Punch reports that no less than 30 Bureau de Change operators stormed the courthouse for the filmmaker and his accomplice, Oyekan Ayomide's, re-arraignment before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo.
Bureau De Change operators storm court as filmmaker, accomplice is re-arraigned
Seun Egbegbe and his accomplice, Oyekan Ayomide have been re-arraigned in court over a joint 40 counts of fraud.
Seun Egbegbe
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The pair has been accused of defrauding more than 30 BDC operators of various sums of money in both local and foreign currencies between 2015 and 2017, in Lagos state.
However, Egbegbe and Ayomide pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them.
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As earlier reported, Justice Oguntoyinbo had granted the pair bail in the sum of N5 million each on February 24, 2017, before adjourning the case to Friday, March 1, 2017, for the commencement of trial.
The prosecuting counsel for the police, Mr. Innocent Anyigor, informed the judge that the charge sheet had been amended and increased from 36 to 40 by the courts.
Anyigor prayed the court that the charges be read to the defendants so that their pleas could be taken.
The prayer was granted, with the pair re-arraigned and pleading not guilty as they had earlier done.
The defense counsel, Mrs. A.O. Gbadamosi urged the judge to vary the bail conditions granted Ayomide because he was only involved in three out of the 40 counts.
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Justice Oguntoyinbo later adjourned the case until March 24, 2017, for the commencement of trial, as she would prefer to hear testimony from the IPO's before the BDC operators.
In the case marked FHC/L/40c/2017, Egbegbe and Ayomide were accused of swindling the BDC operators by falsely convincing the victims that they had foreign currencies to sell.
Punch reports that the police alleged that on February 2, 2017, Egbegbe and Ayomide fraudulently obtained the sums of N2.45m and £,3,000 from one of the BDC operators identified as Alhaji Isa Adamu in Lagos under the guise that they wanted to see the naira and buy the pounds.
Other victims of the alleged frauds by Egbede were Mohammed Sanni, allegedly defrauded of N2.46m on 2017 New Year day; Jubrila Ado, allegedly defrauded of N1.257m on September 9, 2016; Hassan Amodu, allegedly defrauded of N600,000 in January 2016; Sanni Hassan, defrauded off N1.43 and £2,750 in August 2015; Saidi Abdullahi, defrauded of N700,000 on April 18, 2016; Atairu Abdullahi, defrauded of N1m on June 23, 2016; and Abdullahi Babadisa, defrauded of N650,000 in January 2016.
Others were Abdurawan Hassan who allegedly lost N1.46m to Egbede on January 1, 2017; Suraju Garuba, who lost N850,000 in July 2016; Abdullahi Mumini, who lost N2.15m in September 2016; Garuba Hassan, who lost N700,000 on January 10, 2016, and Sanni Mohammed, who lost N1.89m on January 29, 2017.
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Amongst others swindled by Egbegbe were Barowo Abdullahi, who lost N2.6m; Yahu Alidu, who lost N1.75m; Tairu Musa, who lost N2m; Mohammed Bello, who lost $300; Mohammed Usman, N450,500; Suleiman Shehu, who lost N1.276m; Ahmadu Abda, who lost N2m; Nairu Musa, who lost N1.007m; Sanni Mohammed, who lost N1.6m and $3,000.
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Others include Umaru Haruna, who lost N1.7m; Abubakar Musa, who lost $4,000; Abdulrasaq Sanni, who lost N1.7m; Abdullahi Babatunde, who lost N2.77m; among others.
According to the police prosecutor, who signed the charge sheet, Mr. Effiong Asuquo, said Egbede and Ayomide acted contrary to Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and are liable to be punished under Section 1(3) of the same.
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