Justice R.A. Osodi of the Special
Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday, October 11, 2024, overruled
the objection raised by the defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN to seven
suspects facing trial over an alleged £1m fraud and also admitted in evidence a
flash drive containing the video recording of the sixth defendant tendered by
the prosecution.
The
Lagos Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on
February 3, 2022 arraigned Morufu Adewale, (a.k.a Gbegunleri Adelana), Abayomi
Alaka(a.k.a. Dauda Usman Alashe), Omitogun Ajayi and Ajisegiri Abiodun before
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja,
Lagos.
Three
other defendants, Taiwo Ahmed, Raufu Raheem and Sanlabiu Teslim, had initially
been listed to be at large.
However, the trial could not be concluded before the retirement of Justice
Taiwo.
This, therefore, prompted the re-assignment of the case file to Justice Oshodi,
even as the EFCC intensified its efforts to secure the arrest of the other
suspected fraudsters.
Subsequently, all the seven defendants were in December 2022 re-arraigned on an
amended three-count charge.
The
offences border on obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section
1(1)(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act
2006, and conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence contrary to Section 410
of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
Count
one reads: "Morufu Yahaya Adewale, Omitogun Ajayi, Ajisegiri Abiodun,
Abayomi Kamaldeen Alaka, Taiwo Olamilekan Ahmed, Raufu Wale Raheem and Sanlabiu
Owolabi Teslim between May and July 2018 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial
Division obtained the total sum of £1,000,000.00 (One Million GBP) from Dr. and
Dr. (Mrs) Lateef Oladimeji Bello for the purpose of conducting prayers for
spiritual cleansing of the family and that the money will be refunded after the
prayers within one week, which pretence you knew to be false."
Count
three reads: "Morufu Yahaya Adewale, Omitogun Ajayi, Ajisegiri Abiodun,
Abayomi Kamaldeen Alaka, Taiwo Olamilekan Ahmed, Raufu Wale Raheem and Sanlabiu
Owolabi Teslim between August and September 2018 at Lagos within the Ikeja
Judicial Division obtained the total sum of N175,000,000.00 (One Hundred and
Seventy-five Million Naira Only) from Dr. and Dr. (Mrs) Lateef Oladimeji Bello
for the purpose of conducting spiritual prayers for spiritual cleansing of
their son and the family and that the money will be refunded one week after the
prayers which pretence you knew to be false."
They
pleaded "not guilty" to the charges.
At
the last adjourned sitting on September 23, 2024, the prosecution counsel, N.K.
Ukoha, had sought to tender in evidence a flash drive through the sixth
witness, Giwa Wasiu, an Assistant Superintendent of the Police, ASP, who
had told Justice Osodi how the sixth defendant was apprehended in the Ikorodu
area of Lagos.
He
had testified that the sixth defendant, in the said video, confessed that he
and some others duped one Dr. (Mrs.) Bello of the sum of N675 million.
He
had also testified that the said video contained in the flash drive was handed
over to the EFCC, which was investigating the alleged crime.
However,
when Ukoha sought to tender the flash drive as evidence, the defence team led
by Olalekan Ojo, SAN had raised an objection , thereby prompting the
court to adjourn till Friday, October 11, 2024( today )for ruling.
At
today's proceedings, Justice Oshodi overruled the objection by the defence and
also admitted the flash drive containing the video recording of the sixth
defendant in evidence as Exhibit E.
Thereafter,
the prosecution applied that the video clip of the confessional statement be
played in the open court, which was granted by the court.
The
case was subsequently adjourned till December 18 and 19, 2024 for
continuation of trial.
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