Seun Egbegbe, accomplice to spend more time behind bars

NOLLYWOOD film marketer, Seun Egbegbe, and his accomplice, Oyekan Ayomide, would have to spend more time behind bars as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has extended their remand order till next week Tuesday when their bail application would be heard.

Egbegbe and his accomplice allegedly defrauded 33 Bureau De Change (BDC) Operators of about N40 million, but were apprehended and handed over to the police.

The serial fraudsters were arraigned before the court last Friday, by the men of State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) of Lagos State Police Command Panti-Yaba, on 36 counts charge of the alleged crime.

At the resumed hearing of the fraud suspects bail applications on Wednesday, their lawyer, Miss A. O. Gbadamoshi, informed the court that she stated the process of filling the applications last Friday and that she succeeded in completing the filing processes on Tuesday, and served the applications at the police office on Tuesday.

She also informed the court that she called the prosecutor, Mr Innocent Anyigor, that she had served his office.

In response, Mr Anyigor, informed the court that he was unable to file a counter to the applications, as he was only given the accused applications in the office on Wednesday morning.

He informed the court that he will need time to study the contents of the applications and before filing his counter.

The prosecutor urged the court for a short date to enable him reply to the accused persons’ bail applications.

Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Mojisola Oguntoyinbo, ordered that Seun Egbegbe and his accomplice be returned to prison custody while she adjourned the hearing of their bail applications till Tuesday, February 21, 2017.

Police in the charge marked FHC/L/40c/2017, filed before the court  by the SCIID’s head of legal department, Mr Effiong Asuquo, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), the two fraud suspects, had between 2016 and February 2, 2017, defrauded the BDC operators at various places in Lagos State to the tune of N40.647 million; $29, 800,00; and £4, 815.

The two accused persons were slammed with 36 counts charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud.

The offences according to the prosecutor are contrary to sections 8 and 1(1)(a)(B)(3) of Advance Fee Fraud and  Other Related Offences Act 2006, and punishable under section 1(1) of the same Act.

Among the BDC operators allegedly defrauded by the serial fraudsters include: Issa Adamu, Mohammed Sanni, Jubril Ado, Hassan Amodu, Bala Mohammed, Sanni Hassan, Abdullahi Mumuni, Suraju Garuba, Mutairu Shuaibu, Sanusi Muhammad, Kabiru Jubril.

Others include: Barowo Abdullahi, Yahu, Abubakar Musa, Abdullahi Babatunde, Nasir Musa, Umaru Haruna, Umaru Sanni, Mohammed Bello, Mohammed Alli, Abdulrazaq Sanni, Tairu Musa, Sulaiman Sheu, Amadu Abda and Dauda Ibrahim.

Count one of the charge against the two alleged fraudsters reads: “that you Olajide Oluwaseun Karrem and Oyekan Ayomide, on or about February 2, 2017, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court by false pretence and intent to defraud conspired among yourselves to obtain the sum of N2, 450, 000million; £3000 from one Alhaji Isa Adamu, and therefore committed an offence contrary to Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences, and punishable under the same Act.

The two accused pleaded not guilty to all the counts charge.

Upon their not-guilty plea, Mr Anyigor, had urged the court to remand them in Prison’s custody pending trial.

The request, which the presiding judge, Justice Oluremj Oguntoyinbo, had acceded to, and ordered the two accused persons be remanded in Prison’s custody, while fixed March 10,  for trial.

Egbegbe is also facing a charge of stealing before an Ikeja Magistrate Court. He was arraigned before the court sometimes in November for allegedly trying to steal Iphones from the popular Computer Village market.