The Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, on Wednesday continued with the trial of an alleged internet fraudster, Aderibigbe Fetuga as an officer with the anti- graft agency narrating how the defendant was arrested and how he attempted to obstruct the cause of justice by wilfully destroying evidence.
The EFCC has arraigned Aderibigbe Fetuga on a five counts of obstructing justice, money laundering, false representation, fraud and concealment of evidence among others, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 46 (a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2015.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr Ahmed Yerima, when the matter came up for trial on Wednesday, the witness told justice Akintayo Aluko that during the raid on the defendant, hideout, the defendant having been aware that operatives of the agency are around intentionally destroyed the iPad with his hands and legs so as to prevent EFCC from getting any incriminating data.
The witness said Fetuga admitted destroying the gadget in the statement made to EFCC after his arrest that he used his hands and legs to destroy the iPad so as to prevent officers from retrieving information from it.
Asked by the prosecution counsel why Fetuga was arrested the witness said the defendant was arrested on the suspicion of belonging to a member of an organized syndicate who are into computer related fraud and wilfully destroyed the iPad electronic gadget in order to obstruct the commission from accessing evidence in relation to the alleged offence.
” During investigation, the defendant admitted dealing in computer related fraud by playing the role of middle man by linking victims and collecting commission from the deal”.
The witness said that further to the commission’s investigation, EFCC wrote a letter to First Bank Plc and Zenith Bank PLC demanding for the defendant’s statement of account and from the our analysis of the account statements, we discovered that several transactions were flowing into the defendant’s accounts and this suggests that those payment were cashed out from the sales of crypto currency, gift cards and other digital assets..
Flowing from the evidence of the prosecution witness, counsel to the prosecution, Mr Ahmed Yerima tendered several exhibits which includes defendant’s statement, investigation letters to First Bank PLC, Zenith Bank PLC as well as their responses, ipad phone,iphone 11 Pro max as well as a small Nokia phone and were admitted in evidence.
Defendant counsel then asked for adjournment to enable him cross examined the defendant.
Justice Akintayo Aluko thereafter adjourned the matter till November 25,2024
The charge against the defendant reads:
That you Aderibigbe Fetuga ‘M’ of No.2, Opaleye Street, Julle Estate, Oregun, ikeja,Lagos on of about the 22nd September. 2020 al Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria willfully obstruct the Operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from recovering one ipad in its original form by destroying it in order to conceal evidence and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 46 (a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2015.
That you Aderibigbe Fetuga ‘M’ of No.2, Opaleye Street, Juille Estate, Oregun, Ikeja sometimes in 2020 at Lagos. within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud portrayed yourself as a white lady and send romantic messages online in order to cause wrongful gain to unsuspecting members of the public and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(2) of the Cybercrime ee tion Prevention) Act Laws of tne Federation of Niqeria
That you Aderibiqgbe Fetuga ‘M’ of No.2, Opaleye Street, Julie Estate Oregun, Ikeja sometimes between March and September. 2020 at Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria did an illegal act to wit: Money Laundering of the aggregate sum of N3,000, 000.00 (Three million Naira) only by disguising the true origin of the said amount which you traded online popularly called “‘bitcoin” and converted the said “bitcon” to local currency Naira} and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable Under Section 7 {2) (6} of tre same Act
That you Aderinigbe Fetuga ‘M’ of No 2. Opaleye Street, Julie Estate, Oregun, Ikeja sometimes between July and September, 2020, Lagos, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court at Nigeria did an illegal act to wit: Money Laundering of the aggregate sum of N300.000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) only which was obtained through an illegal activity and which you converted the said amount into local currency and retained same into your bank account and you thereby committed an offence Contrary to Section 17 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment, Etc} Act of 2004.
That you Aderibigbe Fetuga ‘M’ of No.2, Opaleye Street. Julie Estate. Oregun, keja sometimes between July and September, 2020 at Lagos. within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud falsely represented yourself as a white lady and deceitful obtained The aggregate sum of N300 000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) only from unsuspecting members of the public which representation you knew was false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 1{1)(a) and 1(3} of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No:14 of 2006
