Three alleged fraudsters temporarily forfeit N88m to FG

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered that N88, 452, 846. 11 million, belonging to three suspected fraudsters, be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government.

The suspects are Osanyinbi Oluwaseun Temitope, Olawoye Oluwamuyiwa Abolade and Kaseem Oluwatosin Emmanuel.

Justice Saliu Saidu made the order following the submission of counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), George
Chi-Yakua.

He said the money belonging to the suspected fraudsters domiciled in First Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTB) and Ecobank Plc, be frozen, pending the conclusion and possible prosecution of the suspected fraudsters.

An affidavit deposed to by an investigation officer attached to the Special Task Force (STF) of the commission, Oghare Ogbole, stated that the commission is currently investigating a case of the suspicious transactions received through an intelligence report against the suspected fraudsters.

Ogbole said the suspects were arrested in 2015 for allegedly committing the offence of identity theft and wire fraud in the United States of America from 2013 to 2015, during which period, they maintained the accounts with the stated banks.

The deponent stated that investigation revealed that the first respondent, Osanyinibi Oluwaseun, laundered part of the monies through his mother’s account numbers 481/476599/1/3005/0, Osanyinibi Titilayo Gbemisola, which is domiciled in GTB.

He further stated that as part of investigation activities, EFCC wrote letters of investigation to several institutions to place ‘Post No Debit’ and ascertain the veracity of information gathered in the course of investigation.

The judge granted the anti-graft agency’s prayer, and ordered the management of GTB, First Bank and Ecobank Plc, to freeze the said accounts, pending the conclusion and possible prosecution of the suspected fraudsters.