On Friday, Justice R.A. Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, dismissed the objection raised by defence counsel Olalekan Ojo in the trial of seven individuals accused of participating in a £1 million fraud.
The court also accepted a flash drive containing video evidence of the sixth defendant, which was presented by the prosecution.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) earlier arraigned Morufu Adewale, also known as Gbegunleri Adelana, Abayomi Alaka, aka Dauda Usman Alashe, Omitogun Ajayi, and Ajisegiri Abiodun on 3 February 2022 before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the same court.
Three other defendants—Taiwo Ahmed, Raufu Raheem, and Sanlabiu Teslim—were listed as being at large at the time.
However, due to the retirement of Justice Taiwo, the trial was left incomplete, leading to the reassignment of the case to Justice Oshodi. Meanwhile, the EFCC intensified efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects.
In December 2022, all seven defendants were re-arraigned on an amended three-count charge, which includes obtaining money under false pretence, in violation of 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.”
The suspects entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ to the charges.
During the previous court session on 23 September, the prosecution counsel, N.K. Ukoha, attempted to submit a flash drive as evidence through the sixth witness, Giwa Wasiu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). Wasiu testified before Justice Osodi, explaining how the sixth defendant was apprehended in the Ikorodu area of Lagos.
He further revealed that the sixth defendant, in the video contained on the flash drive, confessed to conspiring with others to defraud one Dr. (Mrs.) Bello of N675 million.
The witness also stated that the flash drive, containing the said video, had been handed over to the EFCC, which was investigating the crime.
However, when Ukoha moved to tender the flash drive as evidence, the defence, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Olalekan Ojo, objected, causing the court to adjourn the matter to today, Friday, October 11, 2024, for a ruling.
At today’s session, Justice Oshodi overruled the defence’s objection and admitted the flash drive, containing the video recording of the sixth defendant, into evidence as Exhibit E.
Following this, the prosecution requested that the video of the confessional statement be played in open court, which the court approved.
The trial was then adjourned to December 18 and 19 for continuation.
