Alleged N266.5m Fraud: Court Fixed Apr. 25, To Rule On Fake Army Gen.’s Bail

Alleged Fake Army General, Bolarinwa Abiodun

Alleged N266.5m Fraud: Court Fixed Apr. 25, To Rule On Fake Army Gen.’s Bail

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court has fixed April 25, 2022, to determine bail appllication filed by one Bolarinwa Abiodun, an alleged fake Army General, who was arraigned before the court be the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The fake Army General, Bolarinwa Abiodun, was charged before the court by the EFCC, on April 15, on charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, forgery of documents and possession of documents containing false pretence to the tune of N266. 5 million.

He was alleged to have posed as General in the Nigerian Army allegedly and falsely presented himself to the complainant, Kodef Clearing Resources, that the President, Muhammadu Buhari, had short-listed him and one other to be appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, (COAS) and that he needed a short grant to “press and process the appointment.”

The fake Army General, Abiodun, who was arrested at his house in the Alagbado area of Lagos State on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, also allegedly forged a letter of appointment as COAS purportedly signed by the President and showed the same to the victim to further prove his claim.

In the said forged letter, the defendant was alleged claimed that he needed to pay a certain amount of money into the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria, as part of the requirements for the appointment as COAS.

He was also alleged to have, in May 2020, forged a Nigeria Army Identity Card with serial number 387140, claiming the same to have been issued to him from the Nigerian Army, and another forged Letter of Recommendation purportedly signed by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo recommending one Adebayo Rasaq Adebola, with recruitment No 77RRI/OG/556/0032555 and Adeogun Emmanuel Adesola with recruitment No 77RRI/OG/352/0123751 for employment into the Nigeria Army.

He was also accused of being in possession of a forged Certificate of Confirmation dated November 7, 2018, purporting the same to have emanated from the Nigerian Army Headquarters.

He is also accused of being in possession of a forged document titled: Letter of Authorization, purportedly signed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo permitting one Bamidele Olusegun Safiriyu of De-Rock Maritime Resource Limited to enter Apapa Port freely and load their truck.

Upon his arrest, six pump action guns, three cartridge bullets, a swagger stick and several forged documents were recovered from him.

One of the counts reads: “Bolarinwa Oluwasegun Abiodun, between 15th June, 2020 and 31st December 2020 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud and whilst holding yourself out as a General in the Nigerian Army, obtained the sum of N111, 400, 000 from Kodef Clearing Resources Limited, under the pretence that the sum represented part of the amount expended to “press and process” your incoming appointment by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, as the CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF of the Nigerian Army, which pretence you knew to be false.”

Another count reads: “Bolarinwa Oluwasegun Abiodun, sometime in May 2020 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly forged “Letter of Appointment As Chief of Army Staff”, dated 20th May 2020 and purported the said document to have emanated from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which document you know to be false.”

He had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

Following his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Abass O. Muhammed, asked the Court for a trial date and for the remand of the defendant at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS). 

But the defence counsel, Kayode Lawal, informed the Court of a summons for bail filed on behalf of his client. 

The prosecution acknowledged receipt on April 8, 2022, noting that “we are still within time to respond and we intend to respond.”

Acknowledging the position of the prosecution, Lawal prayed the court for “the shortest date to move our bail application.”

Thereafter, Justice Taiwo adjourned till Thursday, April 14, 2022 and ordered that the defendant be remanded at Ikoyi Correctional facility, Lagos.

At the resumed hearing of the defendant’s bail application on April 16, 2022, the EFCC’s prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, who led Abass Mohammed, while Kayode Lawal, and Chief Anthony Dania, watching brief for the complainant, were all in court.

The presiding judge, Justice Taiwo after taken arguments from the prosecutor and defence Counsel, The case is adjourned to April 25, 22 for ruling on bail and possible continuation of trial.

Justice Taiwo further ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the NCoS till the determination of the bail appllication.