Police Charges Lawyer, 3 Others To Court Over N20.5m Fraud
A Lagos-based lawyer, Oladotun Hassan and three others have been charged before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a widow, Mrs. Eva Okoh of the sum of N20. 5 million.
The lawyer was charged before Justice (Prof.) Chuka Austin Obiozor, alongside Sherifatu Ogunsemo Omotayo, Bakare Olamiji Tajudeen and Aderemi Adesoji A. Daniel, by this men of Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force.
The lawyer and other defendants according to SFU in a charge marked FHC/L/379c/18, between May 2017 and August 2018, conspired among themselves and fraudulently obtaining the said money from their victim under false pretence.
The police stated that the defendants defrauded the victim under false pretence that the money will be used for ratification of two plots of land situated at Ado Road, Ajah, Lagos, which she purchased from Chief Fatai Olumegbon Chieftaincy title Family.
The police also alleged that the defendants collected the said money from the widow through a First Bank account 3017146251, belonging to Bakare Olamiji Tajudeen.
The lawyer, Hassan, was alleged to have falsely received the sum of N500, 000,00, from the widow, with the understanding that he will use the money to hire the services of Military and police officers to guard and protect the said land.
All the defendants were slammed with seven counts charge bordering on conspiracy, inducement, obtaining under false pretence, false representation and fraudulent conversion.
The offences according to the prosecutor,
Mr. Chukwu Agwu, A Superintendent of Police, are contrary to sections 8(a), 1(a)(c)(3), 1(b)(c) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other related Offences 2006 and 15(1)(a)(b) of Money Laundering (Prohibited) Act, 2011 (as amended in 2012).
The prosecutor, Mr. Agwu, informed the court the lawyer and the first defendant, Sherifatu Omotayo are at large and that police are making frantic efforts in getting them arrested. He therefore urged the court to taken the plea of the two defendants who were in court.
Following the prosecutor’s submission, the plea of Bakare Olamiji Tajudeen and Aderemi Adesoji Ayantunde, were taken and they pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Upon, their not guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to remand them in prison custody pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.
Consequently, Justice Obiozor, while adjourning this matter till March 28, April 16, May 2 and 5 for trial, ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.
The judge however stated that the defendants’ bail applications can be filed and determined during the dates fixed for trial.
Count one of the charge against the lawyer and others read: “that you Sherifatu Ogunsemo Omotayo ‘F’, Bakare Olamiji, Tajudeen, ‘M’, Aderemj Adesoji Ayantunde Oladotun Hassan ‘M’ and others at large between the months of May, 2017 and February, 2018 at Ajah Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of the honourable court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Inducement, Obtaining by false pretences more thanN20,500,000.00 (Twenty Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) and Money Laundering and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Count two reads: “that you Sherifatu Ogunsemo Omotayo, ‘F’, Bakare Olamiji Tajudeen, ‘M’, Aderemi Adesoji Ayantude Daniel ‘M’, Oladotun Hassan Esq and others at large on or about the 30th day of May, 2017 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court with intent to defraud did obtain by false pretences the sum of N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira Only ) from Mrs Eva Okoh ‘1’ through your First Bank of Nigeria Plc account number and name: 3017146251-Bakare Olamiji Tajudeen, on the understanding that you will utilise same for the ratification of sale of land and to settle Chief Fatai Olumegbon and Olumegbon Chieftaincy Family in respect of two plots of land situate at Ado Road, Aja, Lagos sold to one Mrs. Ibiyemi Akeredolu ‘f’ by Mrs Eva Okoh ‘f’, a representation you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(a)(c)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Count Four: “that you Oladotun Hassan Esq, and others at large between the months of May, 2017 and February, 2018, at Ajah Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court, by false pretences and with intent to defraud did obtain from one Mrs Eva Okoh ‘F’ the sum of N500,000.00 (Eve Hundred Thousand Naira Only), on the understanding that you will use the money to hire the services of Military Police officers for two weeks to guard and secure the two plots of land situate at Ado Road, Aja, Lagos sold to one Mrs. Ibiyemi Akeredolu ‘f’ by Mrs Eva Okoh ‘f‘ because of Area boys’ threats to the land,a representation you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(a)(c)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
COUNT Count Five reads: ‘That you Oladotu Hassan Esq, Bakare Olamiji Tajudeen ‘M’, and others at large on about 23rd February, 2018, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court, did convert the sum of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) through your First City Monument Bank Plc account number: 0255142013 transferred to you from Bakare 0. Tajudeen’s First Bank of Nigeria Plc account no. 30171462510ut of the N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira)you fraudulently received from Mrs Eva Okoh knowing that such fund forms part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 15(1)(a) and (b) of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 201 1(As Amended in 2012)”.
 Chuka Austin Obiozor, alongside Sherifatu Ogunsemo Omotayo, Bakare Olamiji Tajudeen and Aderemi Adesoji A){kind=link}