The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has charged a phoney fertility nurse named Blessing David-Agwa before Federal High Court Judge, Mohammed Garba Umar in Independence Layout, Enugu State.
The EFCC disclosed this in a statement on X.com on Wednesday.
The EFCC claims that David-Agwa’s criminal issues started on August 28 when the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency turned her over to the anti-graft agency for investigation and potential prosecution after learning that she had deceived unwary victims by posing as a medical fertility nurse.
According to reports from an investigation into the case, the defendant allegedly used fake certificates from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to pose as a medical fertility nurse who was specially trained to help women become pregnant easily.
It was also discovered that the defendant had successfully defrauded over 45 innocent women who fell for her false claims.
The statement revealed that the defendant was charged with 45 counts of forgery, fraudulent impersonation, and acquisition by false pretence totalling N28,278,600.
The statement read, “Count 41 of the charge reads ‘That you, Blessing Amaka David-Agwa, sometime in 2024 in Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, did obtain the total sum of One Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,600,000.00) only from one Okenwa Joy Chiamaka, under the pretence of being a Medical Fertility Nurse (specially trained to assist women to get pregnant with ease), which pretext you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.’
“Count 24 of the charge reads: ‘That you, Blessing Amaka David-Agwa, sometime in 2024 in Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, did obtain the total sum of One Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N1,250,000.00) from one Amarachi Okpala, under the pretence of being a Medical Fertility Nurse (specially trained to assist women to get pregnant with ease), which pretext you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
It was reported that after being read all of the counts, the defendant entered a not guilty plea.
Blessing Obasi, the EFCC’s attorney, allegedly asked the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in the Enugu State Correctional Facility in light of her pleas.
The statement added, “However, the defence counsel, G. C. Madubuegwu, informed the court about a pending motion on notice for bail, dated 4th October 2024, and filed on the same date. ‘It is brought pursuant to Section 162 and 165(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act,’ he said. After moving the said application, he prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal terms.
“Obasi vehemently opposed the application for bail on the grounds that the allegation against the defendant was a serious one, citing the mental health impact on the victims.”
After listening to both sides, Justice Umar reportedly adjourned the matter to November 12, 2024, for a ruling on the bail application.
The defendant was thereafter remanded at the Enugu State Correctional Facility.
