By Raphael Ede
Enugu
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday handed over N550, 000 out of the N830, 000 fraudulently swindled from a blind woman, Mary Rose Ihekanacho, which the agency recovered from one Gift Onyegam through the bank used in defrauding her.
Presenting a bank draft of N550,000 to Mrs. Ihekanacho, the EFCC’s South-east Head of Operations, David Iloyanomo, called on Nigerians to assist the agency to serve them better, saying that the agency “stands for justice for the poor and the rich.”
“Our mission is to give hope for the poor and even the rich.”
He said: “We have gone to court, we are also interested in restitution, we are also interested in recovery and we despite her position, despite her challenge still pursued it to the logical conclusion. We use this medium to call on members of the public just as she did to assist us in whichever way by giving us information, by coming to testify because without her testimony in court, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this.”
He said the agency compelled the bank (names withheld) to pay this N550, 000 because the bank was used to carry out the fraudulent act.
Recounting how she was duped, Mrs. Ihekanacho thanked and prayed for the leadership of the EFCC, for allowing God to use them to salvage her situation.
The court also ordered him to pay the victim, Rose Mary, the sum of N711, 000 being amount fraudulently defrauded her.