From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered a meticulous investigation and immediate prosecution of a man arrested for impersonation and fraud in Enugu.
The 26-year-old suspect, Somtochukwu Franklin was arrested on Sunday for faking the social media account of a popular philanthropist, Emmanuel Okoh, widely known as Omelora and using same to solicit funds from unsuspecting members of the public.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Spokesman of Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, said the suspect confessed to the crime upon arrest.
“A preliminary investigation has revealed that the suspect confessed to the act of crime, stating that he created the fake “Okwuluora” Facebook account in January 2023 and has since been using it to solicit funds from his over thirty-three thousand followers.
“The suspect further stated that he usually waits for the actual “Okwuluora” to make a post, soliciting support for persons in situations requiring financial assistance. Upon sighting such posts, he immediately copies and posts them on the fake Facebook account and changes the beneficiary’s account details to his, thereby fraudulently obtaining funds from unsuspecting donors.
“He added that he has, by so doing, received funds running into tens of thousands of Naira from donors.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department to conduct a further thorough investigation and timely prosecution of the suspect.
“The CP, therefore, enjoins victims of the fraudulent act to report to the State CID and volunteer their statements, while also calling on the citizenry to be wary of social media impostors and their fraudulent activities, especially this yuletide,” he said.