Police comply with court order, produce witness against alleged fraudster, Egbegbe, others

Eight days after a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos ordered the police to produce its witness, Inspector Bello Abubakar, in the ongoing trial of fraud case against a film promoter, Olajide Kareem, otherwise known as Seun Egbegbe, the police on Wednesday turned up its witness.

Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, had on October 5, berated the police over the manner it prosecuted the case and thereafter ordered the police to produce its witness, Abubakar, who had testified before the court but failed to show up for cross-examination.

Egbegbe is being tried by the police alongside Oyekan Ayomide: Lawal Kareem: Olalekan Yusuf and Muyideen Shoyombo, over alleged N39million: $90,000 USD: and £12,550 PBS, belonging to over 30 Bureau de Change operators.

Notwithstanding the appearance of the police witness before the court yesterday, Justice Oguntoyinbo, declined to vacate her earlier order on the witness when requested to be vacated by the prosecutor, Mr. Innocent Anyigor.

The judge said the order will only be vacated when the police witness has concluded his evidence.

Justice Oguntoyinbo subsequently adjourned the matter till October 17, for continuation of cross-examination of the witness.

It would be recalled that Egbegbe and his co-accused were re-arraigned by the police in a third amended charge marked FHC/L/40c/2017, on charges bordering on conspiracy, stealing, and fraud in the sum of N39, 098,100, $90,000 and £12,550, belonging to over 30 Bureau De Change Operators.

They were alleged to have defrauded over 30 BDC operators by falsely representing to them that they had foreign currencies to sell or buy from the BDC operators.

For instance, Egbegbe and his gang were alleged to have on February 2, 2017, fraudulently obtained the sums of N2.450 million, and £3,000 from one Alhaji Isa Adamu in Lagos under the guise that they wanted to see the naira and buy the pounds.

Among the other victims of the alleged frauds by Egbegbe and his gang were: Mohammed Sanni, who was allegedly defrauded of N2.46m on 2017 New Year day; Jubrila Ado, allegedly defrauded of N1.257m on September 9, 2016; Hassan Amodu, allegedly defrauded of N600,000 in January 2016; Sanni Hassan, defrauded off N1.43 and £2,750 in August 2015; Saidi Abdullahi, defrauded of N700,000 on April 18, 2016; Atairu Abdullahi, defrauded of N1m on June 23, 2016; and Abdullahi Babadisa, defrauded of N650,000 in January 2016.

The police prosecutor, Mr. Anyigor, had told the court that Egbegbe and the others acted contrary to Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and were liable to be punished under Section 1(3) of the same.

Egbegbe and his cohort denied all the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charge. But they are yet to meet the bail conditions granted them, and they are currently remanded at Ikoyi Prison, Lagos.

Peter Fowoyo