Alleged £1million Fraud: Court Dismisses Defence’s Application For Stay Of Proceedings In Trial Of Seven
Justice R.A. Osodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, December 19, 2024, dismissed an application by the defence counsel seeking a stay of proceedings in the ongoing trial of seven suspects over an alleged £1m fraud.
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 of the 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 a sitting on September 23, 2024, 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.
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 for ruling.
In his ruling on October 11, 2024 , Justice Oshodi had overruled the objection by the fourth defendant and admitted the flash drive containing the video recording of the sixth defendant in evidence as Exhibit E.
The Judge had also adjourned till December 19, 2024 for the defence counsel to cross-examine the witness, Wasiu.
However, counsel to the fifth defendant, Tunde Ojehomon, brought an application seeking a stay of proceedings in the trial pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Other defence counsel allied with Ojehomon’s argument, and also urged the court to determine their pending applications before further hearing in the matter.
Justice Oshodi , however, overruled their applications; hence the proceedings continued with the cross-examination of the witness.
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 adjourned till January 6, 2025 for continuation of trial.
