EFCC arraigns 'smiling' Internet fraudster in court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, February 16, 2017, arraigned one Adetoro Fisayo Femi (a.k.a Bawa Mohammed Sanni) before Justice F. A. Odubanjo of the Federal High Court of Ondo State sitting in Akure, on a 6-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy, forgery, uttering of forged documents, retaining the proceed of crime and money laundering.

Adetoro however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him. In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Oluwatoyin Owodunni prayed the court for a trial date and for the remand of the defendant in prison custody. However, counsel to the defendant, A.O. Oyibanji informed the court of a pending application for bail served on the prosecution today.

Justice Odubanjo adjourned the case till February 22, 2017 for hearing of bail application and April 12, 2017 for trial while the defendant is to be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of the application for bail.

One of the charge reads:

“That you, Adetoro Fisayo Femi (a.k.a Bawa Mohammed Sanni) and Olawale Ayeni (at large) on or about the 29th day of July, 2016 at Akure within the Akure Judicial Division of this honourable court did transfer and remove from your Wema Bank account to the bank account of one Ibironke Adebayo the sum of Four Hundred and Sixty Nine Thousand Four Hundred Naira (N469, 400) only, which money is part of the sum of Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (950,000) only you obtained from Straight Hold Global Services Limited and with the aim of concealing and retaining the proceeds of crime and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 17(1) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibuited) Act No 11, of 2011 (as Amended by the Money Laundering (Prohibion) Act, 2012) and punishable under section 17(1)(b) of the same Act". 

Adetoro’s journey to the dock followed a petition to the EFCC alleging that the defendant and his accomplice, Olawale who is now at large, used the internet for fraudulent activities with which they fleeced unsuspecting victims of their money. Adetoro and his accomplice conspired and forged fake drivers license titled “Nigeria National Drivers License NO.RBS691520AB” in the name of Bawa Mohammed Sanni but bearing Adetoro’s passport photograph purporting it to have been issued by the Federal Road Safety Commission. 

The defendant thereafter altered the said forged document to one Ayodele Mary, a staff of one of the new generation banks (name withheld) with the intent that it may be acted upon as genuine in facilitating his operations and maintaining an account with the said bank. 

He further laundered N496,400.00 using one Ibironke Adebayo account and subsequently purchased a second hand engine for Amanda Jeep with the help of Olawale.