SFU re-arraigns woman over N19.9 million advance fee fraud
The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has adjourned until March 12 for the commencement of fresh trial in a charge against a 54-year-old woman, Titilayo Bickersteth, and others charged with advance fee fraud.
The other defendants are Adtig Multi Service Ltd. and Twice Afam Services Ltd.
The police Special Fraud Unit (SFU) re-arraigned the defendants on a three-count bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences and advance fee fraud.
Mr Bickersteth was first arraigned in January 2018, and the trial has since begun with the prosecution leading two witnesses.
However, the former judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, was later transferred out of the Lagos division.
Consequently, the defendant was re-arraigned before Justice Isaac Dipeolu, and the trial is to start de Novo (afresh).
It was alleged that she had committed the offence alongside others now at large.
She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
After her plea, defence counsel, Adewole Fadipe, urged the court to allow the defendant to continue on an existing bail granted by the former judge on January 15, 2018.
Mr Fadipe told the court that since her arraignment, the defendant had always appeared in court without failure and urged the court to allow her to continue on the existing bail.
The prosecutor, Watson Uhunmwangho, did not oppose the application, and the court adopted the earlier bail.
He, however, adjourned the case until March 12 to begin a fresh trial.
In the charge, the defendant was alleged to have committed the offence between 2010 and 2016 in Lagos.
The police alleged that she conspired with others at large to commit advance fee fraud to N19.98 million.
The defendant was alleged to have obtained N4.6 million and about N15.3 million from one Subuola Alabi, represented by one Babatunde Alabi, and OC Consult Ltd., under the pretext of helping purchase a plot of land in Ibeju-Lekki.
The representation was said to be false.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 1,1a) and 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act 2006.
(NAN)
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