The EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Command has secured the conviction of one Abiodun Adeola Sadiq before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja Lagos for defrauding a businessman of 40,000 euros.
Sadiq, 50, was accused of defrauding a businessman, Babatunde Emmanuel, of 40,000 euros under the pretence that the funds would be used for the processing of the Malta Government Citizenship Investment Programme and the acquisition of a Malta international passport.
He had introduced himself to the victim as a Maltese government agent.
However, upon receiving the money, the defendant merely provided his victim with a forged Maltese international passport, which resulted in the victim’s deportation when he used it to travel to Europe, with his 10-year visa cancelled.
The victim then filed a complaint with the EFCC. Sadiq was later apprehended by EFCC agents upon his arrival from the United Kingdom, UK.
According to the EFCC, an investigation revealed that the aforementioned amount was in reality diverted to Sadiq’s personal use.
The EFCC prosecuted him on an amended seven-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and forgery.
One of the counts reads: “Abiodun Adeola Sadiq (aka Bunmi Sadiq) between the 14th day of May 2019 and 23rd July 2019 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division obtained a total sum of forty thousand euros (40,000 euros) from Babatunde Emmanuel by falsely representing to Babatunde Emmanuel that the money was for Malta Government citizenship Investment Programme and procurement of Malta international Passport which pretence you knew to be false.”
Another count reads: “Abiodun Adeola Sadiq (aka Bunmi Sadiq) between the 14th day of May 2019 and 23rd July 2019 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division knowingly forged and international passport with Passport No. 7255732 with names Babatunde Emmanuel Babalola purporting the said passport to emanate from Passport Office Malta.”
He was also accused of forging two other Maltese international passports in the names of Vincent Genesis Oyinlola and Vincents Olivia Ashinedun.
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when he was arraigned.
In the course of the trial, the prosecuting counsel, S.O. Daji, called four witnesses including Sadiq’s victim, who, testifying as the second prosecution witness narrated how he was defrauded and how, following the use of the passport, he was humiliated in Europe and treated like a terrorist as the passport was forged. Eight exhibits were also tendered in evidence through the witnesses.
The defendant, who took to the dock to defend himself, claimed that the forged passport, which landed the victim in trouble, was obtained from one “Sesan”, whose surname and location he could not provide throughout the trial.
Delivering judgement today, Justice Taiwo held that the prosecution proved all the counts against the defendant beyond every reasonable doubt.
Defence counsel, P.A. Awe, however, pleaded extensively for the Court to temper justice with mercy and to grant a non-custodial sentence. His client who had a chance to address the Court also pleaded for mercy.
“Have mercy upon me,” he said.
Thereafter, Justice Taiwo sentenced him to five years on count one, and 2 years each on counts two to seven. The sentences are to run concurrently.
He was also ordered to pay restitution to his victim.
Discussion about this post