Crime: Seun Egbegbe, asked to remain in prison by Federal High Court

Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday ordered Nollywood film marketer Olajide Oluwaseun Karrem popularly known as Seun Egbegbe and his co-accused, Oyekan Ayomide to be remanded in prison custody till next Tuesday when their bail applications would be entertained.

Egbegbe and his accomplice, Ayomide were last Friday arraigned before the court for allegedly defrauding some Bureau De Change (BDC) operators of multi-million naira.
The men of State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) of Lagos State Police Command, Panti-Yaba, had arraigned him and co-accused on 36 counts charge of conspiracy and fraud.  


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 accused, had between 2016 and February 2, 2017, were alleged to have defrauded the BDC Operators at various places in Lagos State to the tune of N40.647 million; $29, 800,00 USD; and £4, 815 United Kingdom Pounds Sterling.

The offences alleged to have been committed by the two accused persons, 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.

At the resumed hearing of the accused persons bail application today, their lawyer, Miss. A. O. Gbadamoshi, told the court that she started the process of filling their 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, the police prosecutor, Mr. Anyigor, informed the court that he was unable to file a counter to the applications, as he was only given the accused applications bail in the office on Wednesday morning. He told the court that he will need time to study the contents of the applications  before filing any response. Consequently Mr. Anyigor urged the court to grant him adjournment to enable him reply to the accused persons’ bail applications.

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

Others are: 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 2nd February, 2017, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court by false pretence and with intent to defraud conspired among yourselves to obtain the sum of N2. 450, 000 million; £3000 Pounds Sterling 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, the prosecutor, Mr. Innocent Anyigor,urged the court to remand them in prison custody pending trial. 
Thereafter, Justice Oguntoyinbo, ordered that the two accused persons should be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the hearing of their bail applications to February 21st.