The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office today arraigned one David Ayomide Raphael before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, on an eight-count charge of money laundering .
Raphael was arraigned following an anonymous petition alleging that a syndicate of fraudsters who resides at Kola area, Oluyole, Ibadan was into fraudulent activities.
Investigation into the petition by operatives of Commission revealed that members of the syndicate - Davies Ayomide Raphael and two others at large (Oyewole Segun Samuel and Adeyemi Adewumi Segun) were specialized in internet scam through which they defraud innocent people, while using fictitious address to purchase items online such as cars and furniture with fake PayPal.
It was also discovered that the defendant also engages in online dating to defraud unsuspecting victims. One of the counts reads:
The charge reads:
"That you, Davies Ayomide Raphael on the 20th of June 2016, at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Federal High Court, did directly take possession of the sum of N235,000.00 (Two Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand Naira) only transferred to you by Adeyemi Adewumi Segun which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known form part of the proceeds of your unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act".
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him. In view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Sanusi M. Galadanshi prayed the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody.
However, counsel to the defendant, J. A. Sanusi informed the court of a pending bail application on behalf of his client and prayed the court to allow the defendant remain in the EFCC's custody pending the hearing of the application.
Justice Abdulmalik granted the prayer and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC's custody pending hearing of his bail application. The case is adjourned to February 27, 2018 for hearing of bail application and commencement of trial.
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