Admin l Tuesday, September 25, 2018
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today arraigned Oluseyi Lamoru, a 44-year-old travel agent for forging the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Benue State University certificate and bank statements of Ecobank and First Bank. Lamoru pleaded guilty to the 8-count charge of possession of fraudulent documents contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and Section 363(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
Prosecuting counsel for EFCC, Mr Spiff Owede said the travel agent committed the offences on Aug. 22, 2017 in Lagos. “The defendant, with intent to defraud, forged a WAEC certificate with the name Shonubi Muheeba Olasunbo and purported that the said certificate emanated from WAEC. Lamoru with fraudulent intent, forged five Benue State University, Makurdi, certificates which contained false pretenses. He also forged an Ecobank statement of account with account number 2852009964 with the name Adewale Anuoluwapo Kudirat and a First Bank statement of account with the name Ajibode Oluwaseun Olusola,” Owede said.
Following his plea, Owede requested that the travel agent be remanded in prison to avoid congesting the cells of the anti-graft agency.
“With the non guilty plea of the defendant, I will ask for that he be remanded in prison custody so that we can commence trial immediately,” he said. Mr Ademola Adewale, Lamoru’s defence counsel, however, requested that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody.
“He should be remanded in the EFCC custody, prior to his arraignment in court, he has been on administrative bail and he never jumped bail,” Adewale said. Opposing Adewale’s request Owede said “Our response is that upon arraignment, the proper custody should be the prison.
“Its unfortunate that we have no space in the Commission, immediately he stepped out, a new suspect who had to stay behind the counter, took his place,” he said. Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo acceded Adewale’s request and ordered that Lamoru be remanded in EFCC custody. Justice Taiwo, noted that the fact that Lamoru never jumped his administrative bail was a factor that made her arrive at her decision. The case was adjourned until Oct. 12 for the defendant’s bail hearing
