Two Nigerian fraudsters, Tobilola Ibrahim Bakare and Alimi Seun Sikiru have relinquished over N200m and other properties at the upscale Lekki axis of Lagos to the Federal Government following their prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The forfeited assets were N196, 741, 216.82, and N7, 054, 852.01 in bank accounts. Two vehicles; a Mercedes Benz E500, a Toyota Hilux 2020.
Others were a five-bedroom duplex situated at Ibrahim Eleto Street, Osopa London, Lekki, Lagos, a four-bedroom semi-detached duplex situated at Ologolo, Jakande, Lekki, Lagos, and another four bedroom semi-detached duplex in Southern View Estate, Mayor Court, Chevron Alternative Road, Lekki, Lagos.
Also, lose to Federal Government were two vehicles that were valued at N30million while the three duplexes were valued at N230million.
The scammers lose the assets as they could not provide sufficient basis of the funds and properties linked to them and confessed to cybercrime.
Bakare, 27, an indigene of Ijebu Ode, Ogun State claimed his specialty is Business Email Compromise, and that he had hacked into numerous companies’ accounts outside Nigeria.
The defrauder had earned a cumulative sum of $1million from victims which included three foreign airlines through what is described as Business Email Compromise fraud.
The criminals showered their earnings on acquiring properties such as real estate and exotic cars.
Africa Investigative Magazine gathered that life was good for the scammers until September 2020 when the Operatives of the Commission, in the course of investigating a case of suspicious transactions and money laundering touching one Kehinde Adelakun, a convicted internet fraudster, stumbled on evidence tying Alvine International Resources Ventures, owned by the second defendant, Sikiru.
The transaction that sets off the alarm bell was an inflow of N5million in two transfers from Alvine International Resources Ventures.
Further probing by the investigators revealed different influxes suspected to be dividends of illicit workouts in both the Sterling Bank and Polaris accounts of the second defendant.
The balance in both accounts: N196, 741,216.82 in Sterling Bank and N7, 054,852.01 in Polaris Bank, were swiftly placed on a Post No Debit, to forestall dissipation of the funds pending the conclusion of investigation and determination of the case.
In his statement, the second defendant to the Commission confessed that majority of the funds found in his account were from the first defendant, Bakare, who also admitted guilt to being into Business Email Compromise, BEC, between 2009 and 2020 and hacking into the accounts of KLM, Turkish Airlines and British Airways.
The fraudsters were charged before Justice O. A Taiwo of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on a five-count amended charge edging on conspiracy and conserving stolen property, an offense contrary to Sections 411 and 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
One of the counts reads: “Tobilola Ibrahim Bakare and Alimi Seun Sikiru, sometime in 2020 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to commit felony to wit: retaining cumulative sum of about $1,000.000,00( One Million United States of America Dollars ) property of KLM, Turkish Airways and British Airways.”
Another count reads: “Tobiloba Ibrahim Bakare and Alimi Seun Sikiru, sometime in 2020 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with a dishonest intent, retained four-bedroom detached duplex situated at Ologolo Jakande, Lekki, Lagos.”
They pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charges preferred against them.
Delivering judgment, Justice Taiwo noted that the action of the defendants was “responsible for giving Nigeria a bad image globally, whereby the average Nigerian is looked upon as being untrustworthy and fraudulent.”
She sentenced Bakare, to three years imprisonment on counts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, with the option of a fine of N3m (Three Million Naira).
The Judge also sentenced Sikiru to three years imprisonment on counts 1 and 5 with an option of a fine of N1 million (One Million Naira).
Justice Taiwo also maintained that the five-bedroom duplex situated at Ibrahim Eleto Street, Osopa London, Lekki, Lagos, four-bedroom semi-detached duplex situated at Ologolo, Jakande, Lekki, Lagos, and another four bedroom semi-detached duplex in Southern View Estate, Mayor Court, Chevron Alternative Road, Lekki, Lagos recovered from the first defendant be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The Judge held that the sums of N196, 741, 216.82 were recovered from the second defendant’s company, Alvine International Resources Ventures account domiciled in Sterling Bank and N7, 054, 852. 01 recovered from the second defendant’s account domiciled in Polaris Bank be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Two vehicles, a Mercedes Benz E500 and a Toyota Hilux 2020 recovered from the first defendant were also forfeited to the Federal Government.
