Police Operatives of the Enugu State Command, serving in New Haven Police Division have arrested one Somtochukwu Franklin (male), aged 26, for allegedly faking and using the Facebook account name and details of one Emmanuel Okoh (male), popularly known as “Okwuluora,” to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
A preliminary investigation by the police revealed that the suspect confessed to 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.
Confirming the arrest, the spokesperson of the command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said the state Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (State CID for short) to conduct a further thorough investigation and timely prosecution of the suspect.
