Couple defrauds man of N70 million to make him the Vice President of Nigeria, another of N15 million to make him Commissioner

                         

Abioye Junaid, 41, and Fausat Junaid, 39, husband and wife, are facing trial on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud, stealing and impersonation at Igbosere Magistrates’ Court for allegedly impersonating former Governor of Lagos State, Chief Bola Tinubu to commit fraud. 

The prosecutor, DSP Charles Odii, told the court that the couple and others still at large conspired and committed allegedly committed the offences between October 2014 and December 2015, at their residence, No. 7 Ayeola St., Oke Balogun, Epe, Lagos. 

Odii said that Junaid was a security agent with Eco Electricity Company at Sangotedo Epe, while his wife was a civil servant with the Epe Local Government respectively.

 “The accused had falsely presented themselves as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria,’’ Odii said. 

He said that the accused obtained the sum of N15 million from one Ambali Abiodun, under pretext of making him a commissioner in the Lagos State Government.

 The prosecutor also alleged that the duo obtained the sum of N70 million from one Otuniyi Adeniyi, under pretext of making him the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a representation they knew was false. 

The prosecutor further stated that the accused stole the money from their victims. According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 285 (5), 312 (2), 378 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

 The duo pleaded not guilty to the offences. Mr Emmanuel Bayen, counsel to the accused, urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms. 

In her ruling, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs A. O. Sholadoye granted them N2 million bail each with two responsible sureties each in like sum. 

The magistrate said that one of the sureties must be a level 16 officer or above in the Lagos State Civil Service. She said the other surety must be a landed property owner whose certificate of ownership would be verified at the Lagos State Land Registry. 

The magistrate ordered that the accused be remanded in prison pending the meeting of bail conditions. She, however, adjourned the case till Aug. 26 for mention.