EFCC investigator testifies against man in alleged N5m scam

By Adenike Ayodele

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigator, Ademola Agbetuyi, on Monday testified against one Onarike Onagoruwa, accused of defrauding a woman of N5 million on the pretext of supplying her coconut oil.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Agbetuyi is facing a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and issuance of dud cheque before an Ikeja Special Offences Court.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Agbetuyi, who was led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Mr Nwandu Ukoha, told the court how the witness ignored several letters of invitation sent to him, which necessitated his arrest.

The witness said EFCC received a petition on Jan. 27, 2020 and that the defendant allegedly defrauded his victim using a purported coconut oil-based investment scheme.

He told the court that the petition was assigned to his team for discrete investigation and report.

He told the court that: “The agreement was that for every investment, the complainant will get 30 per cent returns on the N5 million invested.

“Upon giving him the N5 million on Dec. 7, 2018, the defendant issued a post-dated cheque of N6.5 million dated Dec. 7, 2019 for a year.

“On the date when the cheque was presented at the bank, it was dishonoured on account of insufficient balance.

“Several letters of investigation were written to Zenith Bank, UBA and Access Bank and responses were received, which were further analysed.”

The witness further told the court that the defendant ignored several invitations extended to him but he was arrested on March 2, 2022, by a team of operatives two years later in Odogbolu Area of Ogun.

The witness said the defendant was confronted with the petition and interrogated upon his arrest.

“He volunteered his statement during the interrogation and claimed that he was experiencing financial crisis, the reason he was unable to meet up with payment.

“However, our investigations revealed that after receiving the N5 million in his Zenith Bank account, he converted it to his personal use,” Agbetuyi told the court.

NAN reports that the statement of the defendant, the correspondences between the EFCC and the banks as well as the cheque slip were admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits P4 to P14.

Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the case until May 9 for cross-examination.

(NAN)