The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, arraigned a suspected Internet fraudster, Balogun Sultan, before Justice Oloruntoyin Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a four-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents.
The defendant was said to present himself as Erika Stiller, a female, to unsuspecting victims on the Internet.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Balogun Sultan (a.k.a Erika Stiller), on or about the 29th November, 2017 at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, had in your possession documents containing false pretence titled “Picture from Erika” from Erika Stiller by sending pictures to [email protected] and printed from your email box, [email protected], [email protected]”.
Another count reads: “That you, Balogun Sultan (a.k.a Erika Stiller), on or about the 13th April, 2018 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, had in your possession documents containing false pretence titled “Grant FMT” Re Money” from Erika Stiller by sending a letter printed from your email box, [email protected]”.
He, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, C.R. Edozie, asked the court for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody pending the determination of the case before the court.
Counsel to the defendant, Babatunde Adeyemi, prayed the court to admit his client to bail.
In his response, the prosecution counsel told the court that though he had been served with the bail application, he would need time to go through it.
Consequently, Justice Solebo adjourned the matter to February 5, 2019 for hearing of the bail application and also remanded the defendant in Kirikiri prison custody.
