Funke Busari, Lagos
A self acclaimed car dealer, Rasaki Wasiu Adeyiga is standing trial for alledgedly defrauding a businessman, Mr. Ahmed Garba Shinkafi, to the tune of N24,260, 000.00 (Twenty-four Million, Two hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira).
An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Umar Seun Sanni, testified against the defendant on Monday before Justice O.O Abike-Fadipe of an Ikeja Special Offences Court.
The prosecution witness, while being led in evidence by Babatunde Sonaike, said the defendant presented himself to the businessman as a car dealer who imports automobiles from the United States of America and Europe.
He said the defendant was in September 2020 introduced to Ahmed Garba as a reputable car dealer by a colleague. Hence the sum of N24.2m was paid from the complainant’s First Bank account into the defendant’s GT bank: 0136968208, for the purchase of two Lexus GS 460 from September 2020 till October 2020.
According to Umar Seun Sanni, “The complainant paid the sum of N4.5m and N5.5m on September 21 and 25 respectively into his account. Another payment of N4.5m on September 30, another N4.5, N2m, N2m, N1.26m on October 2.
Trouble started for the defendant when the commission on January 21, 2021 received a petition dated January 19, 2021 which was written and signed by one Ahmed Garba, a complainant, against the defendant, stating in part, “After the money was paid to the defendant, he disbursed it and used it to purchase landed properties in Ogun State and used the rest for his own personal use. However, the defendant could not also give reasons he couldn’t buy the Lexus.
“A letter of investigation was written to GT bank to establish if the defendant received the money from the complainant.
“On March 26, 2021, the defendant was arrested and brought to the commission.
The defendant gave an additional statement. The defendant was served with a bail condition and was kept in custody.”
With supporting documents, the EFCC prosecutor thereafter sort to tender documents such as: The petition written to the EFCC and the two statements made by the defendant dated March 26 and 29, 2021.
The trial judge admitted the documents in evidence and marked them as exhibits P1, P2a and P2b respectively.
The matter was further adjourned till November 17, 23 and 24 November for cross examination.
