Alleged Fraud: EFCC Apprehends Suleiman Gbajabiamila, Court Hearing Adjourned

Alleged Fraud: EFCC Apprehends Suleiman Gbajabiamila, Court Hearing Adjourned

  • Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Suleiman Gbajabiamila for alleged N30 million fraud
  • The 63-year-old Gbajabiamila was arrested by the EFCC operatives while trying to exit the court in another vehicle
  • Gbajabiamila is facing a two-count charge bordering on stealing and false presentation and he is expected to return to court in April

Suleiman Gbajabiamila, an alleged criminal facing a two-count charge in court bordering on stealing and false presentation has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Gbajabiamila was arrested on Tuesday, January 31 for allegedly defrauding a United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Lateef Adeyemo, of the sum of N30 million.

Police, Fraud, EFCC
Suleiman Gbajabiamila was first arraigned before the magistrate court for prosecution on June 20, 2022. Photo: NPF HQ
Source: Facebook

The 63-year-old was alleged to have presented himself as an estate agent sometime in 2021.

Antecedents of Gbajabiamila's alleged crime

Legit.ng gathered that he cunningly collected the sum of N30 million meant to acquire a two-bedroom for the UK-based Adeyemo but instead diverted the money for his personal use.

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The incident was reported to have transpired between the month of September and October 2021.

Gbajabiamila who was reported to have been on the run for several months was later captured and arraigned before Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun.

He was arraigned by the police who revealed that Gbajabiamila had done some transactions with the money which was mostly between him and his wife.

As reported by the Guardian newspaper, the victim paid the sum of N150,000 to track Gbajabiamila who did not turn on his phone until Tuesday, September 20, 2022. The suspect was immediately tracked and captured by the authorities.

Since his apprehension by the authorities, Gbajabiamila was first arraigned before the magistrate court on June 20, 2022, and adjourned until July 25, 2022.

At one of his court sessions in October 2022, Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun remanded the suspect to the Ikoyi correctional facilities until January 2023 but was reportedly released on the eve of Christmas in 2022.

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During the resumption of court proceedings over the case on Tuesday, January 31, the defence counsel appealed to the magistrate for the case to be adjourned at a later date to enable his client to settle with the aggrieved.

Defence counsel pleads for adjournment, proposes settlement

The presiding Magistrate Olatunbosun agreed to the plea and adjourned the case until April 5, 2023, for further proceedings.

While recounting what happened to the alleged N30 million, the 63-year-old suspect admitted to collecting the money but used it for some bad investment that landed him in trouble.

He, however, stated that he is willing to settle out of court and he is ready to spread the payment until he clears his debt.

Meanwhile, there was a little bit of drama when the suspect was about the exit the court in a vehicle.

Guardian reported that Gbajabiamila's vehicle was impeded by the operatives of the EFCC who ordered him to alight from the vehicle and whisked him away a moment later.

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Reacting to this development, the victim alleged that the suspect was acting cleverly to evade justice.

Adeyemo said:

“According to the last court pronouncement, he was supposed to be out of prison today (yesterday) for the hearing but he had been released in December 2022.
"He has been using the name and influence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.”

Fake Gbajabiamila in Lagos court for alleged multi-million naira fraud

Recall that Legit.ng reported that an alleged impersonator of the speaker of the house of representative, Femi Gbajabiamila has been nabbed and arraigned in court.

The alleged whose name is Suleiman Gbajabiamila was accused of duping a UK-based Nigerian of N30 million.

He has however pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge against him bordering on stealing and false presentation.

Source: Legit.ng

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