The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Echendu Ndubuisi Endy, Managing Director of Echendu GPC Limited, before Justice E. A. Obile of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for allegedly defrauding his victims of N9m in a visa scam.
A statement by the anti graft agency obtained from its website said Endy was charged with three counts of obtaining money under false pretenses, contrary to the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
According to the charges, Endy collected N4m from Mr. Darlington Abuchi and N3m from Mrs. Ngozi Nzechukwu, promising to procure United Kingdom work permit visas for them, which he knew was false.
He allegedly collected money from a third petitioner, bringing the total amount to N9 million. The victims reported that Endy neither procured the visas nor returned their money.
One of the count charge reads: “That you, Echendu Ndubuisi Endy while being the Managing Director of Echendu GPC Limited between 23rd day of April 2024 to 2rd May 2024 in Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud did obtain the total sum of (Four Million Naira) N4,000,000.00 only from Mr Darlington Abuchi under the pretense that you had the capacity to procure United Kingdom work permit visa to enable him work and stay in United Kingdom which pretense you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) a & b of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section|1(3) of the same Act”.
Another count reads: “That you, Echendu Ndubuisi Endy while being the Managing Director of Echendu GPC Limited between 16th day of August 2023 to 14th September 2023 in Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud did obtain the total sum of (Three Million Naira) N3,000,000.00 only from Mrs. Ngozi Nzechukwu under the pretense that you had the capacity to procure United Kingdom work permit visa to enable her work and stay in United Kingdom which pretense you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) a & b of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act. 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.
However, Endy pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre while the matter was adjourned to November 28, 2024, for hearing of bail application.
The EFCC disclosed that Endy was arrested sometime in October, 2024 for alleged visa scam and obtaining money under false pretence, reported to the Commission by three separate petitioners.
He allegedly collected a total sum of N9million from the three petitioners for the purpose of procuring travel visa and care giver jobs for them in the United Kingdom. He neither procured the visas nor returned their money to them.