EFCC arraigns man for $5m, N800m scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Sennaike Opeoluwa before the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on a six-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, forgery, and possession of false documents.

Opeoluwa was arraigned alongside his firm, Sennaike Consulting Limited, on Tuesday, May 9, before Justice O.A. Okunuga for allegedly fraudulently obtaining $5 million and N800 million from unsuspecting members of the public.

Count one of the charges read: “David Sennaike Opeoluwa and Sennaike Consulting Limited, sometime between the months of January 2021 and March 2022, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, deceitfully obtained an aggregate sum of $5,000,000 from unsuspecting members of the public, on the understanding that the payment was an investment for the protection and prevention of a developed Cyber-Security Software for onwards delivery to the United States of America.”

Count two read: “David Sennaike Opeoluwa and Sennaike Consulting Limited, sometime between the months of January 2021 and August 2022 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, deceitfully obtained an aggregate sum of N800,000,000 from Mr Olugbenga Ojo, Benson Ogungbamiwa, and several unsuspecting members of the public, on the understanding that the payment was an investment for the protection and prevention of a developed Cyber-Security Software for onwards delivery to the United States of America.”

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Count three read: “David Sennaike Opeoluwa and Sennaike Consulting Limited, on or about the 6th day of October 2022 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, with dishonest intention, forged documents printed from your laptop titled ‘Executive Office Of The President Of The United States’, dated November 22, 2021, and other related documents containing fraudulent conversation allegedly made between Kamala Harris, representative of the Government of the United States of America and Olugbemiga Ojo, President and CEO of Langberg Inc., in order to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.”

Opeoluwa, however, pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to him.

In view of his plea, the counsel for EFCC, Ahmed Yerima, prayed the court for a trial date and for the remand of the defendant.

The defence counsel, Akeem Akinroye, made an oral application for the bail of his client, arguing that “he doesn’t constitute a flight-risk”.

Justice Okunuga, however, noted that the court was a court of records.

The judge further ordered the remand of the defendant at the correctional centre, pending when a formal bail application would be brought before the court.

Justice Okunuga, therefore, adjourned the case till June 28, 2023, for trial.

The Star