Court Remands 2 BDC Operators Over Alleged N71m Fraud

Two Bureau De Change (BDC) Operators, Zakari Zadu and Jubrilla Yakubu, were today, remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), over alleged conspiracy, stealing and fraud of N71 million, by a Lagos Federal High Court.

They are remand was sequel to their not guilty plea to a three-count charge preferred against them by the Officers of Force Criminal Investigation Department ForceCID (Annex) Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, in a charge numbered FHC/L/135c/2023.

Arraigning the two BDC Operators, the prosecutor, S. O. Ayodele, told the court that the defendants, sometimes in August 2022, conspired among themselves and fraudulently obtained the sum of N71 million from one Suleiman Jibbo, with the pretence of converting same to foreign currency.

He told the court that defendants after collecting the mentioned sum from their victim, diverted same into their pockets and used same for their personal purposes.

He told the court that the offences committed by the two defendants are contrary to  section 8(a) and 1(1)(c) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

He also told the court that their action is contrary to section 383 and punishable under section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Upon the reading of the charges to the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to the three counts charge.

Upon the defendants’ not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Ayodele asked for a trial date, he equally urged the court to remand them till the determination of the charge.

However, lawyers to the defendants, Bamidele Ibironke and John Ujah, informed the court that they have filed and served their clients’ bail applications and same have been served on the prosecutor. Adding that the court’s bailiff is yet to bring it to court.

They asked for short date for the hearing of the bail applications.

Justice Abimbola Awogboro while ruling on the parties’ submission, adjourned the matter till Friday, March 31, for hearing of the bail, while also adjourning till April 18, the defendants’ trial.

Justice Awogboro also ordered that the defendants be remanded in the NCoS custody till the hearing and determination of their bail application.

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