Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a woman, Mbah Chidinma Sophina, before the Federal High Court in Enugu on a three-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents, forgery, and identity theft. The defendant, who also faces separate charges before the Enugu State High Court over an alleged N19 million fraud, was remanded at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the commencement of her trial.
Sophina was arraigned before Justice F. O. Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu, on Thursday, July 2, 2026. According to the charge sheet, the defendant allegedly possessed documents falsely asserting that she was a Liberian national named Florence-Gweh Togba Doaryenneh. The offence is said to have been committed between January and April 2026 and is contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. In a second count, the prosecution alleged that Sophina forged a Last Minute Healthcare card bearing the same Liberian name between October and November 2023, an offence punishable under the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, 2004. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The prosecution counsel, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC Ahmad Yusuf Abdullahi, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant. While the defence counsel prayed for a short adjournment to file a bail application, Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo adjourned the matter to November 19, 2026, for trial and ordered the defendant's remand at the NCoS facility.
In a parallel case, Sophina is also being prosecuted by the EFCC before Justice C. A. Ogbuabor of the Enugu State High Court on a two-count charge bordering on stealing and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N19,084,000. In that case, she was granted bail after pleading not guilty, and the matter was adjourned to September 18, 2026, for trial.
The case originated from a petition filed by a complainant who met Sophina on TikTok and informed her of his intention to relocate to the United Kingdom through a Certificate of Sponsorship to work as a caregiver. After paying the sum to the defendant for the procuring of a CoS, the defendant allegedly failed to deliver the documents as promised and subsequently blocked him.
During the course of investigation, EFCC operatives executed a search at her residence and recovered an identification card bearing the defendant's photograph with the name Florence-Gweh Togba Doaryenneh, a discovery that led to the identity theft charges.
The case highlights the growing trend of fraudsters exploiting social media platforms to target individuals seeking travel and employment opportunities abroad. It also underscores the EFCC's increasing focus on identity theft and document forgery, which have become critical tools in the arsenal of fraudsters operating across Nigeria's digital and financial landscape. With the defendant facing charges in two courts, the EFCC has vowed to pursue justice and ensure that perpetrators of such crimes are held accountable.
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