Therapist, 48, faces trial for alleged N25m fraud

A 48-year-old wellness therapist, Abidemi Aderinto, on Monday, appeared before a Wuse Zone 6 Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for fraudulently receiving and converting N25 million to personal use.

Aderinto, of Satellite Town, Lagos, was arraigned on an eight-count charge of criminal conspiracy, fraudulently receiving stolen property, cheating by impersonation, theft, dishonestly assisting in concealing stolen property and forgery.

The prosecutor, Dabo Yakubu, told the court that one Anthonia Olua of Simtex International Concept Ltd., on April 17, through a petition to the Inspector General of Police, reported the matter at the Special Tactical Squad, Abuja.

Yakubu said the complainant’s organisation paid the sum of $196,000 between January and March into the account of one Folaranmi Aderinto, the defendant’s husband to execute a business for it.

He said the money was converted to naira at the rate of N330 per dollar totalling N64.68 million.

The prosecutor said that the defendant’s husband then transferred the sum of N25 million into the defendant’s Guaranty Trust Bank account, which she converted to her personal use.

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Yakubu said that during the police investigation, the defendant confessed to having disbursed part of the money to family and friends.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 97, 287, 317, 319, 322, 324, 325 and 364 of the Penal Code.

Aderinto, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Chief Magistrate, Chinyere Nwecheonwu, granted the defendant bail in the sum of one million naira with two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned until Aug. 24 for hearing.