining money under false pretence and misleading an officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Samson (aka Becky Wellington), was dragged before the court by officers of the commission after interrogating him, based on a petition from one of his victims.
Part of the charge against him as contained in the document before the court reads: That you Yomi Samson (a.k.a Becky Wellinghton, a.k.a Amanda Luccero) sometimes in 2019, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to mislead, knowingly made false statement, wherein you lied to an officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission about your true age and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 39(2) (a) and punishable under Section 39 (2) (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004.”
Another count reads: That you Yomi Samson (a.k.a Becky Wellinghton, a.k.a Amanda Luccero) sometimes in 2019, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained a total sum of N45,000 (Forty-Five Thousand Naira) from one Chris when you falsely represented to him that the money was for Visa Clarifications, and other pretences, which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.”
Though, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, the defendant later opted to enter into a plea bargain with the EFCC, prompting his lawyer, Kehinde Olawumi, to ask for a date to come for the final decision, rather than go for full trial.
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The EFCC’s counsel, Shamsudden Bashir, who had earlier applied for a trial date also prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody.
After listening to both counsel, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case to March 25, 2019 for hearing of plea bargain and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison pending the determination of his case.
