N3.29bn Land Fraud: EFCC nabbed suspect

August 20, 2015 Babatunde Ojetola

Adetokunbo Fakeye

A suspected serial fraudster, Dr. Kunle Adeshola who issued a forged draft to the tune of N3.29billion, in a phony land deal has been arrested by the Nigeria anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The suspect, said to have presented himself as Director, Corporate and Management Service, Amazon Inc., had allegedly entered a contract with Atkan Services Nigeria Limited for the purchase of 50 units of flats in different locations within the FCT, Abuja and subsequently presented a Deutsche Bank, “bank draft” no 081758 in the sum of $19.930, 900.00 purportedly drawn by Deutsche Bank in favour of Infinity Trust Savings and Loans Limited.

But the draft was returned unpaid after Stanbic IBTC Plc, discovered it was forged and reported the fraud to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the apex bank consequently reported the matter to the EFCC.

It will be recalled that the suspect had earlier been arrested and prosecuted by EFCC for claiming to be an Assistant Commissioner of Police seconded by the Commission to the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC, to cleanse the rot in the agency.

Crime records show that, Adeshola, who had claimed to be Head of the EFCC Chairman’s Monitoring Unit was charged to court on a seven-count bordering on forgery, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretence before Justice Usaini Baba Yusuf of the FCT High Court, Abuja.

Justice Yusuf, however, struck out the charges on the grounds that they were not related to financial crimes, a ruling that has since been challenged at the appellate court by the EFCC.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, who confirmed the arrest said the suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.