By uncovered.ng
Lagos. Nigeria, August 2, 2022 –
An Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bot Dachung Toma has told a Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja how defendant, Ladeji Babatunde allegedly obtained sum of N2.6 million under false pretence from suspect.
Toma disclosed this in his evidence before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, that the defendant impersonated the EFCC official.
Babatunde had boasted that he would prevent their arrest by the commission.
According to him, the defendant obtained from the victim and promised them that he would help prevent them from being arrested and also secure bail.
Led-in-evidence by the EFCC counsel, Mr Nnemeka Omenwa, the witness told court that defendant was an operatives informant, he obtained from suspect and promised that he would help them in their case.
According to Toma, “the defendant impersonating the EFCC had collected money from the people and promised that he will prevent them from being prosecuted.
“We are able to trace some money into his account. The defendant used the money extorted from the victim to build a house in Ogun State.
“The house had been marked for investigation.”
When the witness was however, cross examined by the defendant counsel, he affirmed that the petition was written to his office as an intelligent report.
He told the court that the defendant paraded himself as the operative official.
Toma told the court that sometime in March 2021, the commission went for search in Ogun.
“It was there the anti graft discovered that the defendant had collected N800,000 from one Jacob that he would help him in his case.
“The boy was in our custody when he gave information that the defendant collected the money from his parent,” he said
The EFCC had alleged that the defendant had collected money under false pretences.
“We investigated the petition and found out that the defendant was impersonating EFCC officials and going around collecting money that he would help them not to get arrested.’
Babatunde was alleged that on February 15, 2021 with intent to defraud, obtained N300,000 from Noah aka Flow , through Shapax International, an internet fraudster under the false pretences that he would protect him from arrest by the operatives of EFCC.
The commission also alleged that Babatunde obtained N1.5 million from one Chijioke Mmadubue and his syndicate of internet fraudster based at Chevron axis of Lekki under the pretence that he would protect them from arrest by the EFCC
His offences contrary to section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No 14 of 2006.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the three counts charge brought against him when he was arraigned.
After listening to the testimony of the witness, the trial judge adjourned till August 16, for defence to open its case.
