The police on Monday arraigned an applicant, Peter Tariebe, 26, of EFAB Estate, Abuja, in a Wuse Zone 2, Senior Magistrates’ Court over alleged impersonation.
Tariebe was impersonating as NTA Director General’s (DG) son.
The accused committed two count charges of impersonation and an attempt to commit offence of cheating.
The Prosecutor, Mr. Abu Okpanachi, told the court that Mr. Yakubu Lawal, of No. 17, Nile St., Maitama, Abuja, reported the case to the Area Command, Metro, Maitama, on April 24.
Okpanachi said that Lawal reported the case on behalf of his boss, Mr. James Olotu, the Managing Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company.
“Olotu received a text message from the accused who claimed to be the son of the DG of NTA, Mr. Shola Omole, and was seeking financial assistance on health grounds,’’ Okpanachi said.
He said that the accused also presented himself physically as the son of the DG and fraudulently collected the sum of N1 million from the complainant’s boss.
He added that the accused was later caught while Olotu was trying to verify the authenticity of the claim.
Okpanachi told the court that the money, which the accused had already collected, was recovered from him.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 179 and 95 of the Penal Code.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty, and denied the allegations.
The Magistrate, Mr. Chukwuemeka Ubani, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N500,000 with a surety in like sum.
