The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan office on Monday, June 25, 2018 arraigned one Taofeek Oyegoke (A.K.A. Orija Oluomo Aremu) before Justice A. N. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, on a one count charge of obtaining money under false pretence. The offence is contrary to Section 1 (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
Taofeek was arraigned following a petition to the Commission alleging that sometime in May, 2017, he approached the complainant (name withheld) and informed him that he has 5 plots of land to sell and that he inherited it from his father. They both agreed for 4 plots of land and to pay N400, 000.00(Four Hundred Thousand Naira) only for each making a total of N1,600,000.00 (One Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) only.
After payment was made to the defendant, the defendant allegedly became evasive when the petitioner requested for the Land Sale Agreement. It was at that point that he discovered it was a fraud and all efforts made to get his money back seemed abortive.
Oyegoke however, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Dr. Ben Ubi prayed the court for a trial date and for the remand of the defendant in prison custody. However, the defense counsel, S. A. Animashaun informed the court of a pending summons for bail.
Justice Akintola, however, ordered that the defendant be remanded in Prison custody pending the hearing of his bail application.
The case was adjourned to July 6, 2018 for hearing of the bail application.
The charge reads: Taofeek Oyegoke (A.K.A. Orija Oluomo Aremu) between the 19th of May, 2017 and 22nd November, 2017 at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N1,450,000.00 (One Million, Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only from Alh. Babatunde Nurudeen Salami under the false pretence that the sum was payment for your 4 plots of land situate and lying at Ado village, Ibadan which you purported to have sold to him”.
