Ogun police arrest lawyer over complicity in alleged N250m fraud

Court frees Lagos businessman for fraudulent property deal charges
The Ogun State police command have arrested a legal practitioner, Kayode Oshiyemi, for allegedly conniving with others to extort money from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Al Amin Farms, Ijebu-Ode, Shakirudeen Olufowobi.

A statement by Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, noted that the suspect’s arrest followed a petition by Olufowobi to the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Ahmed Iliyasu, alleging that Oshiyemi and others were threatening his life.

The petitioner alleged that the lawyer, having failed in several attempts to make him part with millions of naira, connived with some hoodlums, some of who have been arrested earlier on his farm for stealing,” the statement reads.

It added that on the strength of the allegation, Oyeyemi said the CP ordered a thorough investigation of the allegation.

Following the order, the police carried out an investigation and also monitored the activities of the said lawyer.

Arrested along with Oshiyemi are: Adeborode Ogunlaja, Sodiq Owolabi, Abolaji Alabi, Mukaila Abolaji, Abiodun Adebayo and Abolaji Adebola.

Oyeyemi said Iliyasu had ordered that the suspects be charged to court as soon as the investigation was concluded.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos has discharged and acquitted a Lagos-based businessman, Taiwo Malumi, over allegation of fraudulent business transaction brought against him by the police under the Advance Fee Fraud Act.

The transaction involved a property worth N170 million on B9, Ruxton Road, Ikoyi, which Malumi got the authority of the then Federal Ministry of Works and Urban Development to develop and sell.

But one Nick Shaiyen, Managing Director, Whitehall Limited, who expressed interest in acquiring the facility, made an initial payment of N40 million before the transaction broke down and became a matter of litigation.

Following complaints by Shaiyen, alleging that Malumi defrauded him of N40 million in the course of the transaction, the Police in November 2016 instituted a case of Advance Fee Fraud against Malumi at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi.

While the police and prosecutor were aware of trial of both parties, it sought the permission of the judge for an out of court settlement, which was granted.

However, the negotiation, which was conducted using the CP’s office facility, Special Fraud Unit (SFU) and supervised by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SFU, resulted in a mutual agreement that was communicated to the court.

Notwithstanding the agreement, the police/prosecutor insisted on continuing with the trial, saying Shaiyen had no powers to discontinue with the case on the ground that it was a state case in which he (Shaiyen), as the victim, could only be a witness.

The defendant’s lawyer, Ayodele Salami, however, objected to this and prayed the court to dismiss the entire trial, quash the charges against him, acquit and set him free.

He maintained that from all the evidences the prosecutor brought before the court, no prima facie case had been established against the defendant to warrant his continued trial and punishment.

Thereafter, Justice Saliu Saidu ruled that Shaiyen defaulted in the transaction, saying it was wrong for him to have claimed that he was defrauded when he failed to meet the conditions for acquiring the property.