James Ezekiel who claimed to be a “Presiding Pastor of One Touch Power Ministry”, in Agudama, Epie, Bayelsa State, and also a fraudster who lies to unsuspecting victims that he won a contract for the roofing of a cathedral belonging to the Salvation Ministries in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has been arrested by the operatives of the EFCC for defrauding a businessman of N1.33billion.
The fake Pastor who deceived his victim by enlisting him as one of the “financiers” of a spurious contract in the sum of N1.8 billion, pulled the fraud by showing the businessman a contract award letter.
After he wooed his victim to collaborate with him as one of the “financiers” of the contract, he also allegedly promised the victim mouth- watering interests on his ” investment”. However his arrest came when his victim demanded a repayment of his money, with interests.
The spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren who spoke to newsmen in Abuja said;
“Ezekiel claimed to have won a contract for the roofing of a church cathedral belonging to the Salvation Ministries in Port Harcourt, Rivers.
“He reportedly put the contract sum at N1.8 billion and showed a contract award letter to his victim.“He also wooed his victim to collaborate with him as one of the “financiers” of the contract.
“Ezekiel promised the victim mouth-watering interests on his investment’’.
Preliminary investigations by the EFCC showed that Ezekiel delayed making payment to his victim by deceiving him that he had been paid the sum of N800 million as mobilisation fees for the contract, but could not access the funds because ” his company’s account had been frozen by the EFCC”.
He contrived a fake EFCC’s e-mail message to back up the claim of his being frozen. NAN reported that the victim sensed foul play and petitioned the EFCC. It was further gathered that the Salvation Ministries did not award any contract to Ezekiel, and no transfer of N800 million was made into his company’s account. Besides, the e-mail address he ascribed to the EFCC does not belong to the Commission.
The suspect who allegedly initiated the scam to fraudulently obtain money from the petitioner and other unsuspecting members of the public, is in the custody of the EFCC and would be charged to court soon.
