The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on October 25, 2021 arraigned an online gay predator identified as Abdulrahim Dangana before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna on one count charge that borders on obtaining by false pretence.
According to the statement by the anti-graft agency on Tuesday 26th October 2021, identified as an online gay predator, who is also identified as an alleged internet fraudster who preys on homosexuals online.
The online gay predator, Abdulrahim, an investigation by the anti-graft agency revealed that he registered on a Gay/Bisexual hook-up App called Grindr and A4A website, using the assumed names: RYAN, DAVE, FRANK and ERIC.
He employed the fake profiles to contrive romantic relationships with gay individuals and after establishing what appears to be a genuine relationship with his victims, he lures them into sending him nude pictures, which he eventually used to blackmail and extort them through gift cards and bitcoins which he converts into naira using his bank accounts and e-wallets.
In the charge, Dangana, between January and September, collected the sum of $8,420 from victims after falsely presenting himself as a white homosexual man on Grindr App.
The defendant blackmailed them and threatened to “expose them to their families and loved ones”.
The offence violates Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and is punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Dangana pleaded “not guilty” to the charge when it was read to him.
Nasiru Salelen, the prosecution counsel, asked the court to fix a date for trial, while the defence counsel, Solomon Otuwaga, urged the court to release his client on bail.
Justice Khobo granted Dangana bail in the sum of N1 million and one surety who must be resident in Kaduna with valid means of identification.
Khobo adjourned the case until December 2, 2021.