On Wednesday, July 3, 2024, the third Prosecution Witness (PW3) in the ongoing trial of Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley testified before Justice U.P. Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja. The witness described how Kingsley and his entire family allegedly conspired to defraud her of $370,000 (Three Hundred and Seventy Thousand United States Dollars).
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Kingsley on a two-count charge, including stealing, obtaining by false pretenses, and criminal possession of fake documents, all amounting to $370,000.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Nwachi Chidozie Kingsley, sometime in 2021 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of Three Hundred and Seventy Thousand United States Dollars ($370,000) from Nicole Kierulff Sayers under the false pretense of financing a contract with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (Contract No: RC/FGN/0275AN/20), a claim which you knew to be false, thereby committing an offense contrary to Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
During the trial, Nicole Kierulff Sayers, an American lawyer from Oregon, United States, identified Kingsley in court as the man who initially contacted her on Facebook during her birthday. “I know the defendant. He messaged me on Facebook on my birthday and claimed to be a member of the same spiritual organization. We engaged in romantic discussions, which escalated into a relationship,” she said.
Sayers testified that Kingsley asked her for money to finance a contract with the Ministry of Works and Housing, claiming his life was being threatened if he didn’t provide the money. “Before we met, he asked me for money, stating it was for a contract award and that some men were threatening his life. He provided details and documents related to the contract, which I believed due to my emotional connection with him,” she added.
Kingsley allegedly promised to repay her $15,000 within 45 days, leading Sayers to transfer the money. “I transferred the money using a money transfer app. Within a week, he invited me to join a FaceTime call with his family, which included his parents, siblings, and other relatives. They thanked me for saving his contract job, making me believe I could trust him,” she explained.
Sayers detailed how she sent Kingsley a total of $40,000 before traveling to Nigeria to meet him. “Before I came to Nigeria, I sent him approximately $40,000. I arrived in Abuja in late March 2022 and spent two weeks with him, hoping to get my money back. Despite his assurances, he often left me alone. Over the next year, he asked for more money for various reasons, including medical expenses and government contract supplies. In total, I sent him well over $200,000,” she recounted.
Kingsley allegedly provided fake documents and claimed he was jailed for attempting to misappropriate government funds, asking Sayers to bail him out. “He promised to wire money to me but never did. Eventually, I realized I would never see a penny from him again,” she said.
The trial was adjourned until November 7, 2024, for continuation.