Court convicts Nzeribe, former rep, for impersonation

A federal capital territory (FCT) high court has convicted Chuma Nzeribe, a former member of the house of representatives, for impersonation.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had preferred a four-count charge against Nzeribe which bordered on false pretence, forgery and using forged documents as genuine, and cheating by impersonation.

The former federal lawmaker was alleged to have, sometime in March 2013, had in his possession a document containing false pretence with reference number MFCT/LA/FCT 1302, dated June 18, 2003, bearing the name of Ramatu Alhassan.

He was said to have committed an offence contrary to Section 6, 8(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

The former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra state was accused of, among other things, misrepresenting the alleged document as genuine and thus committing an offence punishable under Section 366 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) and punishable under Section 364 of the same Act.

Nzeribe had pleaded not guilty to the charges upon arraignment.

Delivering judgment on Monday, Yusuf Halilu, the presiding judge, held that the prosecution was able to prove its case against Nzeribe beyond any reasonable doubt.

He held that the charges are intertwined and went ahead to convict the defendant on all four counts.

Halilu questioned why a former federal lawmaker couldn’t register the paperwork to the land he said he had purchased from someone, knowing that doing so would be in his best interest.

The court, however, deferred the sentencing of the convict due to his absence.

The judge said sentencing will be delivered when either the inspector-general of police or the EFCC arrest Nzeribe and present him in court.