RismadarVoice Reporters
May 21, 2026
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Victor Ekpong Thompson on Thursday told a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, that the defendant allegedly forged a mining licence and used it to defraud American investors of $525,276.
The witness, Michael Eyo, who appeared as the second prosecution witness (PW2), testified before Justice Maurine Adaobi Onyetenu that Thompson obtained a copy of his genuine mining licence under false pretences and later used it to deceive foreign investors.
Thompson is facing an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, advance fee fraud, criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation and stealing. He was first arraigned on January 29, 2026, and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
While giving evidence, Eyo told the court that he owns a mining site in the Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State and was approached by the defendant for verification of the authenticity of his mining documents.
“The fraudster asked me to bring the originals of my licence to verify the authenticity. Thereafter, he snapped the licence not knowing that he was doing it to forge and convince the investors,” Eyo told the court.
According to the prosecution, Thompson allegedly used the forged licence to persuade U.S.-based investors — Tammy Jensen, Kenneth Blad and Peter Jensen — to invest in a purported mining venture and deep-sea port project.
One of the charges against the defendant alleged that between January and June 2025, he fraudulently obtained $123,030 from the investors under the guise of investing the funds in mineral resource mining and a deep-sea port business.
Earlier during the proceedings, defence counsel, Madu Uwem Amamko, urged the court to grant Thompson bail on health grounds. However, prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin, opposed the application, arguing that there was no evidence showing that the defendant’s health was in danger.
Justice Onyetenu subsequently reserved ruling on the bail application until June 8, 2026.
In an earlier testimony on March 26, 2026, one of the alleged victims, Tammy Jensen, narrated how she met Thompson on Facebook in August 2022 after he presented himself as a dealer in precious stones.
Jensen told the court that Thompson convinced her and other investors to finance a mining project under a proposed company, Arch Royale Projects Limited, allegedly located in Iwuru Community, Biase LGA of Cross River State.
She further alleged that Thompson later introduced another investment opportunity involving a proposed deep-sea port project in Akwa Ibom State, promising high returns on investment.
According to her, between 2023 and 2025, the investors transferred a total of $525,276 to Thompson through various financial channels, including Wells Fargo Bank, Chase Bank and WorldRemit.
Jensen said suspicions arose after she visited Nigeria in June 2025 and discovered inconsistencies surrounding the projects.
The case originated from a petition dated October 18, 2025, filed on behalf of the foreign investors, including Tammy Jensen, Kenneth Blad, Peter Jensen, Beth Southwick and Angie Craven.
Investigators alleged that Thompson falsely presented Arch Royale Projects Limited as a registered company and inflated operational costs while diverting substantial portions of the funds for personal use.
Assets allegedly traced to him include a two-storey duplex at Shelter Afrique Estate in Uyo, a Toyota Hilux and a Lexus RX350 SUV.
The matter was adjourned pending a ruling on the bail application.
