By Becky Usman

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Jerry Ogunsakin, was brought before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday, facing charges of unlawfully converting N128 million. The Special Fraud Unit filed three counts against the defendant, including conspiracy, obtaining by false pretense, and unlawful conversion.

According to the police prosecutor, Chukwu Agwu, the defendant committed the offenses on November 15, 2022. He allegedly conspired with five individuals, Ogbu Patricia (aka Lamba), Michael Babatunde (aka Orija), Bolaji Sobande (aka Barrister Onifade), Peter Ben, and Idris Wada (aka Coker), who are currently at large.

The prosecutor explained that Ogunsakin and his accomplices fraudulently obtained N128 million from businessman Esomonu Everest by falsely claiming they had United States dollars to sell. Furthermore, the defendant was accused of converting the obtained funds for personal use.

The charges brought against Ogunsakin contravene Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act No. 14 of 2006, punishable under Section 1(3)(a), as well as Section 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended in 2012.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. Consequently, the prosecutor requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in custody until the determination of the case. Ogunsakin’s counsel, Kole Bello, did not oppose the prosecutor’s request.

Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre and scheduled the case to resume on July 19.

It is worth noting that four other individuals—Ibikunle Wasiu, John Babatunde, Taiwo Michael Fagbayimu, and Pius Irabor (aka John)—were previously arraigned in February in connection with the same alleged crime.