The wife of a traditional ruler in Ikorodu town, Lagos State, Olori Kudirat Abosede Shotobi, is presently counting her losses after she was swindled to the tune of N53m by a 70-year old man under false pretence.
The suspect, Adeyinka Adewoye Abdulkabir a.k.a Kabiyesi Owuro, has been arrested and charged for the alleged fraud.
It was gathered that the incident happened at Ikeja area of Lagos, where Olori Shotobi paid him the money under the false pretence of investing the money on the Ikeja Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture on passage farming scheme but he diverted the money.
Apart from obtaining the money from the Oba’s wife, the suspect, Abdulkabir also collected huge sums of money from other victims in the same manner. Those he obtained the money from included, Emeliezo Franscica, N2,450m, Atoyebi Feyishayo, N2m, Oludimu Dupe N3m, Ojugbele Funmilayo, N5m, Solomon Alabi, N2m and others.
According to the Police, the suspect had between April, 2023 and November, 2023 obtained the money after allegedly deceiving the victims that he was the Ambassador of Ikeja Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture and asked them to invest in the scheme and they believed him.
They paid him the money to invest in the scheme with the prospect of making profits on their investments as he had promised them. He allegedly forged documents of the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Dr Edward Olutoke and gave them as proof of payment and investment on the scheme.
However, trouble started after the victims who had expected to reap from their investment in the scheme discovered that the suspect, Abdulkabir, defrauded them because he did not invest the money in the scheme as he made the victims to believe.
The matter was reported to the Police at Alausa Division and the suspect was arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After interrogation, the Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for impersonation, obtaining under false pretence and forgery.
However, he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector John Iberedem, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. E. Kubenije, granted him bail in the sum of N3m with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood, tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.
