Lagos businessman charged with N39 million fraud, conspiracy

Lagos businessman charged with N39 million fraud, conspiracy

Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga

By Akin Kuponiyi

A Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned the trial of Lagos businessman Olutoye Remi-John to January 14, 2025.

Remi-John, the Director of TRJ Company Limited, is facing charges of conspiracy, obtaining property by false pretence, and conversion of N39 million.

The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a fraudulent transaction alongside Emeka Ndukwe, who is currently at large.

According to the three-count charge filed by Police Legal Officer Zebedee Arekhandia from Zone Two Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, Remi-John and Ndukwe were accused of conspiring to defraud a businessman, Mr. Michael Etieobhio Omofoma, by falsely offering to sell a landed property for N60 million.

In count one, Remi-John and Ndukwe were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony on November 4, 2022, in Ikeja, Lagos.

The duo allegedly intended to defraud by obtaining property under false pretences and converting the proceeds of the criminal act for personal use, in violation of Section 8(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006.

The second charge accused Remi-John and Ndukwe of fraudulently obtaining N60 million from Mr. Omofoma under the false representation that they would sell him a property located at No. 37, Aba Johnson Crescent, Off Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja.

The prosecution alleged that Remi-John knew this claim was false, thereby committing an offense under Section 1(3)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act.

In the third count, the prosecution alleged that between November 4 and December 31, 2022, Remi-John converted N39 million of the N60 million obtained from Omofoma for his personal benefit.

The charge further stated that he knew or reasonably should have known that the money was the proceeds of a criminal act.

This offence is punishable under Section 15(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended in 2012.

Remi-John has yet to enter a plea, and the court has set the trial to resume in January 2025.