EFCC drags two scammers to court for €88, 000 fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), has arraigned the duo of Ajani Isaac Adedotun, (a.k.a.) Clara Williams and Lara Williams) and Adesina Segun Adedeji before Justice A.D. Oladimeji of the Osun State High Court sitting in Ede, on a 50-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

The petitioner alleged that the victim, M. Wassink, a Dutch citizen, was defrauded of over €88,000 in an Internet romance scam.

One of the counts reads: “Ajani Isaac Adedotun (a.k.a Clara Williams, Lara Williams) and Adesina Segun Adedeji, on or about the 5th day of March, 2014 at Ile Ife, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of €23,000 (Twenty-three Thousand Euro) through Adesina Segun Adedeji’s Skye Bank account from M. Wassink, under the false pretence that you are a female from Belgium and had travelled to Nigeria to buy some gemstones and bracelets and that the said sum of money represented fees for the officials securing the gemstones for you, which representation you knew to be false.”

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The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

As a result, the prosecuting counsel, Vera Agboje, asked the court for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the accused in prison custody.

However, counsel to the accused persons, Sanyaolu S. Akinyele and T. S. Adegboyega, respectively prayed the court to grant their clients bail.

Justice Oladimeji adjourned the case to May 16, 2017 for hearing of the bail applications and ordered the accused to be remanded in Ilesa prison custody.